ANNUAL REPORT 
 
 - OF THE WORK OF - 
 
 AMERICAN COMMITTEE 
 
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 DEVASTATED FRANCE 
 
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AMERICAN COMMITTEE 
 
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 JUN 1 8 1926 
 
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 French Headquarters 
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 American Committee 
 for Devastated France 
 
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 T HE American Committee for Devastated France presents its first report 
 under that name. Organized in 1916 as the Civilian Committee of 
 the American Fund for French Wounded it became incorporated 
 under its present name in the State of New York in March, 1917. 
 
 To those who have not seen its previous report it may be of interest to state 
 briefly the aims of this Committee. 
 
 Originally organized before America entered the war it sought to carry relief 
 to the civilian population of the devastated areas. To this end it was placed 
 by the Grand Quartier General in the Department of the Aisne, with headquar¬ 
 ters in the Chateau of Blerancourt. For the housing of the personnel of the 
 Committee the French Government provided seven demountable barracks, 
 similar to those granted to the returning population. In addition to this the 
 Committee built a large wooden structure for its warehouse and another for 
 dispensary, Ecole Menagere, and basse cour. It worked under the immediate 
 control and supervision of the Armies of these localities, and under the patro¬ 
 nage of M. Lebrun, the Ministre du Blocus et des Regions Lib Tees, and also 
 with the Prefecture of the Department. 
 
 Nearly every one is cognizant with the problem which these devastated 
 regions presented after the systematic and seemingly successful attempts of 
 the Germans, not only to destroy all the industries of these regions, thereby 
 eliminating them for decades from any economic competition with Germany, 
 but also to render the soil impossible of cultivation and the country incapable 
 of habitation. 
 
 The French Government realizing that the strength and morale of its armies 
 were to a great extent dependent on the well-being of the civilians in the rear 
 and on the productivity of the soil, encouraged the civilians, wherever and 
 whenever possible, to return to the rums of their hemes and to cultivate their 
 soil — in short, to re-weave the fabric of their former community life. Obviously 
 
 — 3 — 
 
this could not be accomplished with France at war without such aid and encour¬ 
 agement as only an organization such as this Committee, supported by its 
 friends in America and carried on by voluntary work, could provide. 
 
 Our method of procedure was given in the official report of the first months 
 of the Committee s existence up to Oct. 1st, 1917. It is the purpose of this 
 report to sketch briefly the continuation of the work up to the beginning of the 
 present organization’s fiscal year April, 1918, and thereafter to give the details 
 in the form of a monthly diary. Events followed so closely upon one another ; 
 changes, and the necessity for readjustments, came so rapidly that the compass 
 of the work can, we believe, be realized the better under chronological form. 
 
 PROCEDURE 
 
 A personal and intensive study was made of each family as it returned, with 
 special reference to its status before the war. It must be remembered that this 
 district was devoid of all supplies, and to a great extent of the necessary trans¬ 
 portation to secure such supplies. Therefore it was our work to bring the neces¬ 
 sary food, clothing, household utensils, trade-tools, agricultural implements, 
 live-stock, and seeds into the district and to distribute them. This was accom¬ 
 plished by means of a well-organized motor service and a corps of workers. 
 Our center at Blerancourt had for its field of action the territory comprising 
 the villages of the cantons of Chauny, Coucy-le-Chateau, and Vic-sur-Aisne. 
 In January, 1918, another depot was opened at Soissons. The work of these 
 centers consisted first in procuring a dwelling place for each family authorized 
 to return. Each installation comprised the objects necessary to furnish the 
 temporary homes found m demountable birracks provided Jay the Government 
 or in quarries, or in the debris of former homes. The installation consisted 
 of beds, bed linen, tables, chairs, commodes, house-hold linen, lamps, stoves, 
 kitchen utensils, etc. 
 
 Each member of every family was completely reclothed upon his return and 
 received afterwards necessary gifts of clothing and food. In all cases the com¬ 
 plete installation including food was given. But in concurrence with the desires 
 of the people themselves and with our own plan of following the best economic 
 dictates, supplies distributed afterwards — if purchased in France —- were sold 
 at two-thirds of their gross price, except in cases where the recipient was not 
 able to pay. All supplies sent from America were given. 
 
