The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-22
BELGIAN ORPHAN IS
HELD ON BIG LINER
Franc Yoons, Father Killed
and Mother Dead, Awaits
Permission to Land.
ARRIVES ON ROCHAMBEAU
Adopted by Red Cross Worker
When Forced to Part From
Soldier Friends.

year-old Belgian war orphan, got his
nrst long look at the Statue OF Liberty
and everything seemed all right at last
trouble which has been logging him as
long as he can remember came crash.
ing down on his small khaki clad shout
ders once more
This time II was that the great United
States, about whose goodness, Kindness
and superiority to all other nations he
had heard 80 much from homesich
doughboys In Germany, would not ls,
Franc put foot on American soil.
Franc arrived here yesterday frou,
Germany, via Havre. on the French liner
Rochambsau, with his foster mother
Miss Verna Smell q Rad Cross girl from
Gretna. Neb., who has been his shield
from trouble ever since he met her in the
Red Cross canteen at Treves. War
grasped Francs father long ago and
killed him as he fought desperately 10
drive the Germans out of his homeland,
Then bursting German she'll shattered
the little cottage where Franc and his
mother dwe!t 10 the little town of HUI
wers, few kilometers from Brussels
Last Christmas time, when Franc was
hoping for a little amelioration OF The
succession Of troubles life seemed 10
be, his mother died.
nuns INTO U. =. ARTILLERY,
Then Franc trudged from house 70
house and from village to yiIlaae. vat-
ting little meat here, q word OF sym
psthy there and drink of milk soma
where else. always lonely, tired and
hungry, but somehow existing. Weary
and hungry the boy wandered to ths
Luxembourg border and there ran into
the S42d Field Artillery Of the EIGHTY
ninth division. which was ADVANCING
into Germany. They liked the little
fellow who seemed so cheerful, despite
the fact that he had absolutely nothing
10 oe cheerful about They made him
their mascot and shared rations water
and blankets with him They told him
what they thought of the Kaiser. of
Germany and of every place outside of
the United States. Franc decided right
then that the United States must be a
great place for n little boy without any
people or anything else to grow up In.
AFTER hearing the story OF his wan
dertngs the 342d in solemn conferences
decided that Franc deserved a rating.
10 they turned him over to q German
tailor and told the tailor to make a SOL
der Of him. And the tailor did. as far
as the exterior went, and inside Franc
had been a soldier for some months
Dressed in his regulation uniform. with
his straw coiored hair trickling from
under his overseas cap and hts fair skin
Tunburned. he would have been, II
sprinkled a few times with a magic
Watering pot an absolute replica of Jones
OF Portland, Ore. Smith Of New Orleans
or Robinson Of New York city.
The 342d decided that he was a regu.
lar American. anyhow. and made him
corporal on the spot. the tailor sewing
on the chevrons. They also gave him
three gold service stripes on his right
arm one for his father, one for his
home and one for his mother. On his
right shoulder he wore the big, white
circumscrIbed in rod and blue, the
sign OF the Army OF Occupation.
Then peace dealt Franc almost az
hard blow as those OF war. The 342d
got the long awaited orders to come
home, but with them came q strict order
TO leave all mascots behind. 1t was
too strict an order for even the most
skillful strategist OF the s42d to evade, so
regretfully the regiment turned him over
10 the men OF advanced general head
quarters at Treves with strict injunc-
tons TO bring him along when they were
recalled. 1t was rough on Franc to lose
all his friends in one day, but he
got over Il and palled with a sergeant
OF the intelligence section of the head
quarters outfit
He Meets Miss Smell.
Then It was that Franc met Miss
Smell. She has reached Europe late In
October and had served until April In
eanteens there and in civilian relief
work at Tore di Mosto, north OF the
Piavo. Later she moved to France and
then Into Germany. From the first time
the sergeant brought Corporal Franc
10 the canteen he and Miss Smell got
along mighty well together. especially
after Miss Shell learned his history.
Finally she decided that she would give
his little war orphan a home.
Franc went with her to Paris, where
Miss Smell signed a document taking re-
sponslb!llty for him at the office OF the
Belgian Legation. That was all that was
necessary, in the view of the Belgian
ontoials. Many little war orphans OF
Belgium have found homes in the
United States and other countries I'M
devastated by the war. Everything
went smoothly thereafter until the Ro-
ehambeau nosed into her dock at West
Fourteenth street. Then the French Of
hcials Informed Miss Smell that Franc
w AAuAh 6pOhAA AAO NOhiN nc
taken TO Ellis Island.
Telephoning to Ellis Island revealed
that nothing 20 official as letting a little
var orphan of q boat with his foster
mother could be accomplished on Sat
wuay afternoon. Being nothing but an
immigrant. he would have to wait until
reens OF red tape had been wrapped
around him and then unwrapped. Mean
nne several other women who had
brought along imported dogs instead OF
homeless orphans got into the United
states without anything but the usual
oaegAgs hazards TO prevent.
The big bpagne looked bigger than
ever TO poor Franc when they brought
hun bsdk 20 1t from the dock, for the 734
soldats Americans" as they appeared
IN the passenger list, 734 doughboys
with whom Franc rad struck up quite
"heoped joyously of. So Miss Smell
iomissd 10 stay aboard too.
Tho FrenGh officials promised that
rev would try TO get Franc through the
oHcial clutches OF Uncle Sam to-day,
ahd II they do not succeed probably the
hto Cross will take hand. for Franc
ms no other folks to go 10 but Miss
snei' There is good homo waiting for
n'm out at Gretna, Neb., where Miss
smells mother and brothers live.
He Wishes to he American.
Yesterday newspaper men declined for
"oP'ous reasons to ask him what he
nought OF America as he looked over
we side OF the big liner which was his
DO you wish to be an Americanr' he
was asked.
YES he answered eagerly, and then.
WIN Tar away look coming into his
sFes, he answered:
want something to eat, too"