Evening journal., 1919-01-25
The Happy Homecoming of
Madame Louise Defanfe
BY MARY MAS TER NEEDU.v
BY MARY MAS
Flying in Europe Especial Corresp American Committee
for Devast France)

could rent two rooms.
Hee needs were not many, Just bare
necessities. First, a stove. There were
only two or three TO be had in the
Town. The cheapest cost $50 and had
only one burner. One such as she need
ed would cost from $50 to $50.
Couldn't the storekeeper order one
Tor her? He smiled. Didn't she know
that but few stoves were being made?
Ihere was no material for stoves. Even
II there were mate.ialn who would
make the stoves2 Then, even If stoves
were ready how could he get them?
me railroads were carrying men, NUM-
lions, supplies. There were scarcely
enough trains TO accomplish this.
There had been four years Of war. New
cars hadn't been built; many had worn
out.
Beds? He couldn-- get them at any
price. For one month he hadn't been
able TO buy coffee pot. He couldn't
get knives o. forks or spoons.
Blankets? Perhaps he could get a
few a little later, but very expensive,
Madame Defante looked coutemptu-
ously at .he linen Cotton. it was. WHY
no French woman could have Thought
1t possible TO sleep in cotton sheets be.
fore the war. And these cost SO
sheet for single bed. Soap was scarce
and cost an almost prohibltive price.
No, she must stay at her sisters until
the army would let her go back home,
Like everyone else in France they
were on bread cards and sugar cards,
Sometimes there was butter In the mar.
ket-not often, and it cost 81 a pound
Yet, the children, undernourishe1 for
four years, needed IL, especially as II
was almost impossible TO get milk. She
thought Of all the cows taken by tho
Germans. OF course, food was scarce.
As for fuel, most OF the coal fields OF
France were in the hands Of the Ger
mans, and most Of the forests were
gone, too, destroyed by the Germans or
cut down to provide necessities Of war.
This was part Of what it meant
to live in France-in a land in which
war IS being waged.
That even these conditions could be
more terrible Madame learned when
she returned home. Her house htd only
one room habitable no window panes,
no doors, no furniture Her fields were
barren; her fruit trees, cut down.
About thirty people had returned 20
the debris Of the village in which tbs
had gone to school. There had
been no school for four years. There
were no stores in which she could buy
even food. They must get along With
such meagre fare as the army could al
low them and wait.
All this must be faced unfinchingly,
with superhuman effort for the sake Of
Georges and Jeanne. The memories,
the sorrows, the horrors must-be put
behind them, and never turning back,
they must face the future.
For they live in the country In which
war is being waged.
These are the people that the Amer
can Committee for Devastated France
IS striving to help. On the whole Mad
anne Defante is better off than the aver
lge. She has some money. Her hus-
)and is alive, and Her children, al
hough she knows that unless they -e-
,eive proper care now she can never
hope TO see them strong.
These are some Of the odds that we,
Is we'll as they, must overcome. We
an partially realize It If we apply the
ituation to ourselves, to our villages
md cities, TO our daily tasks and neces-
ities.
In doing SO win you not think OF
hese people who have paid the price
o. us, and realize that the question OF
cannot walt. The VIC
ory Of arms is splendid, but without
fctory over the devastation OF war,
is not complete. The spirit Of
rance is willing. superhumanly will
lg, and will continue to be, but the
ody must be able.