Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-05

lagos on the battlefield of Chateau
Thierry, where United States SOL
diers and marines won undyinS
lame by stopping the German drive
on Paris at its sepearhead early last
summer. have been adopted for
reconstruction work by the Ameri-
can Methodist Episcopal Church, 1t
was announced to-day by the Metho-
dist Centenary Committee, Ill Fifth
avenue.
Bouresches, Vaux and lie Thiolet,
names which will always live in
American history, are three of the
towns entrusted to the American
churches by special arrangement
with the Prefect of the Department
Of the Aisne. and NJ. Lebruu. mini
ster of the liberated terrttory in the
French Cabinet. The others are
Bonneil, Mont de Bonniel, Azy, No
gentel, Nincelles, McnneauX, Mont
court, Crozy and Aulnois.
The towns are in n district bor-
dered on the north by the Belleau
Wood, changed by Tie Es.Ior of the
sea-ighters of the United states Sec
ond Division to Bois de Ia Brigade
de Marines MARINE Brigade NocdG.
The district is just northwest and
west of Chateau Thierry.
The city of Chateau Thierry itself
is not in the Methodist reconstruc-
tion area but will serve as headquar-
ters for the Methodist workers.
Plan Community Center
An elaborate community center
will be built in Chateau Thierry by
the Methodists. This is an indepen-
dent project, however, the physical
rehabilitation OF the city being en-
trusted to other forces.
The announcement of the Metho-
dist plans was made by DR.. Ernest
w. Bysshe, for ten years superin-
tendent of Methodist missions in
France, on his arrival here from
Paris. The Department of War,
Emergency and Reconstruction.
Methodist Joint Centenary Commit
tee, has charge of the arrangements
here, including the forwarding of
supplies.
For the present we are cooper
ating with the American Red Cross
and the French government" said
DR.. Bysshe. Our workers are al
ready on the field and are in touch
with the villagers. Supplies are be-
ing distributed by our force.
I'm order to get the work started
quickly, we are for the moment US
ing French government motor trucks
and drawing our supplies from Red
Cross warehouses.
Own Relief Ships
I'VE are sending our own supplies.
however, from the United States in
the Methodist relief ship, which will
sail soon. 1t will bear essential ar
ticles for certain districts in France,
Italy, and the Balkans, as announced
some time ago.
For the Chateav Thierry district
the relief ship will carry clothing.
kitchen utensils. plows. harrows.
horse rakes and other farm machin-
cry, seeds and small tractors. Prob
ably no food will be taken in the
cargo. as this is now supplied salts
factorily. We may take choice cat
tie to help reSock the region, which
is destitute of livestock.
Just before I left for the United
States, I made n tour of the villages
which have been assigned to US. The
people were drifting back slowly to
find heaps of ruins. Into some Of
the villages the Germans never pen
etrated, but most OF the houses in
them were shattered by the fire Of
the enemy's Ions range guns. Others.
Bouresches and Naux especially.
were lit scenes Oh ueSpdrdJe hdnQ-
to-hand struggles and the targets for
desolating barrases.
Evangelism Dropped
while the Methodist churches
have this work in hand they will for
the time being devote none of their
efforts here to evangelistic propa-
ganda, but will concentrate on physi-
cal and moral reconstruction. We
wish to see these people again in
clean, comfortable homes. We wish
10 see their family and community
life normal again. We will try to
supply them with sane and whole
gome amusements.
I'VE expect to offer the services
of an architect skilled in town plan
ming, so that the new villages NAV
he better arranged, especially from
q sanitary standpoint. than the old.
The actual construction Of buildings
is being done by the French goverr-
ment. We shall also devote atten-
tion to spreading ideas of modern
agriculture through addresses by ex-
perts. Hands are fewer than before
the war. and there is additional need
Of greatest efficiency to secure max
imum product.
I'm each of our twelve villages
we will build some sort of a com
munity center along the lines Of a
I. NJ. c. A. hut, but open to men.
Tomen and children. Here we will