The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-05-18
FRANCE URGED TO
REBUILD TOWNS
Newspaper Man Says France
Must Do Own Share of Re-
construction Work.

PARIS. May IS. tBy International
News Service. IN. Binet-Nalmer,
widely known Partisan newspaper writ
er, has undertaken a campaign to
demonstrate to the French people that
they cannot expect Americans to con-
tribute funds for the reconstruction of
the devastated areas of northern
France unless the French people them
selves take the initiative,
The American people are inspired by
real friendship for us" he writes in La
Liberte, and this friendship does not
rest on any political base We must
make this, friendship grow, We can
do so by showing that we are ready to
do our share in rebuilding the ruined
towns and villages"
NJ. Binet-Valmer quotes from a letter
from resident of the village of Lee
haucourt, which was situated right on
the Hindenburg line and was practically
wiped out in the last month of the war
M. Binet- Valmer's correspondent says:
Il do hope that the selfish towns
which have not helped IN to now hear
your call, and that the shame of their
indifference may lead them all to adopt
as filleur a poor devastated village.
] am now finishing studies started be-
fore the war at the Central school and
am by this fact kept away from my
townsmen, who have just given me the
post of municipal councillor. 1t would
be a JOY for me to find a godmother
for the village. Lehaucourt is small
town with 800 inhabitants $3.50 of which
have just come back, and is situated
a few miles from Saint Quentin, on
the canal which was formerly part of
the Hindenburg line. The village is en-
tirely destroyed and the inhabitants are
obliged to live in huts."
NJ Binet-Valmer then quotes letter
from a resident of Havre, showing what
the people of that city did for the viii
lagos they adopted. He says:
From December. 1913 HaVra resi-
dents decided on the formation of a
society called HaVre's Help to the Dew
astated Regions. The subscription gave
remarkable resuts-the city itself gave
sum of 100, 900 francs, and we were
soon able to have fund of over $780,
600 francs. The committee, DESTROYS
OF helping as soon as possible, sent
three delegates to the district of Pas
de-Calais and the Somme: After an in
spectton of the region between Peronne
and Lens, our delegates, in January,
1919, selected three villages situated be-
tween Amiens and Peronne, which we
adopted.
Il will give you now the results of the
work done. In Bayonnevillers. Sc
houses have been definitely rebuilt by
worlmen which number between 35 and
as mem; 60 wagons of material of all
kinds have been sent from Havre and
other producing centers, and the viii
lage which had 700 inhabitants before
the war, now has 800 inhabitants. Nor
nal life is now in full run. In Lamotte-
en-Santerre and in Warfusee, II wood
houses have been erected, each with
double walls and two or three rooms
with a cellar, and these have been given
to the farmers. Besides. u big sheds
have been attributed to the workmen.
There is also a school with flat for
the teacher and church with lodging
for the curate. On the other hand,
with the generous aid Of the Society
Bon Cite Havre has been able to dis
tribute lots of furniture to the fami-
lies most in need. Books have been
given to the schools, all kinds of cloth
ing have been distributed cloth has
been sold at a low cost toys and useful
presents given at Christmas. Our sub
scriptions are now up to 900, 900 francs
which have been entirely spent, and
well spent, for the reconstruction of a
country. And the subscription is still
working.
What has been done by Havre could
be done by every town of France. and
each district of Paris could adopt a
group of two or three villages"