Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-02-08
Zoe Beckley Sees Fami-
lies Broken Up In
Vienna
BY ZOE BECKLEY,
~ E. A. Staff Correspondent.

VIENNA, Feb. 10y Caole)-
Beside me as I stood in the cold, dim
railway station at Vienna, was Franz,
age six. holding by the hand MS Sis
ter Irma, aged four.
II was not the frayed and patched
TttLe garments which sagged from
tbeir emaciated frames that made my
hear+ ache. nor was it the broken
boots that let in so much cold, nor
die hIueness of their hands. 1t was
she look in their cheekbones, the ter
r5bIe brightness of their eyes.
/ shall never forget their eyes. 1t
xas look both of terror and OF avld
srayerness. No kiddie should have
such eyes. -,
All around US were other tots from
three to twelve, in charge of white
canned nurses, Italian and Dutch,
Who marshalled them kindly but
could not comfort many who chung
to them crying and pointing TOWARD
the barrier behind which was the
trowd of women.
Mothers Part With Children.
These women were mothers, send
Jnr their children into foreign lands,
INTO the hearts and homes of strang-
rrs that the little ones might not
die of starvation before their eyes.
Some of the women stood rigid, with
sveyv sign of emotion held in check.
Some pressed their hands over their
t-umbling lips and winked back the
tears. Others reached through the
bars Of the railing toward the babies,
r Aa
last kiss, or entreating them with
murmured pet names and loving
phrases to be good, obedient children:
But the tots could not be allowed
70 20 back. 1t would destroy order
and create scene. So they waved
and threw kisses and promised to be
good children and love their foster
parents.
Then | realized what it was that
put the terrible, staring brightness
into the eyes of tiny Franz and lrma.
Leave Love in Order to Live.
In order to live, they must leave
the mothers who loved them.
Presently the whistle sounded, the
engine Kissed, the conductor shout
ed and swung aboard. Slowly the
long train slipped out of the station,
the very windows white with little
faces pressed against the glass. The
babies train had started on its jour
ney from famished Vienna.
1t was half an hour before the pack
of parents melted from behind the
barrier. Few were. Spartan enough
to conceal their feelings Most of
them relaxed when the train was out
of sight. and with shaking shoulders
sobbed into their ragged shawls and
patched aprons.
Many children were left, evidently
brought in the hope that by miracle
room could be found for them on the
train. They will go in the next batch,
which will be when cities, can be
found which are willing to take
them. Already 10000 have been
sent away, and it is prayed that an
equal number may yet find homes
before the terrible winter has run
ITS course and taken its toll.
Faces Reveal Tragedy of Vienna.
In the faces of the women and
men as they left the station, could be
read the tragedy of Vienna. Not by
any means were they all of the poor
est working class. There was a
goodly number of people of middling
prosperity, whose income is now in
adequate to buy even the simplest
food, so shrunken has the money value
become in Austria.
Not one of all the crowd looked
foorlshed, and in some faces was a
shadow that told me they might not
be there when their children return
ed from the friendly foreign coun-
tries.
One woman told me she had eaten
nothing but black bread and farina
soup for 10 days. Anoth rasifdT
soup for IL days. Another said for
two months she had not seen a DO
tato, although the food cards allow
800 grammes per week, man as
sured me-
Starving, They've Eaten All Pets.
He said that among the poorer and
middle classes there is not a pet ami
mai of any sort left in Vienna-not
a eat or a dog or a canary or a
gold fish, rabbit or a parrot. Every
one has been used for food. And he
limited things far worse.
But if the children only can be