Great Falls daily tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1895-1921, 1919-05-26
AUSTRIAN
CHILDREN
L|FELESS
Lack Of Vitality From
Long Fast Plainly
Discernible.
ARE NOW FED BY RELIEF
WORKERS FROM AMERICA
BY FARMER MURPHY.
Chicago Tribune Cable, Copyright


/ Vienna, May It., via Paris, May 25
The first shipment Of food contribu-
/ ted by Americans for the relief of the
1 underfed children of Vienna and the rest
| of Austria has arrived.
| The first feeding under an arrange
ment perfected by the American chill
dren's relief bureau under direction Of
Captain Claire NJ. Torrey and DIR. r. S.
Geist has been given at Zita Kitchen,
| in the outskirts of the city. This was
| the war kitchen which was unused be-
cause there was no food to run it, and
it is the only one yet under operation
to handle American food. but the others
will be put into action rapidly. In com
pany with Captain Torrey. DR.. Geist
| made visit to the kitchen this morning
and saw the children march in to get
their portions, which, for the first time
in many weary months, contained ele-
ments of sweets and fats.
Each child was chosen after med
ical examination showing its need and
furnising it with card. They bring their
own utensils-a bowl, pan, a spoon.
and file up to the counter, where the
ladle of soup Is poured into bowl and
piece of bread handed out. Their ticket
is punched and they pass on into anoth-
er room, where they sit at long tables
to eat. There they also were given
teresting, striking and depressing sight
to observe the long line of pale. lean
children file up to the counter because
it was so different from what they
might have been led to expect
There was no eagerness. no pushing.
no mischieyous josting such as is in
blooded children who were gathered in
one place. There was no sparkle of
anticipation in their eyes, not even i'm
patience that proceeds from empty
stomachs in the presence of food. There
were not more than three or four who
might be classed as specimens of star
vation. as far as outward appearance
went, but in their faces all was drawn
expression and their skins graded from
a greenish sallowness to a weary white
ness.
The children moved and acted as if
they had the feelings of an animal in
a treadmill. They passed along method
!cally, hstlessly, almost stupidity, seem
ingly conscious of some great weight
pressing down inexorably upon their
little heads and shoulders which they.
were powerless to throw off and must
endure without complaint to the end.
A boy was called from the table b.
the woman in charge for me to see.
He would not have been a bad exam
pie of rather pale boy of ) wears Of
thru his coat, it seemed like a lath. The
top of his head would not have reached
much higher than a table. His growth
had been arrested so as to keep it an
parentlv stationary during the war. An
other child of l. appeared about 7
years old. After the children had their
meal they were revived somewhat in
spirits. but one or two wholesome
meals is not enough to show much re-
action from several years OF the dull.
ireary monotony of unappetizing food.
There was some enthusiasm when
oiece of white bread made from Amer
can flour was held MP for them to see
IS something they were going to have
lext. A few faint cries greeted the
white bread, but the vitality to sustain
hem was lacking. and they died away
quickly. To bring back these sickly yel-
ow plants to health and vigor is work
II which the Americans can take the
almost satisfaction.
Three hundred and sixty one children
we're fed at the first meal at this one
ltehen. Nearly twice as many were
ed at the second meal.