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AMERICANS HELP FRENCH REFUGEES MrK William Astor Chandler president of the French Heroes Lafayette Memorial fund and who is now in France lias sent to John Moffat executive executiveiiairman iiairman of the fund a remarkable account of the work accomplished in Paris in what was formerly the long abandoned Seminary of St Sulpice by the Secours de Guerre Society for Refugees of the War which the French Heroes Lafayette Memorial fund las to a large extent suhvented The report which will l e particularly interesting to Americans in part says saysWhen When at the outbreak of the war in August 1914 French and Belgian refugees orphans and soldiers soldiersrom rom the invaded regions first began to stream into aris from Charleroi Anvers Lille and finally Rheims a little group of policemen in the sixth city district of Paris headed by their chief M Peltier with the trifling capital of 300 francs seized upon the old seminary of Saint Sulpice that had been abandoned for twelve long years and was wasn n a state of indescribable decay and quickly pro ¬ vided with the aid of carpenters masons and other workmen shelter for the first of the refugees refugeesToday Today the work has grown to truly amazing pro ¬ portions At the present time there are being served in a single day 4400 meals and the average number of persons fed a day is 2200 among whom are to be found an average of 650 children and 700 soldiers From the modest 300 francs capital at atIrst Irst collected for the work the sum expended has grown to 1801505 francs giving to the refugees at a cost of 1 franc and 03 centimes a day lodging nourishment clothing and medical attention A con ¬ siderable part of this sum has been contributed by Americans and lately the French Heroes Lafayette Memorial fund has placed large sums at the dis ¬ posal of the society for the continuance of its work No less than 119220 persons have been com ¬ pletely outfitted by the clothing department of the Secours de Guerre and the Bureau of Employment has placed 58367 refugees The police who were instrumental in the beginning in organizing what is now one of the greatest French war charities con ¬ tinue their interest in it but tiiere has been formed a regular committee which has upon it many im ¬ portant French and American men and women and the committee has the cordial approval and co ¬ operation of the president of the republic republicA A MODEL INSTITUTION INSTITUTIONThe The once dilapidated seminary is now a model institution divided into three parts one used for refugees and civilians from the invaded countries the second for orphan children and those separated from their parents and the third for soldiers on leave from the front or convalescent from wounds or illnesses contracted at the front frontThere There are COO rooms devoted to families where they may live in seclusion Work Is provided for those able to be employed and places are found for the more unfortunate the tubercular arid the poor Children are in especial care of the society These are mainly orphans and are gathered here and there from the various fighting zones and given over to the charge of the Secours de Guerre which takes the place to them of their parents For these little children there is a large nursery with hygienic equipment and among fthose who care for the children are women of the best families of France Those who are ill are cared for in the hospital ward that is conducted according to the methods of Pas ¬ teur and under the direction of Professor Hutincl Results in this hospital have been marvelous as the mortality rate has been confined to 5 per cent whereas in other Paris hospitals for children the mortality rate since the war has frequently reached as high as 60 per cent It is important to note that children entrusted to the society were in many cases born amid abnormal conditions and present many hereditary ailments which render their treat menfmorc difficult difficultChildren Children over three years of age are given instruc ¬ tion and a special school has been founded in the institution modeled on the Montessori method Which is conducted by an American woman Miss Cromwell who has consecrated her fortune to it The children in this school are treated entirely separately from the others have special food and are sent to the country in turns under the direction of Madame Peltier wife of the founder of the so ¬ ciety cietyFor For the soldiers oh leave who desire to be em ¬ ployed work is found so that when they return to the front they have money in tlieir pockets and means for the journey journeyLARGE LARGE FUNDS NEEDED NEEDEDConcluding Concluding the report Mrs Chanler makes the following comment One can see that the Seoonrs de Guerre is one of the most vital and interesting institutions developed since the war It alleviates misery and in cases which demand a quick solu ¬ tion affords immediate relief without the usually tedious formalities attendant upon administration Also one finds allied in this work tlte sympathies of many of the most prominent people of the political religious literary scientific industrial and commercial worlds worldsThe The work that is necessary for the administration of such relief is tremendous and despite the assist ¬ ance rendered by the French government the so ¬ ciety must appeal to public charity for aid Not only must the Secours de Guerre meet large financial obligations but it must depend on contributions of clothing and shoes for children soldiers and other adults It repairs in its own establishment used clothing underwear and shoes which are sent there so that nothing is wasted wastedJohn John Moffat makes an urgent appeal for funds for this work which should be sent to the treas ¬ urer of the French Heroes Lafayette Memorial fund 2 West FortyFifth street New York City specially designated for the Secours de Guerre
