The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-06-18
$3,688,873 EXPENDED
FOR WAR TORN AREA
Committee for Devastated
France Reports.

Washington.-Th FINAL report of the
activities of the American Committee
for Devastated France, Inc, covering
the period from its establishment on
April /, 1918, to the formal ending of
its work in the war-torn areas OF
France on March 81, 1924, has just
been issued. The report disclosed that
the committee received total of $4,-
813. 749 In cash and supplies and of
this sum 1886 per cent, or $S,688,S73,
was sent to France, or spent In the
United States for the benefit Of France.
In making public the report, Rouget
D. Jenkins, executive vice president
of the committee, said that the prin-
cipaI services developed in France by
the committee had been taken over by
French committees. This step was in
line with the original policy of the or.
ganization which sought to reduce to a
minimum the after-waste of war and
insure the continued effectiveness Of
the work. Miss Anne Morgan, chair
man Of the executive committee of the
organization, wrote foreword to the
report.
"The American Committee for Dew
astated France" she said, "has COM
pIeted its work. Its records show a
total of more than 100000 received
and disbursed. The committee re
garded itself always as a trustee, re-
sponsible to it's donors and friends. To
them it now presents this summarized
statement of its activities. To the
thousands who gave so generously Of
their means, their time and their
thought in order that its purposes
might be realized, the committee ex-
tends its deep gratitude"
Established Forty-Five canteens.
y, Even before the organization applied
itself to the civilian problems of the
war zone it was called upon to aid the
military forces. In this work 40 can
teens were established, and more than
100000 American and French soldiers
we're served. and, in addition, six
women doctors and ten nurses went
into service in emergency hospitals
''In retrospect" said the report, "the
committees program appears to have
been planned at the outset and car
ried through to the end. Actually. it
was forged on the anvil of demand
The type of service changed constant
ly with the succeeding needs of the
people. The first task was emergency
relief-to provide places to sleep,
food and clothing, to care for the chill.
dren, to restore the soil to production.
Then came a need for public health
measures, hygiene, physical education,
agricultural aid, libraries, schools
service to meet the barest physical and
spiritual necessities of a people who
were taking up life anew in a region
ruined by war"
The report disclosed that the sum
Of S204,741 was spent for education
al and children's work, and that $751;
$50 was expended in agriculture. For
public health and nursing the sum of
S11,67O was used, while in the re-
Mobilization and relief of villages $685.
958 was employed The committee
spent $26,279 in the purchase of food
from the American army, and $4,000
for church bells. Discussing the chief
services which the committee estab-
lished and maintained, the report said:
Transportation territory where
all normal means Of transportation
had been destroyed or disrupted the
whole service Of the committee was
dependent on its own transportation
system In order to accomplish this,
SO camions and camionettes and
repair shop were maintained.
"Construction- Obviously there was
an immediate need for building and re-
pairs. Sawmill, carpenters and join
ers' shops were established at Bier
ancourt, and employed an average Of
175 workmen; prisoners Of war first,
and then needy refugees. In addition,
repairs to buildings were made and
furniture manufactured for schools
and libraries. The staff also took ON
private work at the rate Of 100000
francs a month, the profits going to
civilian relief. The business thus es-
tablished was finally sold to a con-
tracing firm and the money obtained
was turned into the promotion Of the
public health service"
Furnished Farm implements.
In the way of agricultural aid the
committee furnished farm implements,
live stock, vegetables and seeds, dis
tributing them below cost. Aban-
doned farms were worked and syndI-
cate and farmers co-operatives were
organized. Fifty-two tractors were
used in showing the farmers Of the
Aisne more progressive methods, and
wheat from $4,000 acres was thrashed
at three central points. Under the
auspices of the ministers of agricul-
ture and Of education demonstrations
in American methods of canning fruits
and vegetables were carried on for
four years in SO French departments,
including more than 100 domestic sci
ence and normal schools.
1.-THE infant mortality" said the re-
port. ''in the committees region was
reduced to "a per 1000. less than 2.5
per cent. The infant mortality in the