Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-07-09
Rx EDWARD 8. CLARK.

BY EDWARD 3. CLAIM.
WashingtOn.-ScOre of inquiries are
being made In Washington by PROBES
sional and business men as to future
opportunities for American enterprise
In France, and in the upbuilding OF the
devastated territories. 1t seems prop
able that If France cannot supply from
her own population engineers enough
and enough men Of the professions ana
trades generally to do the work OF re-
construction, the United States may
bear a considerable part Of the WORK.
Many of the inquiries have come
from discharged soldiers, officers and
men. for the American ExpeditionGry
forces contained both in the coninis-
stoned and non-commissioned ranks
many men of a training which fits them
for the work which is ahead.
Thousands of reams Of manuscript
have been written about the devasta-
ton In France, but no one who has not
seen ii can, by any chance. have a real
izing sense Of what this devastation Is.
1t is appalling, and large part OF II
is devllish because IL was caused by
devillsh intention without the slight
est excuse of the necessities OF war
fare. When one has seen the terrible
ravages In the fair land of France he
readily can understand why the French
people today are so inslstent that full
PREPARATION shall be made by Germany.
Varenne an Example Of DeVlIishness.
There are some interesting If COM
paratively small towns In France
which the Germans destroyed without
excuse. These towns have high places
In history. They contained priceless
monuments Of the past which today
are level with the dust. Monuments
can be rebuilt but they are not the
same monuments, nor have they In
them the interest which centers on
things sacredly ancient.
Take the town of Varenne. for In
stance. Ii Is close to the Argonne
Forest. Varenne FIVE years ago was a
thriving place with several beautiful
public buildings, a compelllngly beau
tiful church. while all about the place
was the nImbus of history Today the
only thing left in Varenne Is the shell
of an apothecary shop. The sign still
Is over the door. It is the only sign
left In varenne except the sign of Ger
man desolation.
Varenne Is known TO every reader of
history as the place where Louis XVI
and Marie Antoinette were arrested
while on their flight from Paris to get
out Of the hands Of the ReyoIutionists
passed through yarenne last fall In
the wake of the advancing army. Even
amidst desolation one occasionally can
Gnd something to arouse sense of
'ruror / saw n number Of men dis
appearing down n ladder which led to
a deep hole In the ground underneath
nhe demolished apothecary shop. |
'xgcndered what they were dons down
thsre. In few minutes found out. 1t
seems that in the subterranean regions
of this drug store the men had dlscov-
erred Something which occasionally Is
found In drug stores in dry territory
IN the United States. Apparently the
Germans had overlooked 1t, snd If my
eyes did not deceive me the boys had
made some find s,.gs raT IS t.sf ID
What the Huns Did to sermaize.
There is the town of Sermaize In
France. The Germans did everything
that they could to Sermaize and every
thing that they could means that they
entirely demolished It. II was a place
of 5000 inhabitants. beautifully laid
out and with one OF the most wonder
full churches in all France.
When war had done It's worst to
Sermaize there was nothing left of 1t
except the church tower which was
punctured with shell holes. 1t may be
that there were older churches In
France. probably there are, but when
one reads as l did the date 1903 on
the facade of sanctuary he realizes
that he is in the presence Of au ancient
and honorable.
Mention has been made Of only tive
towns which today are In n state oi
desolation like unto that of the Cities
OF the Plain. There was no excuse fol
the destruction of these fair old town,
of France. Only two have been named
Multiply the two by 1000 aud tn,
multlplicand win give you close to tn,
number of villages the destruction o
which France mourns to-day. and which
Americans may help to rebuild
Army Plans Depend on League.
In the hot weather "a house commit
tee has been holding hearings on a bill
for the support of the army as It ex
lists. and indirectly getting inforrna
ton which may be of service when tn
time comes TO reorganize the regula
army.
How can men decide on reguIa
army reorganization when they do nc
know definitely what the fate OF tn
covenant Of the League of Nations
TO bef
1t seems likely that II the leagu
takes the field ore day fully capar
soned the larger mart Of the propose
American army nay never get into III
ranks. An accepted League of n;
ti0ns might have no effect on tn