The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-20

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tests Of the war upon the children
in parts Of German Bohemia are do
scribed by r. Katz, Of Prague. IN the
vossische Zeitung. Mr.. Katx wrote.
A four days trip with the Hoover
Mission, which II setting out to feed
the hungry children Of Czecho-Slo-
vakia, has shown me the most appall.
ing and piteous MISERY that any peo-
pie can endure. A German people y
dying here, without uttering cry Of
distress, in the apathy OF deepest
despair. Thousands of these unfortu-
mates are swollen and perishing from
dropsy caused by undertaking, thou
sands are on their deathbed. And
shameful enough. those Americans
with whom traversed the hell OF the
|Ersgebirge were the first who stretched
out their hands to this lost people.
All the others had forgotten them, as
always those have been forgotten who
do not proclaim their distress in the
streets. But the Inhabitants of the
Erzgebirge no longer have strength
sufficient to cry out.
1t Is hardly possible to describe the
terrible conditions of the cottages OF
the Erzbebirge.- I saw the Interpreter
OF the American Mission (who GER
tain1y cannot be accused of too great
eympathies for German Bohemia) sob
at the sight Of these, infants reared on
coffee and oatmeal (Haferreis) l saw
an American hospital nurse, whose
NERVES had been hardened by Ave
years Of hospital service. break down
in faint at the sight of the starved.
skeleton body of an old woman:
I saw children Of one year weighing
less than at the time Of their birth.
And 1 visited large country districts
" MI ~ al Tho chill.
|dren were rickety, and where children
Of three years are only beginning to
walk.
For amongst ali the CHASTITY sights
OF this mountain range the most
CHASTITY are its children.
Accompany me to school in Erzbe-
birge. You VIII not believe that this
Is q classroom? You think it Is a
kindergarten for the little ones? No:
these are children Of seven and eight
years. : For. / have shown you the
lowest form Of the primary school.
And .undcrnourishment hampers the
brain as much as the body: that Is
why the children need here more than
a year, sometimes two OF three, to take
in their instruction., even moderately
we'll, in this lowest form. That Is why
you will find here even children of
nine. Here amongst these dwarf
lings? Yes, indeed. The little one in
the second seat is nine years old, Its
neighbor eight.
The same type you can notice on
all the seats. Tiny faces. with large
dull eyes, overshadowed by mighty,
Epuffed, rickety foreheads, their small
arms Just skin and bone, and above
the crooked legs. with their dislocated
joints. the swollen pointed stomachs
/ of the hunger oedeTna
Can't Hold Up Heads.
1 Scarcely one amongst all these chill.
! dren can keep its head erect; ths
emaciated muscles OF the neck are toe
weak to support It. But no, please
do not allow yourself to be tempted
by pity to stroke the head OF this tiny
mite. The child Is scabious. like most
of It's little fellow-pupils-and III
teacher. You might have noticed
how he refused to accept your hand
looking quite ashamed.
| I asked the children few questions
Look at me. Now, which OF yot
have eaten nothing this morning
Absolutely. nothing-not even bread
not even watcry soup?"
Out OF the forty-seven children
twelve lifted up their hands.
who has had black coffee fol-
breakfast (the black war substitute
coffee. Of courss)? Nothing but black
coffee!'
! Thirteen thin arms were raised!
"Who had milk coffee for break
fast p
There were four such aristocrat
after all.
All the others have breakfasted or
herbs" or herb SOUP" or herb cut
lets. You want to know what tina
is? The principal Spring diet to thu
inhabitants Of the Erzgebirge. Thu
young weeds that grow on well ma
Injured meadows. outside every village
you can see crowds of children picl
these pale green 1ancet-shaped leaves
(which have little taste and hardly an!
food value, but somehow fill the stom
ach.
Do not say that this is the fate only
LOT the very poorest. Nine-tenths O.
the population belong to these yer!
poorest