Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-04-18
TELLS Of FLIGHT
FROM VILLAGES
Mrs. E. ]. Steichen, a Refugee
Herself, Thrills Red Cross
Audience With Tales

America must not lose her out
look for the future. The eyes Of the
entire world are turned toward Am
erica and If we are undeserving of
faith we are also undeserving of this,
the only land Of peace in the world
today. Vii you follow on ?" were
the concluding words of an inspiring
lecture last night at the Red Cross
meeting In the high school by Mrs.
Edward J. Steichcn, an American
who lived I'm the war area n who
was q refugee several times.
Mrs. Stebchen. who comes from
Missouri but who for the last twelve
years has lived in France in a small
village @ the Marine river, was
well able to tell of the sufferings and
privations OF h thousands Of refu-
gees who fed from the fighting areas
70 the back lines, because she work.
ed among them and was n of them
on several occasions.
She declared that there was moth
ing more wonderful in the world than
the ove of country in the heart of q
Frenchman, for when the word came
Of war the many petty chickering's and
differences of opinions among them
were all forgotten and only France
was thought of, everyone rallying to
the colors.
Mrs. Steiehen had many words of
DIai<C fOE Elk hillu Nuos III utI ODill-
Ion, would ave fought this war to q
finish had 1t taken her n thousand
years to defeat the Hun. 1t was a
country which, perhaps. is mtsunder-
stood. but England has been the
friend of the United States for many
years but we here never realized that
fact. she declared
Her first experience as a refugee
came in the last days of August, 1917.
The boches were fast advancing and
they decided II best to abandon their
home, so vent TO Versailles and en-
barked for this country. They learn
ed that general headquarters of the
French army had beef established
only about n half mile from their
home and then thought hat every
thing would be lost for the Germans
were still advancing. She then learn
cd they had entered her village. but
they took nothing from her home ex-
cept several bags of wheat flour
which she sincerely hoped had caused
severe disturbances in their abdomi-
nal regions.
In the spring of the mex year Mrs.
Steichen returned TO France and found
her house intact, everything being in
a normal condition. Then the ter
rible winter OF 1915; restrictions were
placed on the people and they were
deprived OF nearly every luxury as
wei as the bare necessities of life,
but. said Mrs. Steichen, Il did not
hear as much complaining in my two
and a half years in the war zone as
we made here on the first coalless
Monday. s.s... ..-...
She then went on to describe the
scenes of the first year of the war and
the sufferings of the French people.
Then came the Americans, and Mrs
Steichen remarked that there was
never such a 4th of July as that men,
orabIe one in 1917 which was cele-
brated in Paris. She told about the
impressive ceremonies in Paris when
General Pershing. who was a class
rhatc Of her brother at West Point,
placed the red, white and blue at the
foot OF Lafayette's statue saying,
'~T.afayette, we are here"
Mrs. Steichen remarked that the
many adverse criticisms concerning
the 6difSfeh propfe and how they treat
ed-rue Americans. a. heard here from
some of the doughboys. were wrong
opinions, as the boys were in France
during periods of worry and anxiety
and did not get TO know the real
French spirit.
The lecture was preceded by a short I
of chorus singing led by Lau-
rance A. Ballon, who formerly was
IN charge of the community singing
here.
After the tale by Mrs. Steichen,
three Red Cross movie films. Home
ward Bound" "A Helping Hand in
Sicily. and Refugees of Evian." were
shown. These pictures were present
ed under the direction of Emil Paw
loskyi and Alexander Unger. as ar
ranged by Frank Davis, manager or
the City Theatre.
The meeting was concluded with
the singing OF the Star Spangled
Hammer.