 A well-considered system of records was established, giving a minute histo- 
 ryjor every family together with communal records which enabled the Committee 
 to show the gradual rehabilitation of the communes through the efforts of the 
 
 — 4 — 
 
TYPICAL SCENE 
 
American Committee. From these records the following statistics are given : 
 
 Completely or partially installed families. 771 
 
 Of Total population. 2296 
 
 These people were cared for until they were able to procure some means of 
 
 livelihood. 
 
 (It may be noted that the general procedure of the first months, in thisVegard, 
 is that of the present time. ) 
 
 AGRICULTURE 
 
 To encourage in the strongest way possible anything that is concerned with 
 the productivity of the soil, agricultural machines, farming implements, vege¬ 
 table plants, garden seeds and fodder were distributed. 
 
 Because this country was the richest agricultural land in France — before 
 the war producing three times the average yield — the question of its rehabili¬ 
 tation as well as that of its people is largely an agricutural one. Therefore, we 
 immediately put ourselves in touch with the Mission Agricole and successfully 
 organized five cooperative agricultural societies in the villages of Blerancourt, 
 Camehn, St. Aubin, Morsain and Juvigny. Anyone knowing the extreme 
 individualism of the French farmer may realize what a stupendous undertaking 
 this was. It involved an intensive process of education before it could be 
 accomplished. But the situation for an individual was so hopeless that a com¬ 
 munal effort was necessary. The cultivation of the land began with that which 
 could most easily be operated, irrespective of the absence or presence of the 
 proprietor. 
 
 First, the land had to be cleared of barbed-wire, debris or stones, the over¬ 
 growth of three years of non-cultivation, and also the trenches had to be filled 
 in. Horses and agricultural implements were almost impossible to obtain, 
 even if the farmer had the money to expend for them. Unless the farmers 
 grouped themselves they could not reclaim the soil. 
 
 After we had formed the cooperative at Blerancourt, as a special favor we 
 secured from the Ministry of Agriculture one of the Government batteries of 
 American tractors which was sent into our region as an experiment. vUth the 
 cooperation of the Corps de Cavalerie, whose men and horses were billeted in 
 our territory, the work advanced so rapidly that the Government later sent two 
 additional batteries, making in all 30 tractors in this district. 
 
 By December, 1917, 3.000 hectares, or approximately 7.500 acres, were 
 ploughed and sown. 
 
 This was quite apart from the small gardens, each comprising from 1 to 
 
 — 6 
 
16 hectares, which we helped to put under cultivation by procuring seeds, 
 plants and garden Implements for the old or sick men and women and children 
 wh6 were left to cultivate them. We distributed over 1.269.000 vegetable 
 plants and over 200 pounds of seeds. 
 
 As the fruit trees had been hacked down by the Germans in such a way as 
 to prevent their grafting, 7.300 fruit trees were planted. 
 
 Livestock, goats, chickens and rabbits were distributed. And a special 
 installation for the incubation and raising of chickens was established in the 
 village of Camelin. 
 
 Under the supervision of an expert gardener, vegetable and flower gardens 
 were planted at Blerancourt, and the children were trained in the science of 
 gardening, each child having his own plot to cultivate. 
 
 In recognition of the services of the American Committee for Devastated 
 France in cultivating land in the Canton of Coucy in 1917, the organization 
 was awarded the Grand Medaille d’Argent by the Academie d Agriculture 
 de France, and the Medaille de Merite Agricole by the French Government. 
 
 DAIRY 
 
 There were no cows in this region and milk was impossible to obtain for 
 children or invalids. With great difficulty and at great expense cows were 
 brought from Normandie and a model dairy was opened for the purpose of 
 starting again the dairy industry and of supplying milk. Milk was given to 
 those who could not buy or sold to others at the nominal rate of eight sous a 
 litre. Cows were loaned or sold to responsible persons in some of our more 
 remote villages on the understanding that they should be properly cared for 
 and their milk distributed to the people of those villages. 
 
 At Blerancourt alone, 60 families were daily supplied with milk. 
 
 SCHOOLS 
 
 In 1917 domestic science classes were opened in Blerancourt for the girls 
 and manual training for the boys in Blerancourt and four adjoining villages. 
 Wherever possible the school buildings were repaired or some temporary place 
 found in which the school could be reopened, for most of these schools had been 
 closed for over three years. Inasmuch as the purchase of school supplies was 
 
 — 7 — 
 
formally made by the communes which were then — and are now — destitute of 
 funds and of means of transportation, we provided necessary school supplies 
 Also, whenever possible, we secured the return of the teacher of the village 
 through the Inspector of Education. 
 
