Evening star., 1946-03-10


than $4,000 weak and undernourished
children were sent to the mountains
and seashore for three weeks of special
feeding and treatment last summer,
with the assistance of UNRRA, the
Greek War Relief and Near East
Foundation
A mammoth problem was posed by
the 100000 displaced persons found in
Geroany. One million remain today
chiefly those reluctant to go home, or
stateless persons. But there was an
amazingly small proportion of children
among them, only 10 per cent of the
reception center refugees. There was
reason
Despite the Germans legendary
kindness to KINDER" it was found that
the Nazis had made practice of killing
any slave labor too young to work,
especially little girls.
Sight of Children Brings Tears.
This story was told by returned
welfare worker:
"A woman arrived at a displaced
persons center with two little girls. one
of the labor slaves whom the Germans
had rounded up in France. She had
been sent to one slave labor camp, and
her husband to another. She had no
knowledge of his fate She was tired
and hungry and knew that dinner was
being served to large group of dis
placed persons so we took her and her
daughters to the mess hall at once.
AS son as the little girls appeared
In that room-the displaced persons
dropped their food and stared. There
was terrible moment Of silence. then
few women burst into uncomfortable
tears and ran out of the mess hall. The
women had seen their own little
daughters slaughtered"
Welfare workers reported that when
children first came into centers in
Germany they were frightened, timid,
possessive. They rarely ate all the food
served them at meal, but secreted part
OF it in their sleeves and pockets, unable
to grasp the idea that there would be
more for them in few hours.
In one center, the children clung to
one another quietly the first few hours
after they arrived. following the adults
around with large inquiring eyes.
Finally, one of the children asked:
What are we allowed to do?"
Anything you want. This is your
place" they were told.
viii you smack us if We scream?"
mo. You may shout as much as vo,,
like"
Scream 1t Out.
The children started screaming and
shouting and kept it up for two DAYS,
They did nothing but give vent to
their pent up misery. BY the third day
they had had enough and settled down
to play like other children.
DR.. Martha Branscombe, child well
fare specialist loaned by the Children's
Bureau Of the Labor Department, and
who made several trips to Europe, sum-
married UNRRA's relation to the chill
dren of the war weary countries:
The fine spirit of cooperation and
the humanitarian feelings which mott
vate the creation of UNRRA offered
great promises to the children of lib.
Grated areas. To the extent that the
resources are made available and that
the countries themselves recognize the
needs of their children, we will fulfill
those promises.
"At the same time it must be re-
membered that UNRRA is limited to
emergency relief. Vast numbers of
children will require continued care
and specialized services for long pe-
rlods. We cannot, therefore, forget to-
DAY that our common interests not
only call for common action in these
nrst emergency stages, but extend be-
yond and into the future"