The New York herald., 1921-02-20
FATHERLESS CHILDREN
OF FRANCE ART SALE

\ GeCepllOI WIN It's receiving party
comprising some of the most nota bic
honor the French Ambassador to the
United States, Jean Jules Jusserand,
an exhibition begir ming then Of war
memorabilia" a collection of many au-
tograph messages. autographed state
ments. orders Of battles. poems, sketches,
drawings highly interesting, of much
artistic value, all relating to the great
war. contributed by the leading men and
women concerned in it, a sale few
days later OF all these rarities the pass
ing out of existence Of one of the most
famous and longest TO continue of the
American war relief organizations. the
Fatherless Children of France, this re-
ception, exhibition and sale being its
final chapter, Is the story IN brief of a
chain of events near at hand in New
York
Art lovers and experts will find un-
usual examples from the pens pencils,
brushes of famous artists of the world
publicists, collectors and students of af-
fairs will view with delight and compete
to acquire the original manuscripts that
statesmen. soldiers, clericals and authors
sent in at the request Of this war relief
organization. And all this has n historic
interest that will long be remembered
for it marks the passing of war relief
society that did valiant work. and did
1t for nearly six years, sending over
s12. 900. 900 for little French war orphans
--an incalculable number of francs at
the rate of exchange during the war and
after-probably more than a hundred
and fifty million francs
SO this Is no mere art exhibit and
sale, though its art interest is big it is
not only an exhibit and sale OF unique
manuscripts. though there are many a
collector who is specializing on war
rarities will want. Nor is II a society
event alone. 1t is an unusual combna-
ton of all three. It's scene will be the
American Art Galleries on East Twenty
third street. the Fatherless Children
OF Frances reception for Amba ssador
Jusserand this coming Wednesday (Feb-
ruary 23). at 2 80 in the afternoon, the
exhibition continuing over till the follow
ing Monday february 2S) with the
sale on that day. both afternoon and
evening.
There are 34s p;eces, sketches and
drawings. manuscripts and signed photo
graphs in this collection. the proceeds OF
which are to be divided between the New
York and Boston committees Of the
Fatherless Children OF France. Nobody
can even hazard a guess at what the
certain is that it will fetch something far
up in the thousands. for the rarities are
real rarities beyond all thought. For
example. there is. written out in Gen.
Joffre's hand and signed by him. n page
of the order OF Verlun. You will know
how to stop them" They have barred
the Germans on the road to Nerdun." the
original Of the famous They shall not
pass" John ). Sargent. the artist. is
represented by a sketch of nude male
figure There is the original sketch of
the head OF the French poilu that was
used in the noted affiche, the great
French war loan poster that inflamed
France rs little else ever did. PershinG.
lost battalion are among the soldiers
and sailors whose autograph messages
are here. Galli-Curci sent Il curiosity. a
bar of a patriotic song, a patriotic mes
sage, her signature, a bar Of another
piece of music. Muirhead Bone is there
in the collection with a picture OF the
American Expeditionary Force embark
ing for France
How they were collected forms a most
interesting story. The collection owes It's
birth and its making largely. almost en-
tircly. Mrs. leland Eggleston Cofer.
chairman OF the New York committee
head, says, 10 Mrs. David Johnson or
Boston. who proposed the idea. and with
her (Mrs. Cofer's) active cooperation
carried u out beginning 1915.
The original plan was very ingenious.
It is strange no one else ever thought of
IL. and stranger and more remarlta bic
still that through the years the Father
less Children OF France let no word creep
out of what they were doing. Gathering
Il - .
one would have thought the temptation
to give out for publicity purposes the
words of this celebrity and that, price
less words from the worlds greatest.
would have been irresistible. But these
women could keep secret. They kept
this faithfully completely.
Mrs. johnson and Mrs. Cofer planned
for a book. Their Book" il
was to have been called, a cinlple copy.
never any more. TO consist OF all the war
sketches, memorabilia OF every
nature they could gather. Their method
was TO send out sheets of vellum 10
every real celebrity OF the great war they
could think OF and ask for anything, SO
long as IL was autographic. personal /
done by that mans own hand.
In few cases was the request for
something" denied or ignored. Sol |
diers and statesmen stopped their work
In camp and council room. authors took I
up the pen that had been superseded by
the typewriter 60 send message. quo
tation or statement Artists gave draw Z
ings that we're really worth while. 4
single individual or the ordinary organi-
zation would not have been successful
in any such ratio as Mrs Johnson and
Mrs. Cofer were. But the cause. the
work. they represented was great
one. OF compelling power. reputation and
influence. All over the world and espe-
cialaly in that part OF II where big bat
ties we're being fought the Fatherless
Children OF France was known and
highly commended news OF Mrs. Cofer's
work had spread widely--sho later re-
coived the Cross Of the Legion Of Honor
for II. besides three other decorations.
IL was known everywhere what the
Fatherless Children OF France had been
and was doing, obtaining in this country
contributions for the little children OF
France orphaned by the war. whose
fathers had made the supreme sacri-
flee" and who unless financial help
came from outside France would have
TO give up their homes and pass by thou
sands into institutions.
II cost pitlfully little Tor each child.
but ten cents a day. yet thousands in the
aggregate for the tiny orphans Of
France. Mrs Cofers fatherless chill
dren got American godfathers and god
mothers by the thousands who con
tributed regularly year after year. II