The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1919-04-25

customary governmental red tape delay must BE-
endured. And In the meantime the soldier had
to sleep a bed of straw in the seyerest part OF
winter. with only his overcoat for covering. He
had no money to buy food.
One Of the American committee women took
care Of the discharged fighter. He was given the
barest necessities and just enough food to keep
going, and he was saved from a lot Of hardship and
suffering.
The soldiers experience was typical of the
mittee's work. 1t is for cases like this one that
American aid from the Red Cross warehouses wilf
be godsend
Red Cross Work.
Six big warehouses being established in
France by the Red Cross. and two In Belgium.
For French relief work these storehouses are To-
Gated at Lille, Amiens. Laon, Chalons, Verdun.
Mezeres And the Belgian stations are at Adm
kerke and Courtrai. Here the supplies brought to
France originally for use Of the American army
to be gathered and distributed In cooperation
with the French government. There is vast sup
ply of stuff available. There are many motor
trucks and hospital supplies no longer needed by
the American Expeditionary forces. And they will
assist the French people in their tremendous job
Of reconstruction.
Aiding in reconstruction here In France.
viewed by a majority Of the Americans who are
trying to help. is proposition Of giving first aid
supplying small iron stove and some bedding
and little food-and not taking on the actual re-
pair Of destroyed houses except to furnish when
possible such items few yards Of oiled
paper to patch up a few windows in order to give
the French family one room that can be warmed
during the cold weather.
Stoves for instance, are very difficult to obtain
A small sheetiron heater that would cost about
IS In America. possibly less costs $15 to $40 at
the usual French supply house. It Is an made
quate stove at best. 1t gives out very little heat
1t barely takes the chill on ordinary sized ROOM
Yet it is expensive item because the French and
English factories are not producing at full ca
pr city yet, and because when the stove has been
manufactured it is dificut to transport it.
Seventeen per cent of the personnel Of the
French railroad system was modified and has not
yet been put back to work. Consequently there 10
the spectacle of hundreds of trainloads Of vital
necessities sidetracked and delayed indefinitely.
The relief committees their powerful inhu-
ence to get hold of the stoves that can be found
by hook or crook In France. They endeavor to get
the stoves donated, pay for them at cost prices
and are then able to either sell or give the stove
to the peasant at a fairly low figure. Ten dollaro
is considered fair price when q sale II made.
Throughout the work Of Miss Anne Morgan's
committee an effort Is made to refrain from pau
perizing the peasant. which is dcult. because the
peasant s inherently thrifty, and general rule
is very anxious to be pauperixed. Pauperisation,
when viewed from the standpoint Of . peasant
who is = war sufferer. and whose money is always
earned at great expenditure Of labor. is not
ugly word, or an undesirable condition.
In fact, M. and Mme Peasant BY the hwnssreds
will bring terrible tales Of privation to the COM
mlttee wOEAefs IN the nope that intensive paupefE
zat1on Will set In at once. And the committee has
to 20 to some trouble to ascertain whether or not
the tale Of horrible misfortune Is true. Usually
the mayor Of the village some Of the thoroughly
reliable inhabitants know perfectly well what
should be done In the matter. And the committee
women rely on the judgment Of the French oficials
to q large extent. They also have pretty fair
knowledge OF the status Of hundreds Of families
in their section Of France which, roughly speak
ing. 10 3 group Of IS villages between vie.spr-
Asne and Soissons. because they have been wssh-
Ing In this section q couple Of yearA