The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-10-22
College Refugee Stu
dent Interned III Three
French Refugee Camps
Continued from page u

| slice OF bread; for luncheon and DIM
ner soup made by placing spoonful
of vegetables in tepid water and
slice of bread.
BAD CONDITIONS
The rooms were infested with bugs
and there were no cleaning or wash
| ing materials. The beds were made
up with dirty mattresses and the
sheets are not washed. A dirty
blanket provided was used for the
covers on the bed.
Except for few hours day
even the one faucet of cold water
was cut off. The electric light was
permitted to be on only from to
$3.50 o'clock in the evening. No
| books, newspapers or radio were al
| lowed and made an indescribably
monotonous existence, Miss Schneider
stated.
The situation at the Marseilles
camp was particularly bad. Most Of
| the women do not know what they
are in the camp for and from dawn
to dark they sit on a chair in a
gloomy corner and at night they lie
on dirty mattress.
DEPRESSING
It was so depressing that many of
the women attempted suicide and
Miss Schneider herself was able to
secure the attention of the authori-
ties only by going on a hunger strike
that severely weakened her physical
ly.
1t was in Marseilles that she met
Miss Edna Ramseyer, Bluffton col
lege home economics instructor. Miss
! Schneider was doing volunteer social
work and in the professional exper-
fences met Miss Ramseyer who was
working with refugee children in
Marseilles. Miss Ramseyer's work
and concern for the children was
much appreciated, Miss Schneider
said. The Nazis are bleeding the
country white and many of the
children have deformed bodies be-
cause of hunger and insufficient diet.
LAVAL Nor POPULAR
| Commenting on the internal poll
tical situation she pointed out that
Laval is not popular with the masses
and that frequently when he makes
his public appearances people shout
at him.
The aged Marshall Petain, how
ever, has the respect of the masses
who believe him to be we'll inten-
toned but somewhat limited in ca
pacity because of advanced years
Most people believe that Petain him
self does not realize how far he has
shifted in his Nazi sympathies.
Every Frenchman knows that his
country was shot through with cor
rupt politics but even so they are
loyal democrats and will never sub
nit to totalitarianism of the fascist
brand, Miss Schneider believes.
WERE PEACE LOVING PEOPLE
There was much to admire in pre-
war France. The French were es-
sentially peace loving people with
much tolerance. Differences of race
and religious creed did not mean
much to the Frenchmen. No discrim-
nations are practiced against the
colored people of the Negroid or In
do Chinese races, she stated.
Miss Schneider states again and
again that Americans do not really
appreciate their freedom. Even with
the restrictions imposed on the ma
ton as war time necessity the free
dom in this country is such that no
nation in Continental Europe comes
close to it.
Being in this country, with free
dom of worship, freedom of speech,
plenty to eat, plenty to wear, is just
like getting new breath of fresh
air, Miss Schneider stated.
AMERICAN PRIVILEGES
You Americans do not know how
lucky you are with all of these won
derful privileges. When you have
lived in the atmosphere of repres-
sion and intolerance the contrast af-
forded by coming to this country
creates an appreciation that is prob
ably difficult to obtain otherwise.
Miss Schneider said.
Miss Schneider believes that Hitler
is stronger than most people in this
country realize. This is due to the
fanatical devotion of the youth, the
running start the country had in
armament and the advantages the
Germans have in the total control
of most of the European food sup
, ply.
UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT
Regarding the so-called under
ground movement in occupied Eu-
rope, she believes that it has been
over-stressed in the American press.
In reality this is simply form of
cooperation among the opponents of
: the Nazis for the purpose of OBJ
structing the German cause in many
: WAYS, mostly of a non-military ma
ture.
Education is practically at stand
still all over Europe. The children
are under-nourished and in France