Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-23
FEEDING GERMAN CHILDREN

, rolls are given four times n week.
lPoverty-stricken as it is, the German
government has undertaken to supply
the flour and sugar for the rolls dur
ing the next six months.
Nearby two rooms have been taken
and fitted up for use as a dining room
for mothers. Every morning between
10 and IL o'clock 12S of them come
for a. hot meal. They have the same
food as that given to the children, but
larger portions. All the women arc
either nursing young babies or are
by a. local committee of doctors in
the same way the school children are
selected. In these rooms children up
to six years come in the afternoon for
food. The feeding of mothers and
very young children is more difficult
on account of having no central place
in which food can be served and no
organization to work thru as in the
schools. At the kitchen for this dis
trict. where 10000 meals a day arc
prepared is another dining room for
mothers, seating $50 every afternoon.
A very interesting group of chill
dren was seen in another thickly po-
pulated district of working-class fami-
lies. Here three big schools were
grouped together in one complex,
the buildings having distinct entrances
on different streets. There was n
poys SCnOOl, SlIlS scIlool anu oii'
for deaf and dumb children of both
sexes. These latter were in very bad
physical condition, many being tuber-
cular. After finding out by signs from
their teachers that their visitors were
foreigners they asked for postage
stamps and it was pathetic to SEQ the
eaSerness with which these young
collectors pounced on the most com
mon American or English stamps
AS the teacher said. it indicates the
isolation into which Germany has
been plunged by the war. The meal
this time was hot cholocate soup-a
sort of thin cornstarch pudding. A
generous bowl of this with the big
white roll was T. meal to bo cnvied,
and 1t Is probably the most popular
OF the six menus served every week
Tho huge kitchen for this district, all
the equipment of which is old army
material. supplies $4,000 Of these
meals daily.
Not A Religious Work
In every child-feeding center thru
out Germany is displayed n printed
notice telling of the regulations of tho
feeding work of the Society of Friends.
In the past, notably in Catholic
Bavaria, there has been some objec
ton to this by Germans who feared
that ono motive of the campaign was
to convert the children to another reli-
gion. but by now 1t has been thoroly
dcmonstr ated that the spirit behind the
work is simply one of practical phil
anthropy in which differences of creed
play no part. Today when a German
\ urchtn asks n playmate II he has been
"Quakerized" it Is not religious aues-
| tiop but Simply an inquiry as 10
whether or not he is lucky enough to
! bo on the Friends Feeding List. The
money given for this work comes from,
| many sources. mostly in humble gifts.
and only portion of 1t is from the So
ciety of Friends. Nor are all tho
workers. many of whom are Germans.
members of this society. The drec-
ton of tho whole work is in their
hands. however, because of their CT
ficiency and tho self-sacrifice with
which they have undertaken a service
of relief as important as any in the
world. Every Friend in Germany to-
day Is n volunteer. unpaid worker.
~ great deal of care has bccn taken
by the Friends to insure that this help
will go where 1t is most needed. The
work Is largely dccentralised and local
committees of German doctors, teach
ers and social workers select from the
most necessitous those who are to bo
favored. Tho meal is arranged as an
extra and being given between 10 and
1 l o'clock in the morning supplements
tho food tho child may be getting at
home. without it. however. many
children would go breakfastlcss. All
food must be eaten on the spot 1t is
necessary to enforce this rule strictly
because at first 1t was found that chill
dren would run outside and give their
portion to waiting parent to take
home. Then, too. children might bo
kept at home Intentionally if there
was chance of tho meal being sent
to the house.
That these children to whom mono
of tho responsibility for the war can
be traced. stand in great need OF as
sistancc is obvious. Most of them arc
pale. lstless and undorsizcd. \ little
boy who was pointed out as years
of age looked scarcely :, II is tho
samo with the girls. They are flat
chested with unhealthy protruberant
stomachs and spindly. rickcty legs.
They como eagerly for the food and
cat with enjoyment. A feeding period
lasts for three months, at the end
OF which time tho children are cS-
amincd again by doctors. Those who
show considerable Improvement must
bo dropped from tho list in order to
make room for some new child in
need, for lack of money limits the
work OF Tho American Friends Service
Committee to the very nccdiest cases
-