 CHILDREN 
 
 It seems axiomatic to say that the future of France depends not only on the 
 courage and energy of the present generation but also on the health and strength 
 of the children. Much has been written about the effects of the war on the 
 children in these areas. But no amount of writing could describe these effects. 
 It may give some idea when we say that in January 1918 we had in our dispen¬ 
 sary at Blerancourt children who had seen their mother and sister killed before 
 their eyes by a bomb dropped from a German plane ; children with skin disease 
 due to malnutrition or practical starvation ; children with curvature of the 
 spine due to the fact that the Germans made them work in the fields and aban¬ 
 doned trenches for over three years. Under the supervision of nurses and doc¬ 
 tors of our Committee proper food was provided and care was systematically 
 given to the children in our villages. 
 
 The children in Blerancourt and the nearby villages came to the Ecole 
 Menagere opened in our dispensary and the same courses were given to classes 
 in other villages — courses which would enable these girls to take up the burden 
 of their future duties with a proper training. 
 
 Briefly, this sketches our material activities up to the time of the retreat 
 m March, 1918. It is impossible to compute the results of our work in terms 
 of courage sustained, hope engendered, and understanding fostered. Before 
 America entered the war as an active force this Committee represented to the 
 people of these regions the sympathy and understanding of the American people 
 in the aims and ideals for which the Allies were fighting. After our armies 
 joined their armies we represented an ally and became their comrades. This 
 section of France was not only their battlefield and that of the Allies ; it was 
 also the battlefield of America. We knew the daily struggles of each of these 
 victims ; we knew their hopes, their disappointments, and their tragedies. 
 Together we tried to solve, to build. 
 
 We have it on the testimony of Marechal Petain himself as well as of many 
 members of the French Staff, that this work among the civilians contributed 
 to a great degree to the high morale of the Army. 
 
 — 8 — 
 
9 
 
 HOME IN SAINT-PAUL-AUX-BOIS 
 
In retrospect we realize that no better foundation could have been laid for 
 the tragic period following the retreat and for the era after the cessation of 
 hostilities than this firm understanding and trust that was born and grew during 
 these months of daily tasks mutually performed and daily problems mutually 
 solved. On such a firm foundation only can the more permanent construction 
 of the present time be built. 
 
 10 — 
 
MARCH 1918. 
 
 On March 21st the German offensive started. We were directly under the 
 orders of the Army and depended on them for our orders of movement. The 
 swiftness of the invasion had completely destroyed our communication with the 
 civil authorities. The Army notified us they would be glad if we would remain 
 to help in the evacuation of the villages. Our first anxiety concerned the safety 
 of our proteges in the villages near Chauny where the Germans made their 
 attack. We immediately sent two of the Committee to these villages and at 
 the request of the parents some of the younger children were brought back to 
 our dispensary for safe keeping. 
 
 On the 23rd refugees from Marizelle, Le Bacq, and Bichancourt, the villages 
 nearest the Front, came all the way to Blerancourt on foot to tell us that the 
 inhabitants of these villages were to be evacuated the next day and to ask our aid. 
 The day was comparatively quiet but as a precautionary measure we sent the 
 small colony of children in our charge and a load of supplies to Audigmcourt. 
 
 On the 23rd, 1.600 refugees were evacuated by train from Appilly. At ten 
 o’clock in the morning two refugees arrived at Blerancourt from Le Bacq to tell 
 us that the British had forgotten to evacuate that village and to ask us to send for 
 those that were still there. After obtaining permission from the Army, we sent 
 our camions and brought them to Blerancourt. The Precepteur or Tax Collec¬ 
 tor made his headquarters in our Chateau and on their arrival paid the refugees 
 their pension rates a month in advance to ensure them of ready money as emigres. 
 We transported them to Compiegne, which was the clearing station for certain 
 designated refugee centers in the interior. In this way all those in our district 
 who had no other means of transportation were evacuated with their baggage by 
 our camions to the stations designated by the Prefecture. 
 
 Many of these people having previously suffered the agonies of an evacuation 
 begged us to kee^ - L ’^ren, saying they had absolute confidence in the 
 Committee. 
 
