The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1933-08-16

athletic and musical. We have 700
men playing in bands, such were
some of the items mentioned by
I, Monsieur Butcher.
Asked about the beautiful schools
that appear here and there among
the homes, he said, 1--WE take the
| best of care of our miners and
workers children, the company has
| rs schools, IL for infants, eight for
girls and six for boys. You note we
take good care Of the girls, we
teach them home economics, for
IL the girls remain in Lens, then
we need not worry about the
boys! Oh yes, we are human, and
this stern military man gave a
smile that just made you realize
his heart was merely a cross Sec
ton of the over $4,000 folks work.
| ing under him.
Driving through the city from
one colliery to another and to the
big by-product factories, and see
ing Vimy Ridge with the big Can
adam monument in the distance, we
asked Monsieur Butcher a few
questions about this rehabilitated
area we would be riding through
for the next ten days.
Starting at Lens and running
across northern France, we had
5000 square miles devastated dur
ing the war, ten states Of France,
or one-thirty-sixth of our Country.
Fifty-two per cent of the coal OF
France was cut off, and four mill
lion people affected. We are now
mining nearly four and one-half
million tons o focal and making
ohoy< onn nnn laws ~ nn1a uao ,s1vy
so we are back to pre-war produc-
Monsieur Butcher.
Silently we rode out Of Lens, as
the sunset, and stopped at the top
of Vimy Ridge where we saw
group of French army officers Civ
ing instructions to younger men,
using that battle ground as a mod
Ell. Doing a little figuring we find
that the devastated area was two
thirds the size Of Massachusetts
or onesixth that Of Indiana, and
that over 1900 factories were
wiped out, equal to the industrial
life Of Chicago, Detroit and Cleve-
land combined And all these new
cities and buildings went up since
1913, in fact most Of them several
years later, paid for by the French
government and in part by any Of
the industries having reserve.
Staying in the little town OF
Arras for an evening, more facts
were cleaned as army officers
clanked around the little streets.
This north area had 100000 miles
Of trenches a yard wide and yard
high. A million sheep and goats,
nine hundred thousand cattle, four
hundred fifty thousand horses and
mules and 100000 hogs were lost.
We start out next morning over
more beautiful roads, through more
villages, with stronger under
standing of what these people
must have seen. We now reach
Bohain, off the tourist path, town
of few thousand, and drive down
a street to factory named "Ro-
dier", where we see woven some Of
the finest cloth in the world.
The weavers Of Bohain and their
lives are so unusual that another
brief paper will perhaps tell of
them later, they have left a most
vivid impression, but in this article
their devotion to their work must
be recorded.
The weavers of Bohain-a con-
juring title. and how it brings me-
mories Of devoted people, tirelessly
weaving, weaving and weaving
with two thoughts squirting them
on-they are doing something for
France and they are making the
way little lighter for their chul-
dren, for every weaver expects his
child to follow his footsteps. Why
not-where else a more contented
section.
The five story modern brick
factory Is tucked away in a con-
gestion Of brick buildings, for even
have all the thrill that goes out
Square or LaSalle and Madison In
Chicago.
Directeur Monsieur Quersonnier
met us at the factory door, as his
hand grasped in a strong shake,
his eyes glowed a welcome never
to be forgotten, for visitors are
vry fel in this town off the main
routes; and the writer was an
"Americaine"-you see, Msr Quer-
sonnier before had seen Americans
pass through Bohain; the untold
expressions you can find in New
England or western handclasp are
found also in rural France.
Five hundred people are work.
ing in this plant, and over five
hundred more weave the original
designs right in their homes in
over a dozen very small villages
around Bohain. Here in the fac.
tory we saw men and women, old
and young, each highly developed
nj selecting one particular thread
or finishing one particular piece
Of cloth. The good will between
the directeur and the workers was
most apparent. For example, we
reached the top floor where about
one hundred girls were working,
just as the bell rang for noon
lunch. Monsieur Directeur'sl eyes
opened wide, he placed his fore
finger to his lips as Frenchmen do,
he looked at US who had just
Climbed five flights.
"Mesdames and mademoiselles,
would you mind working five min
utes, so can show your guests
this operation"--such a pleasan.
voice. like a father to children
OF course they would, absolutely
everyone did so with a smile on
their face. for purposely the writer
noted each one for reactions.
@Then-treat of the trip! We
went to the directeur's modest
home, and had big dinner with
his family-a rosy checked wife
and the usual one child French
family, Jean, a charming boy Of
six years. just in from school.
To tell Of this dinner is an
other story. Again, in a humble \
home. we learned that Frenchmen
and .their wives are inseparabie.
A wife in France occupies the po-
sition. of comrade and advisor ana
her husband usually wants he-
constantly with him, both In bug