The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-28


And they have not been able to
crush it out of the tragic professions
of the homeless, as they were driven
hither and times as
slaves by their conquerors; sometimes
to flee where they will, from violence
and destruction. Some day, as you
walk briskly on an errand through the
streets of Paris. you see a group of
them coming in, slow-moving, be-
wildered. There is a terrible intimacy
about this sight and most of all about
the little ones who have seen hideous
things and are too young to know that
they are not a common part of life.
Who is going to take care of them,
and their mothers and these old, bent
people, who are such detached, trif-
ling part of Frances millions and a
half refugees?
The French Commission Of the
American Red Cross, with their $780,
100000 War Fund behind it, on its
arrival in Paris consulted with the
French government how it could best
help. And the glory of the American
Red Cross is the principle of coop
Grafton it established there, and by
which it works. The first thing it did
for refugees in France was to make
itself the co-operator-and never by
any chance the rival-of all of the ex-
listing agencies official and non-offi-
cial for their welfare. 1t put a grant
| of 100000 francs (about $1,00O,0O0)
in the hands of the French govern
ment for its refugees. And it began
to find or prepare decent lodgings for
the thousands upon thousands of
them squeezed into Paris attics. Also
it began to learn everything what
could be learned about the whole
problem of the million and half of
them.
! There has been initiative, character
istically French, in many cases, in
meeting these inpourings Of the home
less The case of Monsieur Peltier
and a group of gemdarmes (Who cor
respond to our policemen) is one of
the great stories of the war. Here it
is:
One day-it was early in the war
! thc gemdarmes of two arrondisse-
ments, or wards, in Paris received
an official telegram that about 100
refugees would arrive the next morn
ing for them to take care of. So! -
No provision, no money, no roof, no
place to put them, but 1900 of them,
nevertheless, due to arrive the next
morning--and their responsibility!
| Monsieur Peltier, the chief of one
of these wards, called a conference.
First, money! These gemdarmes, put
each a hand in his pocket, and pro-
duced two francs; and after the con-
ference they told the small-shop- keep
ers along the streets Of their wards
and they added to this pooled sum for
the start-off. Everyone's two francs
on the table, there rose the question of
lodgings. That was the rub.
Finally some one timidly suggested
the huge building that had been in
former times a seminary for priests,
in the famous old square Of st. Sui
pice. A part of it being used for a
museum.
The museum pieces were crowded
together in a small space and locked
and the big old keys began opening
door after door and door after door
and hundreds of windows went up and
several hundreds of rooms that used
to domicile young priests, took theil
first long breath in years, preparatory
to taking in this pitiful host even Their
on it's suffering way to Paris.
Mattresses and stoves were rushed
in, faster when SO many mattresses
! and stoves and dishes, are likely tt
have been rushed before. And ther
these weak, frightened, dazed people
were brought to the Seminaire the
next morning by the gendarmes, there
was water to wasd in, and food to eat
and mattresses to sleep on. So begaI
the famous Secours de Guerre, in
spired and directed by keen, kindl!
Monsieur Peltier.
Every day it has sheltered and fer
between 100 and 5000 refugees. 1t!
godfathers, the gemdarmes, are proud
of it. The huge seminary is a city il
itself now-dormitories, divided int
suites, that the remains of familie
may keep their family life; schoo
rooms; cobbler shops where littl'
shoes are made out of wornout biz
ones; sewing rooms; a nursery TO
seventy or more babies that are a
last having fair chance; an employ
ment agency,-and the lovely garden
where refugee children truly play
Sometimes they see "Guignol," Xix
our Punch and Judy, there, and yo1
; can hear them laugh with joy. Their
are flower boxes at all the windows.
Monsieur Peltier is a geniue, ant
the spirit responds to the sunshine.
Monsieur Peltier made a city with
in a seminary in Paris, and Monsieu
IMirman project of the district o