Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-22
FRANCE CURTAHS
REFUGEE PENSION
Action Stops Allowance of
Nearly 100000.

PARIS, April 22.-Nearly 100000 per-
sons, mostly helpless old people. women
and children, will be thrown practically
upon their own resources when the
French government early next month
ceases to pay war refugee" allowances,
Instituted at the beginning Of hostilities
IN the summer of 1914.
They are the last of the great army
of more than a million who were driven
from their homes by the advancing Ger
man armies. Steps are being taken to
obtain aid from the government in some
other way and to enlist the support Of
private charities.
When the first refugees fed from the
battle zone in 1914 the government ar
ranged "a system Of monthly allowances.
The payments were very small, but at
that time homeless women and children
from the invaded districts had little
trouble IN finding cheap lodgings else
where in France and the cost Of living
was so low that they managed to keep
alive.
The number of refugees reached its
maximum at about the time of the ar
mistice, when nearly 100000 were re-
Finance. This did not take into ac-
count thousands of others who had re-
sources of their own or who make their
homes with relatives.
Early in 1919 the homeward move
ment began. Thousands of refugees
from districts which had not suffered
heavily under the German occupation re
turned to their fresides and by the end
OF the year the government was paying
allowances to only 1880.
During 1920 the reconstruction of
homes in the devastated area progressed
so rapidly that there were only 10000
refugees still on the Governments hands.
This number has diminished gradually
since the first Of the year. but it is now
possible TO ascertain that at least 100000
will become permanent charges, de
pendent either on public or on private
charity.
Thousands Of these have made vain
pilgrinages othe sites Of their former
villages, only to find them blotted out
by shellire. For instance. some OF the
little hamlets of the Somme and Verdun
battlefelds can no longer be found ex-
cept by the aid of maps. The location
of a number has been marked by sign
posts. but they will never be restored.
The economic reasons that led to their
growth many decades ago have disap-
peared and they will go down in Frances
history as ''lost towns" Thus the shop
keeper who returns to rebuild his cross
roads store finds no indication Of life
and the plots of ground where he once
carried on a business that earned him
livelihood OF practically no value.
Nearly all the 10000 want to go back
to the communities where they have spent
practically all their lives, but there is no
room for them and no work to occupy
them when they do return. In many Of
the devastated towns now under process
Of reconstruction former residents are
living in wooden barracks and the author
tiles are discouraging the return Of every
one incapable OF doing a hard days
work.
The government IS suppressing the al
lowances as a means Of economy. Since
the outbreak of the war three billions
has been paid out Of the national treas
ury in allowances to dependents of
soldiers at the front and to civilian
refugees