The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-06-26
MANCHESTER RED CROSS
An Interview with Mrs. Dorothy Can
field Fisher

A suggestion that | call upon Mrs
Dorothy Garfield Fisher, who has JUS
returned from France after spending
years In relief work there, and invite
her to come to Manchester to tell oi
the needs in that devastated country
was promptly acted upon. 1t was
thought the pictures she could present
would stimulate the languishing inter
est in Red Cross work.
Mrs. Fisher was all eagerness and
anxiety in her desire to help, but gave
as reason why she was obliged to re-
fuse to make any public addresses at
present that she had declined many
similar requests and she could not dis
criminate. She was sure the people in
this valley would respond to calls for
help if they knew as she does the dire
full need. She gave me this message to
bring to you. and wish could give
it in her own words:
In the devastated regions, where the
repatriated people are trying to bring
some semblance Of life to the ruined
towns and villages they need every
thing. These people are not paupers or
ignorant, unskilled laborers, but very
like Manchester folk, who, after gen
erations Of decent, comfortable living,
emerge from this hell of battle strip
ped of everything but their indomit-
able courage. Mrs. Fisher thought we
might realize it better if she told of
an incident which occurred just before
she left France. She was invited to
go to one of the ruined villages, where
she knew the people intimately, to at
tend the wedding of young soldier
just released from German prison
camp. The whole community joined to
do honor to the occasion. The we'd
ding breakfast consisted Of bread,
greasy soup and fried eggs, and
someone had walked ten miles to pro-
cure the eggs. Everything is disc
ganized, the railways, telegraphs, tel
ephones, mail service, all means Of
and every one, includ-
ing the women and children must work
all the time in order to eat.
When Mrs. Fisher was asked if the
rest of France and the uninvaded
parts of Europe couldn't take care of
the want and suffering there, she said
it made her think Of an old story CON
nected with her own family. Once up
on time her great grandmother was
stricken down in the midst of her
spinning, weaving and other bustling
activities in large family and hung
or days between life and death with
Uphold fever The crisis passed and
'he wakened at last, weak, feeble and
'ane, when her simple minded sister
aid complainingly: "See here, Maria,
he rest of us are about beat out with
work. Don't you think you've laid
bed and rested about long enough ?"
Fhe analogy was too pointed for my
,eace Of mind, and returned home
questioning whether we are justified
n putting any consideration Of our
Individual preference, in putting our
aste for pretty things or our ambi-
ious desire to have suitable surround
ngs ahead or in place of the help we
ach one of US could give if we wished
t. thought of the so per cent of
york which should have been done
uring the month of June still unfn-
shed and the $1,000 layettes needed in
he regions recently occupied by the
ierman army during the coming two
1onths and feel sure that the women
( Manchester will not permit the .
FORK to lapse.
HERMIONE CANFIELD.