The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-30
STREAM
OF WAR VICTIMS
CROSSES BORDER
Holland Cares for Thousands
of Homeless French Driven
Before Retreating Germans.
tBy Associated Press)

AMSTERDAM, Oct 30.-When the
German retirement in Belgian Fland-
ers began, it was expected that 250,OOO
refugees would seek safety in Holland.
Up till Saturday night, however, only
a small fraction of this number had ar
rived At that time about seven
thousand had passed through the wire
gates marking the Dutch-Belgian from
tier On Friday alone, 1896 arrived.
All but thirteen were French people,
from the districts of Valenciennes,
Douai, Cambria and Quesnoy.
There is no congestion, as in 1914,
when the mass of refugees from Bel
gium threatened to overwhelm the
hurriedly organized bands Of willing
helpers.
This time the stream began to
trickle in slowly. At first several
hundreds arrived each day, but the
number now has increased to thous-
ands. However, there has been time
to organize at all frontier centers of
the Dutch provinces of Brabant and
Limbourg, food depots in charge OF
committees cooperating with the
Dutch Red Cross. Doctors and nurses
also were sent to the border and they
are being assisted by sisters of mercy
from the converts in the southern
provinces of Holland.
So far there has been two main
streams, some thirty miles apart. One
point of entry is where the Dutch pro-
, vinces of Brabant and Limbourg meet
and the other is across the Meuse
| river into Maastricht, the capital OF
Limbourg province. At these points,
the fugitives are registered by the
military authorities and must undergo
a physical examination.
Month on Road.
I The spectacle of the weary, travel
stained war victims toiling through
the mud and rain was affecting ana
the sufferings of the old and lnflrm
men, women and children on the 150
mile tramp were intense. Most OF
the French civilians had been on the
road a month; others six weeks or
two months. All the French spoke
| of the kindness OF the Belgian people
who shared their food with them.
The fatigues of the journey were too
much for some Of the travellers. The
weaker ones died on the way and
few others succumbed soon after
reaching the hospitable soil OF Hol-
land. Many of the refugees are suf-
fering from grippe and bronchial affec-
tions. The worst cases had been CIV
en- immediate assistance at the near
est hospitals and converts, but the
examining physicians say that the
number of sick thus far has been
lower than had been anticipated.
Many pathetic incidents occurred
during the march. Among the relu-
gees reaching the Dutch border was
a young mother with the body OF Eer
six-months-old babe clasped to her
breast. The babe had died four days
previously, but the mother refused TO
bury the body in soil held by the en-
emy An old woman Of Cambria trav-
eled for three weeks In a chair tied
on cart Scarcely had she reached
neutral soil when the cart overturned
and the woman was killed.
Plan Repatriation.
To distribute the fugitives in Hol-
land the government last week order
ed the burgomasters of Deventer, AS
sen, Zutphen and Arnheim and other
provincial towns farther north to ar
/ range to accommodate refugees to the
extent of two percent Of the popula-
tion of the town. To these centerS tne
/ refugees now are being taken on four
teen special trains Carrying 1000 par-
sons.
| The Dutch villagers on the frontier
have rendered efficient first assistance
to the refugees, although food is not
plentiful as in 1914. At Maastr1cht
great crowds welcomed the refugees
by singing the "Marseillaise" and the
"Brabanconne," and loaded them with
food and dafnties.
! The French minister at The Hague
has been investigating the possibility
of repatriating the refugees to France
through the liberated section of Bel
GUM, tut the plan is not yet feasible
as bridges have been blown up and
the railways and tramways are in no
condition for use. Meanwhile scheme
for repatriation by sea is being con
sidered.