The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-18
French Orphans Are Badly in
Need of Aid.
At Least $4,000 Americans
Urged To Give Money.
ORGANIZE KANSAS COUNTIES
Women All Over the State Join
in Work.
Letter From Mother Shows
Great Appreciation.

More than 10000 new subscribers to
the French Orphan fund must be OBJ
tanned In this country. as well as re-
newals of those already taken, If the
orphans OF Frances dead soldiers are
to be adequately cared for
This Is the statement that comes
from the Topeka committee of Father
less Children of France thru their ex-
ecutive officers. Mrs. John C. McClin-
took, Mrs. Bennett r. Wheeler, Mrs.
S. S. Estey.
The following is quoted from an ap-
peal sent out by the Chicago commit
tee OF the same organization:
Last year you adopted a little
that the end of the war would make it
possible to withdraw this help, that
peace would bring prosperity to the
world and plenty to victorious France
instead. france needs our help as
never before. And these last words
are stressed. Two hundred and fifty
thousand of her homes are utterly de-
stroyed. The richest manufacturing
districts are heaps of twisted iron, her
coal mines are subterranean lakes,
mile after mile of fertile farms are
now deserts of dust For five years
the women and children of France
have borne the burdens of war with
out flinching. The mothers have
worked to take the dead fathers
place; they have denied themselves
| necessities that their children might
have almost enough to eat and reason
ably warm clothes to wear. Pence
finds them reduced to perjury, physi-
cally weakened. mentally depressed.
| They do not ask us for further help,
but they wistfully hope we will not at
| this most difficult moment withdraw
| our support.
| Show Boundless Gratitude.
| II am just home from France,
| where l have seen our children and
| the conditions under which they live
have been overwhelmed with their
| gratitude and discouraged by condi-
| lions that do not seem to dishearten
them- have had proved to me how
| incredibly far the 10 cents a day
which we send them can be made to
reach even in after-the-war France.
where the commonest food costs what
| luxuries did in 1914. know how
| cold one can be, when coal is $50 a ton
| and the most ordinary pair of chill
/ dren's shoes costs 81 or IS.
L have also seen our Paris office
at work and know how well and
thoroly your interests are guarded.
| Every penny that you send goes d.
rect to the children and if sometimes
you fail to receive letters of thanks,
it is because the American address
which seems strange to French chill
| dren, has been incorrectly copied, or
| because the letter has been lost in the
mail People who have soldier sons
or brothers or husbands know how
uncertain mails have been during the
war. We have French representatives
| in every part of France who will see
that the children will write promptly
and correctly. Let us know If you
have not heard. We will find out
what mistake has been made and rec
| tify it. Then we will ask you again
to renew your subscription. You may
be sure that should the child no longer
need your help you will be promptly
informed"
Letter From Mother.
The following extract from a moth
er's letter expresses the attitude of
France towards America. She gives
us more than our due in generously
thanking America for saving France:
Marie and Jean wish that the
Americans would come back to Mon
tigny and stay here forever, they
were so good to US, as they were to
everyone. They have left here very
pleasant memories, and then, too.
without the help of America, poor
mutilated France, ground beneath the
!, Prussian heel, would have been lost.
} All good French people realize this.
and will never forget what they owe
to your dear country. ~
For myself, dear benefactor, dc
not know how to express my graft
tude. I shall inspire in my children
love and reverence for their benefac-
tors. Who knows but that one day
they may become acquainted with
you? Allow me, If you should ever
come to France, to do anything thai
my rather unfortunate circumstance
would permit me to do, to make your
visit pleasant.
"If it would give you pleasure,
could send you q photograph of my
children and tell you about my hus.
; band. dead on the field of honor. and
. about his mother with whom 1 live
, and who has only me after having
married five children.
Every day we send up to HEAVIER
! our ardent wishes for those who. not
content with having SO generously
saved our unhappy country. are nov
helping us to bring up our dear little
. orphans
/ Do not withdraw your help now
Prove your friendship for France BY
; continuing the support of her or
phaned children. We cannot restore
! freedom from anxiety. little materia
comfort. We can inspire a great faitf
In American generosity. We can peo-
pie the restored villages of France
, with children who owe their health
strength and happiness to the sister
republic. America
MRS. WALTER s. BREWSTER,
II Chairman Chicago Committee
Thru the Topeka branch of the or
ganization, the various Kansas coun-
ties are being organized. Some mem
. Der of the committee takes a count,
! | to work with. The following coun
ties have responded to the work, tbs