The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-07-26
RABBITS HELP
HOMESICKNESS
Play important Role in Making
Repatriates Contented in
Strange Surroundings.
RED CROSS IS CHIEF AID
Cares for Friend!ess and Homeless
People Whom Germany Dumps
Back From the Captured
French Hsmlets.

Bourg, France.--All repatriates are
homeless, but some have friends In
France who take them in. Those who
are friendless as well as homeless
when Germany dumps them back from
the captured French hamlet are sent,
according to the plans Of the minis
try Of the interior, 50 many to this
department, so many 10 that and the
departments divide them among the
villages, two families here three there
All over tile west and south Of
France you find them. these people
imbned with a love of their own fire.
sides which the nomadic American
can never understand, torn up sudden
ly by the roots and transplanted to
I'm utterly strange community, with
out anything in the world but Il little
baggage they can carry and the franc
ana half 4 day allowed by the French
government The father Of the family
is dead, or missing or a prisoner, or
at the front. The daughters and tho
sons who could work are still in Gers
many. Those in France were sent
back because they were too old, too
weak or too young to work--useless I
mouths to the Germans They are
the repatriate problem in which our
Red Cross is lending a hand.
Care for Repatriates.
The department Of the Ain is typi-
cal. Louig, It's principal city lies near
enough 70 the Swiss border so that
when six hundred people were expect
ed, The Tied Cross delegates could so
to Fvian and journey back with the
conveys.
When the delegates met the re-
patriates on the train, they gave them
an order which assured TO each family
4 little Of the coal which was 50
precious in France in cold weather A
printed letter stated that the Ameri-
cans knew their sufferings and SYM
with them and would help
supply them with garden tools and fur
aiture and to get work for them.
Reducing housekeeping to its very
lowest terms, the American Red Cross
delegates decided that each family
must have beds enough for everybody,
4 table, a chair apiece, stove, some
hing to hold water and something to
'ook in (there is n wonderful French
ltensil called "fait-tout," in which
You can pretty nearly make every
hing), a fork apiece, a plate apiece,
md one knife for the family. These
are lent to the poorer fam
lies. Those who can pay buy furni-
ure on sublimated installment plan;
4 % down and small payments ae-
'ording to income every two weeks
NTH tw0-thirds of the cost price is
when the furniture becomes
heir own.
The delegates may be able to cure
he physical needs of the refugees, but
hey have to contend always with the =
errible inconsistencies OF an uprooted
eople. More than anything else In a
he world, these homeless people want
D return to their own firesides; and -
or the time being, that Is tiadcally
npossible. They must be made as -
as possible in their new
Furniture offers one q
leans, gardens another, rabbits c
lird. Many Of the people have been 2
lrIders on small scale so that a -
Nv feet of ground on which to raise
lup vegetables or potatoes makes !.
lem Unfortunately happy. The village !.
the garden and the Red y
ross supplies tools and often seeds. q
Importance OF the Rabbit.
But rabbits are the crownins glory. =
hey represent almost the only form
meat these people ever have; they =.
In be Kept in very small quarters. fed :,
! grass gathered by the children; and
ey multiply with pleasing rapidity. ~
here it seems that rabbit will be
,ecially appreciated, the delegate
YES money enough to buy it to the tn
ayor of the village and asks him to %
} the purchasing. Or
So it goes. Sometimes the gifts OF
spade or a hoe or some wool or
ockings; sometimes hundreds Of kil0s
potatoes sent to a mayor to distrih-
e for the spring planting, dozens Of
ankets to cover the people when they
st arrive and are housed OF neces- Cc
" in schoolhouses or town halls ,.s
silly converted into Temporary barr