Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1919-03-19
Glover Man Bark from ReconsIuc-
ton Work In Frznce-
fcontinn.d from Page One).

Continued from Page One).
sion of capital funds TO peasants SO
that they could buy furniture anu
other necessities, by the organizing
and supervising of q large home ano
school for Belgian orphans (prO TEN,
while their parents lived and worked
under German rule), the building
eouipping and operating of hospitals
and infirmaries-all this together
with emergency aid TO the people dur
inc the irving days of evacuation,
when the Germans were advancing as
I in March. 1917, were some OF the
WAYS in which young Americans
working under the auspices OF the
American Friends Service Committee
have helped the French people during
the dark hours Of trial and distress.
yerdun-The Future of Reconstruc-
ton
The Friends War Victims Relief
Expedition 1.-THE name given TO the
combined activities of the EngIsh
and American Friends was late IN
1915 invited by the French govern
maut o. do q special piece OF work. 10
the Ouakers has been assigned @ vide
area OF the b0m5arded region lying
west of %craun, and covering a part
of the famous battle field They have
been given plenary power 10 construct
I'm fact-they have begun already
the entire district. including some 40
villages. When this district Is made
habitable by the reconstrucuonlstsr
some 200G 70 $500 refugee families
will desire TO return 90 them at once
Therefore to provide Tor their speedy
and satisfactory settlement on then
native plots VIII be the tremendous
task Of the Friends after they have
made the district haDitable.
Returning refugees viii have al.
most unlimited needs. In their hasty
flights of August, 1914 and Septem
ber 1917 they left practically every
thing behind Most OF them are
farmers and they expect to return (
their former occupations. They vii
be in immediate need not only OF
houses and furniture, but agricultur
al machinery, garden seeds, tools anC
u other materials Indispensable TO {
8 peasant when he returns to his native
q village.
In large portions of the distric
where hand-to-hand fighting has tax
en- place, the subsoil has been over
turned; cultivation will be extremely
.e difficult at first, and it will be neces
" sary to envlsage new methods o
u farming to meet the new conditions
= In order to meet the agriculture
"a needs a network of small centers will
3s be started TO cover the whole area
y In each one will be at least thre
: skilled agriculturists with a team o
horses each. Large communal gar
! dens will be prepared for every vii
| lage and fruit trees will be planted
| Seeds and tools and as many farm
| machines as can be procured will b
/ ready for the returning refugees an
| the raising of livestock will be en-
/ couraged.
| The building, relief, medical an
| surgical departments will also cor
| centrate their operations in the NeI
j dun area DUNG the next two or nor
years. All the workers equipe
which have heretofore been scattere
all over the battle-scarred district
4 viii also be moved up to the Verdu
3 region.
The growth of tuberculosis durin
T the war is recognized as constitutin
a grave problem for the future Eve
where no serious disease has bee
contracted the health of the returnin
population will certainly have bee
sufficiently lowered to prevent the
-o those normally strongest and mo-
, active Will have been wearied by Ion
- service In the army, even when the
c have not been permanently weakent
e by fever and wounds The surgic;
!, hospital directed by the Friends
- Sermaize, in which over a thousar
operations have been successful
performed by DR.. Rabbit, a note
Philadelphia surgeon and Friend, wi
be moved up enbloc, along with a
the other reconstruction activities, il
to to the Verdun area
Il. Reports show that there were son
er $40 workers English and American
IN France at the beginning of Fe
ruary. These men, (and there a
a women, too-about so from the Uni
ed States) are from every walk
life, college students, carpenter
&C bank clerks, farmers, engineers, do
rs: tors, electricians, tree experts, ranc
men, social workers, newspaper me
~ closely united in the enterprise
Ct restoring p" abundant life to 4
thrifty Nnmie's of Franc
on OF the A it some worke
have been in Is months: son
stay longer; none are there for lie
than a year, and almost all are sor
to when their time comes to sail hon
= so closely are they attached TO Fran
the people into whose hearts tn
aS have won their way these past {,
years