Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-01-15


towns only. As soon as tho Germans
moved on, our .cars--laden with con-
densed milk. sugar, rice and Shoes
closely followed. IT was necessary to
exercise Judgment In regard to the
amount to be given in any one place
and this responsibility was left with
us. A receipt was given by the Mayor
OF each town and this. together with
a report OF the days investigation,
was taken to the prefect each even
ing.
When one thinks about the de-
vastated district and the problems
OF reconstruction one Is likely to
think in terms of the larger aspects
rather than in those OF the more vi
tai details relative to communities.
There could be no more vital need
than feeding these people, and need
that could not wait. But think for
II moment, IL you will, of the diff
ficulties. Each day more towns were
opened up, more people had to be
fed. All supplies from the govern
ment had to be sent by canton to
Laon as u center. The railroad trains
were running not at all, or very in
frequently. The roads around Laon
were in almost an impossible condi-
ton due to mines and shell holes.
Cars other than our own could
hardly be procured. 1t, therefore,
fell to the army to establish some
centers for feeding the civilian pop
ulation. But the army was likely TO
move on short notice.
To meet this difficulty of trans
portation for more than sixty scat
tered villages two. sections of Amer
lean ambulances, consisting of forty
cars in all, were finally ordered there.
~ hnx - ~
towns went sometimes over twenty
kilometers with wheelbarrows and
carried the provisions back over the
muddy roads to their towns. When
the ambulances came our chauffeurs
arranged q schedule by which each
town received its provisions three
times q week. The ambulances were
put under the orders of the American
Committee for Devastated. France,
for the purposes of distribution.
But the work of investigation. of
relief, of making the arrangements to
!; feed these people. to give them the
impetus again TO start their commun-
, ity life, when in groups of two and
shattered country-these must con-
tinue. and the responsibility has been
| given to us by the prefect, n rare
, tribute of confidence.
So it was that on this day when
accompanied the chauffeur to
: twelve towns to see the Mayors, the
wife OF one Mayor assured me that
the war would not be finished un-
til the people of these regions had
been fed. And 1 pondered her words
as we went on to the other villages
or what was left of them.
The answers to the questions
| ayia ad ht,t
little.
How many people have you in the
, village now?" always elected the
number, preceded by the population
before the war, and the explanation,
THE others haven't returned, but We
expect them back soon."
How many children"
can see now the pitiful faces of
solitary children sitting on some pile
of debris, never playing. seldom smil-
ing, or grouped in silence behind a
|, wall or on the threshold of q door
opening into looted room.
Always when we asked as to the
number of old people the answer
came, Not many-so many of them
are ill and have. had to stay be-
hind"
Then we questioned as to the sick
people in the village and the num-
Der of children who needed condens-
ed milk. A helpless look accompan-
led the answer, But all the babies
need milk. They have had none"
One question elected a shrug of
the shoulders, sometimes an ironic
smile, and once, even, q merry one.
It was with some difficulty in one
village that we found the Mayor.
He had been out on his fields, and q
soldier had to go to find him. He
was a man of about sixty years, with
white hair and white mustache and
deep-set eyes that twinkled with an
understanding and philosophy born
of a knowledge of the tragedy of life
as we'll as its ultimate good. Have
you any special needs in your village
such as clothing, shoes, food. paper
for covering the roofs and filling the
windows"
The Mayor looked around. His
eyes smiled, he answered briefly and
pointedly: Naturally"
And in that stretch of waste we
all laughed together at the irony of
the question. But the laugh had a
ring of courage and determinations
ours as well as his.
In only one town that afternoon
did we find baker, n surly, disap-
pointed man who answered, no-he
Iau nOInlnB WITH Wnlcn TO Dake!
Confusion ReignS
Some villages had schoolteachers
some had none. Some expected their
schoolteachers to return. In none had
the schools been opened-"for look.
the schoolhouse Is completely de-
stroyed." Could the children be sent
to another commune for school? But
how? they would answer. No horses?
No motors? No. l was a bit insistent
in one village and suggested that
some room might be found where
the schoolmaster could teach at least
some of the children. They agreed
it might be possible, but suggested
in their turn that perhaps hadn't
thought of the difficulties-few
rooms whole, no windowpanes. no
furniture and no wood.
Some villages received their food
from the army, some went to the
centers provisioned by the ambu-
lance. When asked how they car
ried it back they answered simply.
I'm our arms"
All the villages had unexploded
shells in the town themselves and in
: the adjoining fields.
Upon the answers to these oues-
tions and our observations depends
I. the work of the government In deal
ing with this situation. These are
the practical things-the vital things
/ of the moment. We are the ENJOYS
h d. r. xlNzAw