The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-05-03

dren," said Captain Carl Wencke,
who served for ten months in the
Medical Corps Of the Army Ambu-
lance with the Italian army. He is
home now and is visiting at the
home of President and Mrs. Ed
wards on College avenue.
1--WE loved them for many rea-
sons. One was that they were al
ways happy and glad, no matter
what happened or how hard they
had to work. They were beautiful,
too, and were so happy when the
American soldiers played with
them. But the thing we liked per-
haps most of all was their good
craftsmanship" Which means that
they played very well together, and
were fair and square" as we call
1t.
For example," he said, IAN
American major one time threw $50
lire, or about 25 dollars in the
midst of great crowd of children,
about 200 of them. When he saw
ing up as much as. others, he told
those who had more to give some
Of theirs to the children who did
not have as much. Without word,
or even cross look, the children
Immediately handed his money to
the other children. Another time
when we were stationed in the his
toric old Ducal Palace at Mana
tova, we threw chocolate to some
children. When some picked up
more than others, they offered it
to the ones who hadn't gotten as
much as the others telling them
to bite off just so much and |
never once saw child take the IT,
niest bit more than he was told to
take.
Food Very Scarce Now.
Captain Wencke said that most
most of the children in Northern
Italy, where he was most Of the
time do not have nearly enough to
eat. Milk, butter, white bread and
chocolate are things that most of
the children have not known for
five years.
What do you suppose anyone that
needs milk very badly has to do to
get some. They have to get pre-
scription from the doctor first and
then a permit from the government
and after all that they can only
have a pint day.
We think it's hard to be clean,
here, don't we? And the only thing
that makes it hard. here Is the fact
that we have to wash our faces
and hands when there are so many
more interesting things to do. But,
in Italy soap is very scarce and
what soap there is, costs five dol
lars bar.
Clothes are scarce, too. Often,
all the little children had to wear
even in real cold weather, were
aprons for the girls, and overalls
for the boys, with wooden shoes.
Stockings are things almost forgot
ten.
Children Work Hard.
Most of the children that 60 to
school in Italy, now, are under ten
years old The older ones are out
to take care of their moth
ers and brothes and sisters and to
help their country. Boys and girls |
above ten years old 60 out on the
roads where the soldiers are pass
ing all the time and help put gravel
on them and keep them in order.
Books and paper cost so much that
this keeps many children out OF
school. States are used every
where in the schools instead of pa
per as the paper is SO scarce. Many
Of the schools were turned into
hospitals for Italy's thousands of
wounded soldiers.
But They Play Too.
Working hard doesn't keep them
from being happy though. Besides
hey have many play times too.
The girls have dolls and jumping
'opes, and the boys play marbles,
ops and leap-frog. And they laugh
rally most of the time, whether
hey are working or playing. Ev-
Try Italian loves his Italy dearly
md is not willing, but is anxious to
In everything they can for her.