The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1918-08-16

The treatment of children during the German
occupation very terrible Little tots OF four
and five and children on up to the ages OF 'hr-
teen and fourteen, We're forced to work all uhy
for their enslavers. They were taken INTO 'he
fields at five In the morning and were not NJ
lowed TO come back until seven in the evening"
During all that time they were given only one
meal Their tasks to dig potatoes eu'
away the barbed-wire entanglements anq PICK We
unexploded shells. After the Germans went away
there was no milk to be got because all the COWS
had been either killed driven away III one
district there were 800 children who existed ioi
months without n single drop of milk 1 met ono
little girl who had been kept for ~ days Oh ue.
consisting of nothing but bread and soup 'ie
latter being watery and scarcely at all houi'sA'
ing. - , ,,ode
The destruction of the schoolhouses mas n''ue
II impossible for the young children 10 gam ""'
education. 1t is no strange thing to eheoui'e,
hoy or girl of eleven who can neither re''u ioi
write In their hideous thoroughness, the Her-
mans destroyed books pencils, desks ana al. t'o'
a thing was left. After the American rehei WIN
ers came into the devastated regions they estao
Iished schools and built little wooden puHuiiis7
in which to carry the work
At one school they told n story OF niue
girl who brought In with the other cm'aFen
to learn to read. AS soon as she discovered an
old chair in one of the corners she Immediately
got into it and curled up In utter enjoyment anu
relaxation She could not be persuaded to get
out Of that chair. The teacher inquired why she
was SO pleased with the chair and learned that
the household in which the child lived had not
boosted n single chair since the hrst INVASION VA
the Germans.
The separation of the children from their par
ents is another very tragic occurrence In the
months and years before they are reunited the
children grow and change so that they are not
recognizable to their parents when they meet
again Some of them, to be sure, wear on
chain about their necks little gold baptsmal
gifts on which their names are inscribed But
this is exceptional 1t is one Of the confessed
schemes of the Germans to divide and scatter
families much as possible.
NV heart bleeds for the children Of France!
Oh that they should suffer this unmerited abuse
and tribulaton!
The deportation of young girls has been sys-
tematcally practiced. German officer comes
to the front door of house and orders the entire
family to assemble outside on the door step. Then
he picks at random a number of the younger
women of the family. Il will take you and
you and your he says, indicating the
chosen ones with his forefnger. AT this SUM
mons they must leave their homes at once. They
are not allowed to pack their belongings nor to
carry much baggage. They are permitted only
SO much they can carry wrapped In hand
kerchief.
After they are taken into Germany they are
mt to work cultivating the fields. doing the
hardest and most mental kind OF labor They
are forced to live with the soldiers and are
rudely treated by them. They can send no word
dead. }
The relief work in the invaded districts haE
been tireless. Great credit Is due to the Amer
lean committee for devastated France, organized
by Miss Anne Morgan. Over 1000 children have
been turned to this committee to be cared
for. One Of Its most useful works has been in
assisting the stricken people to leave their homes
SO long as there Is danger from the Germans in
the vicinity. Pitful stories told of the flight
Of these people. One old woman refused to be
Tod frny har in
only consent to go when she could be assured
that another goat could be got IN her own
lost.
France has been hard-tried, but she is not
broken. Never has the morale Of the French
people been mistaken than 1t is today
France halls with Joy the arrival of the Ameri-
cans. 1t is most fitting that these great sister
republics should be fighting side by side in this
hour Of stress. Victory will be won; 1t is in
evitable! But ah. the pain. the and the I'M
necessary degradation that have followed In the
wake Of the invaders! VIII the world ever for
get these7 Can the bitter memory ever be
effaced?