Omaha daily bee., 1919-03-16

~ OF dreainS OF tragic SUI
" fering. comes reality-comes
the picture, wildly portrayed
by letters and photographs Of ane-
mic little French orphans whose
fathers have been sacrificed on the
field of battle.
The fatherless children of France
committee was organized in 1915,
one year after the beginning Of the
world war, and persons Of no less
prominence than President Poin-
care and Marshal Joffre head the
committee in France. But, coming
nearer home to the Omaha organ
ization, state headquarters, OF which
Mr.. and Mrs. August Borgium are
honorary presidents, the French
orphans have become so real that
we have approximately 900 Of them
adopted by sympathetic, philan-
thropic members Of society. Little
Andrea Gioda, first in line in the
picture, is the adopted orphan of
Mr., Walter Page, and Charlotte
Gioda, her sister, is the orphan
whom Mrs. Page is mothering.
Rachel Caraved is cared for by
Miss Ethel Morse, Louis Pazesi by
the Cathedral guild of Trinity cathe-
dral Jean Claude Meret by Eliza
beth Bruce and George Vellas by
the First Baptist church.
A pathetic contrast is the picture
In the center of Mrs. Paul Gallagher
and daughter, Jean Dudley, to the
ill-nourished, fatherless babies of
France, but Mr.. and Mrs. Gallagher
are working at top speed with the
committee, arranging for the sup
port of many more of these suf-
tcring babies.
Mrs. Gallagher explains: why,
] am only doing the publicity. Mrs.
Willard and Mona Towle and a
dozen others are doing the real
work. But we know that it is no
simple matter TO take care of the
publicity for an organization under
taking such a tremendous work as
has been started by this committee
OF men and women.
Right now the biggest problems
Oh mrs. Gallagher's young life is the
care of little Jean Dudley and the
adoption of European babies. "You
know" she said, leaving no doubt
OF the truth OF her statement and
al. is,nArtfsvta1ae- - A. 1911. tf.A
only costs $36.50 a year to keep
pne of these little kiddies, be-
cause the French government adds
Rn equal amount to it. This money
keeps them out of an institution and
with either their mother or guardian,
which is a hundred times better than
an institution. 1t gives them home
atmosphere.
Nobody knows, until they have
received a letter from the tot whom
they are supporting, what q won
derful feeling il is to read Of their
appreciation. Just read this, for in
stance"
= And she handed Us the following
letter:
Brean, Dec. 80, 1918.
First Baptist Sunday School,
Omaha, Neb.
Dear, Sir and Dear Friends: /
hasten to thank you for the gift of
money which you were kind enough
10 send me for Christmas. thank
you very much~with all my heart;
truly il is too much; you are too
good to me.
My mother was very much
pleased and bought me a winter
pvercoat, which enabled me to 60 TO
BEE the Christmas tree, which they
did not have during the four years
bf war Pretty songs were sung
hnd all the Sunday school children
Sang Hail, Bright Star and I
Am the Light of World The
koung people of the Christian Union
sang The Pretty Fir-Tree, King of
the Forests. They sang also
pretty chorus. The chapel was dec
brated with flags Of France and flags
bf the allies. Mr.. c., our pastor,
gave to each Of US a flag and an
orange. On the flag were written
these words: Peace On Earth, Long
Live the Allies. Christmas, 1918
Dear Sir and Dear Friends: must
tell you also that it was on the very
day OF the peace meeting in Paris
that received your second gift
bf money, out Of your good gener-
bsity TO help me, because my papa
kave MS life for his country, How