The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-12-28
Conscientious Directors to Prove
Their Principles BY Work in France

than 5000 refugees by the French
government, it is revealed in the
pamphlets prepared by the Friends,
asking whether or not they wish to
return to their home villages. Only 5
per cent answered in the negative.
This will mean that in the Verdun
region from 1000 to $500 families
must be cared for. 1t has been esti-
mated that to provide one family with
the minimum of furniture, linen and
garden seeds will cost about $3.50. On
this basis the service committee has
been asked by it's workers in France
to place orders for 1000 families at
once. They have also asked for an
appropriation of 100000 francs for
medical work Costs of buildings and
agricultural machinery will be borne
by the French government
Preparing for Refugees.
Few of the refugees from this or
other regions have been able to do
more than keep alive since their flight
before the invading Hun. "That these
families cannot all return at once is
obvious" says the service committee.
Their return must be gradual, method
ical, scientific. To make this return as
there will be placed at the disposal OF
the refugees two large buildings, or
centers of reception, on the edge of
our district. 1t is estimated that near
ly 100 families can be quartered in
each of these buildings. 1t will be a
shifting population. moving on as the
reconstruction allows.
1T Is from these centers that the
first thorough survey Of the liberated
country will take place. The notables
of such and such village will be first
asked to lodge here and make thor
ough inspection of the commune. They
| will ascertain how many houses are
completely destroyed. how many can
still be repaired, and to what extent
| the land Is fit for immediate reculti
walton. In fact, they will make an es
innate as to how many people, ii any
can be allowed to return at once.
Houses and Huts to Go Up Quickly
Then there will be invited to the
center of reception the carpenters, the
masons, joiners and able bodied per
sons from the village, who can get tc
work at once on their old commune
| Very often it will be found that the
families of these men will wish to
come with them, and In this case they
can be housed at these centers, while
| the school teachers of the village car
also stay there and busy themselves
with the instruction of the children
Nothing should be more invigorating
! to those returning to an old commune
than that they should be able to take
| some part in the rebuilding Of their
own home. 1t might be possible to
| devise some means by which houses
could be run up more quickly and
slightly better, but to population sui
fering inevitably from a weakened
/ morale no method Of arousing their
personal interest and enthusiasm
should be neglected
| Every sort of house in every sort
of material will probably come in use
full, among others the wooden hutS
| which are being constructed in the
workshops of the mission at Dole anC
Ornans for future use, and also con
siderable number which have beer
ordered elsewhere by the department
al authorities. The mission alst
| hopes to help in the organizations O
! building concrete houses as rapid,
and cheaply as possible, with all the
latest labor saving devices, which will
allow a large use of the debris of the
old villages.
"The department will be able t.
hand over to our area $50 wooder
huts as soon as military operations
and transportation facilities permit
Further, the workshops of the mission
at present instead in the southeast o.
| France can with their present staf
! turn out from seven to ten huts {
week and they will soon be concentrat