The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-18

A February bulletin of the Save the
Children Fund" published at Geneva.
Switzerland, contains the following re-
port concerning conditions In one OF
the most misery stricken quarters OF
Budapest, vaczi-ut boulevard. II was
sent In by Imre Ravesz, a photographer.
who seemed to he working for the
International Red Cross at Budapest
Referring to this district in Budapest,
Mr., Ravesz said:
Here is the misery, as It WERE con-
centrated--nothing but waste of spaces
and dilipidated novels. In front OF the
houses there are great heaps CIV
ing off putrid smell felt at some dis
lance, The houses themselves are in
wretched condition. the walls cracked.
the whole structure lettering and hav-
ing to be propped by stout beams.
81 knocked at the door of one of
these houses. It consisted of one room,
the floor of which gave at every step;
locks were broken and window -panes
were replaced by old newspapers torn
by every breath of wind. There was
hardly any furniture: two dirty beds
not made, a wardrobe without a door.
some broken chairs. and a cracked
mirror. In a corner, a stove with some
old pots and pans; on line drawn
across a room some pieces Of torn lin
ems An old woman came forward.
bent and wrinkled, the ugliest old
woman in the world looking like a YER
table fairy-tale witch. She told me
she was a widow, her name Jean :.
she was 6S years old (she looked 1901.
Her husband had been bootmaker
and was dead these twenty-five years.
Now she was living with her son and
looking after his house during his alb
sence. The room afforded shelter to
nine children and seven adults; her
son and his wife. herself and four
lodgers--three men and one woman; n
total Of sixteen people in one room OF
about 4x5 metres G3x16 feeD.
but where do all these people sleep?
1 asked.
-Four in those two beds, the rest on
the floor. We have some pieces of
mems overcoats. We have been living
rather poorly poorly indeedD during
the war; the men went to fight, two
of my children became orphans, ana
now prices are so high and no work
in the factories. We eat only melons,
maize-and even this costs two crowns
portion-and gourds. Meat and milk
we have not had for months. Here we
hardly use It. The children, the young
est OF whom is a year old, and the old
est ten, are in the street; where,
cannot tell; at night they come home'
sooner or later.
"'And the baby of one where is hep
"'With the others. The elder ones
sell Turkish pepper in the streets, so
that baby can stay with them. At noon
they stand in a qu-ue in front of the
Com utesa school where free dinners
are distributed, and they get something
warm to eat--soup or egetables-which
they give the little ones also. At pres
ent we still manage. but what is going
to become of us when winter comesr
We haven't a bit of wood or coal. the
children have neither clothes nor boots:
al fe
cent What Is going TO happen
This question I could scarcely nm
swer. 1t is so difficult to solve: what |
is going to happen this winter?
81 continued on my. way to the Gem |
utcza school where about Atty children |
are sent for the day. They are taken |
there between and in the morning. |
and fetched away In the evening. on |
arrival they are washed, their |
irty rags taken Off. and they are given |
to eat. The elder ones-the
oldest is siX-play in the yard with two |
school mstresses to look after them
md tell them stories.
1.-THE children are pale and thin, most
II them cough, and all are poorly
dressed. Almost all of them go bare
Dandaged because OF sores received
rom walking on sharp stones or bits
Il glass. They are eaten up by YER
min and scratch themselves without
leasing. Their clothes are in a terrible
tate-rags that can hardly be called
,lothes. A little boy wears knitted
lrawers full of holes. and lady's
lightgown all in rags. Another urchin
$ wrapped up in huge wooden Jersey
nd nothing else; his face Is covered
With sweat. One little girl wears as
ress half mans trousers; n boy of
i've looks like n girl because he is in
frock. and another wears a woman's
,louse instead of trousers. his legs
ticking out Of the sleeves Some, IN
eed wear clothes, actually made for
themselves, but then these are all torn
nd the little ribs OF the wearers quite
xposed."