The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1918-10-11
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has examined nearly $4,000 1 saw $50 little chill
dren examined. They ranged in age from three 70
twelve years, and of them all there were barely
more than so per cent whom he could pass as be-
ing fairly we'll nOurished.
"They have been fed mostly turnips and
black bread for months" he explained, "and with
each convoy there more undernourished ones
and more like this little fellow" He Indicated
thin wisp of a boyle was ten years of age-it
was tuberculosis.
This explains furthermore why the American
Red Cross hospital as part of its war burden
has been obliged to extend it's work into the foun
dation and maintenance of homes, here, there ana
everywhere throughout France, for. these unfor-
tunates whom Germany is sending back by the
hundreds Of thousands. For they are unable to
work. unable to make their own homes, and the
civilian population of France, bent double with
the pack of its own problems has been increas-
ingly powerless to cope with this Germanys in.
sidous effort to break the morale of France.
1t was ali new to me when / went up to Evian
from Paris to see the repatrates come in. had
heard of how Germany had begun sending them
back In 1916, and how, as the numbers of them in
creased, the American Red Cross stepped in and
undertook to look out for the sick children, finally
extending its work to caring for the hundreds
Of tuberculous women whom Germany returned TO
France. But had heard also, of how the repa-
triates. sent through Switzerland by the Germans
arrived at Eyian, singing kneeling down and kiss
ing the soil of France and gladly taking up their
share of their cOuntry's work in factories and on
farms. l had looked for scene of joy at the
station there in Evan for cheers and heartthrills
at the casino. Here was people being returned
to the country that 1t belonged to; here were ban
ners of welcome, here were hands and hearts open
to 1t. But had seen something entirely different
and when inquired 1t was explained to me. II
is plainly" told, part Of the German plan
~.
efficiency of the American Red Cross, which it has
learned is doing such a large part in the work OF
handling repatriates.
"At the same .time that Germany Is hurting her
big shells into Paris by day and air raidlng it by
night; at the same time that she is driving refu
gees by the thousands from their homes in towns
along the line of her proposed advance; at the
same time she is filling the hospitals with wounded
French and American soldiers. taxing the equip
ment of the American Red Cross to the limit as
she believes, she has tried new trick during this
offensive
IF this is not so, how can 1t be accounted for
that each succeeding trainload Of repatriates is
larger, contains more sick and completely used up
individuals than the previous one? How can you
account for the large number Of young women
with babies born In Germany since they wers
taken there-babies whose fathers may be Ger
man. but whose identity will ever remain mys
tery-which are unloaded on US every day?
Even at that 1t seemed rather difficult task
These people who were coming in-I saw several
trainloads of them-seemed such hopeless things
What could be done with themf What burden
they would be on the Frenchi How little result
there would be from anything done for them OF
with them!
THAT is far from being the case" / was told
.aThey respond in an incredibly short time to all
we do for them Their health improves. their
minds clear. From being liabilities they soon be-
come assets. Germany sends these people In,
wrecks, so cowed. so starved. that they scarce
ly tell where they have been, what has happened
to them in the years of their slavery in the mines,
the mills the fields Of their captor country. Tuber-
culosis seems to have firm grip on many Of them.
and the children are filed with the germs Of con-
taeious diseases But either by happy ability of
the French TO rise under difficulties. the Joy of
ending themselves back in their own land. the
rapidity with which they rally, the quickness with
which their minds clear is remarkable"
French woman, in charge of the casfno yes-
tialre at Evian where clothing is found for these
unfortunatcs said: .sThe they send. the
better we like it. We can care for all, with the
help OF cur friends the Americans And the faster
they send them hack. though their coming so fast
unouestienably taxes our resources to the utmost.
the more quickly viii France get back her own
people"