The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-05-08
Methodist Church Will
adopt Twelve Towns In
France AS Part of
Centenary Program.
ALL NEAR CHATEAU THIERRY
Welfare workers Are Already In the
Field Attempting TO Repair the
Damage of War and Inspirit a
People Weary Of War

Ol aOHdbtdu- IllltiIy, WHERE UHltcu
States soldiers and marines won UNI
dying fame by stopping the German
drive on Paris at its spearhood early
last summer, have been adopted
for reconstruction work by the Amer
lean Methodist Episcopal Church, it
was announced today by the Methodist
Centenary Committee, III Fifth Az
enue.
Bouresches, Vaux and Tie Thiolet,
names which will always live in Amer
lean history, are three of the towns
entrusted to the American churches by
special arrangement with the Project
of the Department Of the Aisne, and
NJ. Lebrun, Minister Of the Liberated
Territory n the French Cabinet. The
others are Bonneil, Mont de Bonneil,
Any, Nogentel, Vincenes, Monneaux,
Montcourt, Crozy, and Aulnois.
The towns are in a district bordered
on the north by Belleau Wood, changed
by the valor Of the sea-fghters of the
u IS. Second Division to Bots de la
Brigade de Marines [Marines Brigade
Woody. The district is just northwest
of Chateau Thierry.
The city Of Cheateau-Thierry itself
is not in the Methodist reconstruction
territory, but will serve as headquarters
for the Methodist workers.
An elaborate community center will
be built in Chateau Thierry by the
Methodists. This is an independent
project, however, the physical rehab-
ilitation of the city being constructed
to other forces.
The announcement Of the. Methodist
plans was made by DR.. Ernest w.
Bysshe, for ten years superintendent
of Methodist missions in France, on his
arrival here from Paris. The Depart
ment of War Emergency and Recon
struction, Methodist Joint Centenary
Committee, has charge Of the arrange
ments here, including the forwarding
of supplies.
For the present we are cooperat-
ing with the American Red Cross and
the French government, +" said DR..
Bysshe. Our workers are already on
the field and aye in touch with the
villagers. Supplies are being distrib-
uted by our force.
/" In order to get tie work started
quickly, we are for the moment using
French government motor trucks and
drawing our supplies from Red Cross
warehouses.
s We are seadlng our own supplies,
however, from the United States. in the
Methodist relief ship which will sail
soon It will bear essential articles
for certain districts in France, Italy,
and the Balkans, as announced some
time ago.
For the Chateau hierry district the
relief ship will carry clothing, kitch-
en- utensils, ploughs, harrows, horse
rakes, and other farm machinery, seeds
and small tractors. Probably no food
will be taken in the cargo, as this is
now supplied satisfactorily. We may
take choice cattle to help restock the
region, which is destitute Of live stock.
just before I left for the United
States made a tour Of the villages
which have been assigned to use. The
people were drifting back slowly to
find heaps of ruins. Into some of the
villages the Germans never penetrated,
but most of the houses in them were
shattered by the fire of the enemy s
long range gums. Others, Bouresches
and Vaux especially, were the scenes
of desperate hand-to-hand struggles
and the targets for desolating barrages.
While the Methodist churches have
this work in hand, they will for the
time being devote none of their efforts
here to evangelistic propaganda but
will concentrate on physical and moral
reconstruction We wish to see these
people again in clean comfortable
homes. We wish to see their family
and community life normal again We
will try to supply them with sane and
wholesome amusements
We expect to offer the services of
an architect skilled in town planning
SO that the new villages may be bet
ter arranged, especially from sanitary
standpoint, than the old. The actual
construction of buildings is being done
by the French government. We shall
also devote attention to spreading ideas
of modern agriculture through address
ses by experts. Hands are fewer than
before the war, and there is addition
al mead of greatest nffiaiencxv ~ Saa,ros
maximum product.
In each of our twelve villages we
will build some sort of a community
center, along the lines Of the Y. M. C.
A. hut, but open to men, women and
children. Here we will supply light
and cheer, q place to rest, to read and
to enjoy At times music and moving
picture shows We shall have man
travelling with a moving picture ma
chine from village to village.
ssWe will also have someone who is.