 On the 23th: ne situation became very serious and we were asked to be pre¬ 
 pared to leave on a moment’s notice. Our work increased. Every effort was 
 made to save as much human life and as many supplies as possible. 
 
 On the 26th two Red Cross camions arrived, into which we packed the con¬ 
 tents of our warehouse which were sent to Vic to be stored in a building loaned 
 us by the Mayor. By this means all the stock of greatest value was saved. At 
 Vic-sur-Aisne three members of our Committee received, fed and started on 
 their way South many hundreds of refugees. It was necessary to take some of 
 those who were too old to continue their journey to the hospital at Villers- 
 Cotterets. Others had to be assisted in getting their papers for various places. 
 
Not only refugees but soldiers, lost and seeking their regiments, were fed and 
 warmed by the members of the Committee who were located there. 
 
 Good Friday and Easter were ironic days — days of fighting, horror and 
 bitterness, of sad sights and questioning wonder, only relieved by the medical 
 aid given to the sick, the physical aid given to the hungry and worn, and the 
 moral encouragement to the hopeless. 
 
 It was our first experience of real war. For nine months we had been opera¬ 
 ting in a quiet sector. We had heard from the lips of our proteges countless 
 terrible tales of suffering. For nine months every thought and impulse had 
 been directed towards the rehabilitation of lives still staggering from the effects 
 of German cruelty and privation. 
 
 Within twenty-four hours, by virtue of our own flight hand in hand with 
 them, we cemented and strengthened their confidence in us and our hold upon 
 them and stood revealed as allies in fact as well as spirit. 
 
 12 — 
 
APRIL 1918. 
 
 In addition to the responsibility we bore towards our civilian population, 
 the circumstances of war forced us to assume a new charge. We became an 
 “ (Euvre de Guerre ”. 
 
 Vic-sur-Aisne was the railway terminus, where incoming trains were dis¬ 
 charging hundreds of soldiers to defend the heights. The Third Corps of the 
 British Army which had occupied the territory adjacent to Blerancourt, was re¬ 
 forming in the rear near Vic and going forward to the counter-attack. Both 
 French and British soldiers were suffering physically and morally. The need 
 was there. We met it by establishing immediately a well-organized canteen in 
 the ground of the Chateau of Vic-sur-Aisne. Two rolling kitchens were 
 immobilized on bricks in a small barrack, and from 6. A.M. to midnight, we 
 served hot soup, chocolate and coffee to thousands of soldiers. Unfortunately, 
 no records were kept, because the Committee was also meeting other emergencies 
 the most important being to help the many refugees who optimistically clung 
 to the region occupied by the American Committee, in the hope that a second 
 invasion would not occur and that they might quickly return to their homes. 
 The civil authorities were loath to give the order for their removal, and the 
 American Committee was forced to help as best it could. 
 
 Our center was reorganized and undertook the protection of the villages in 
 that vicinity up to the South of Villers-Cotterets. These villages, which were 
 hitherto quiet, rural spots were swamped by soldiers and refugees and a great 
 deal of discomfort and illness followed. The doctor in charge immediately 
 established six dispensaries. Dr. Kelly was alone at this time and suffering 
 from a dislocated thumb. Our reports are therefore incomplete. She under¬ 
 took, however, to open the six dispensaries and at the request of the Army 
 organized daily dispensaries for Italian soldiers at 7 A.M., and French soldiers 
 at 8 A.M. 
 
 Large stocks of medicaments for these dispensaries as well as supplies of 
 chocolate and coffee for canteens were vital. All transportation[had been requi¬ 
 sitioned by the Army for the great defensive and it devolved upon the American 
 Committee to keep part of its motor service moving back and forth from Paris 
 in search of these supplies. 
 
 As the need increased a Foyer du Soldat and another canteen for the use of 
 the soldiers were opened at Vic-sur-Aisne and a Foyer du Soldat with a canteen 
 at Moyenneville and at Ambleny. 
 
 More requests came in from our refugees of the cantons of Coucy and 
 Chauny to take charge of their small children. Therefore, we organized a 
 school colony at the Chateau of Coyolles, where these children, together with 
 
 13 
 
those already in our charge, were placed under the direction of the former head 
 of our Ecole Menagere and dispensary, and of the former instructor at Bleran- 
 court who was recalled by the Prefecture and charged with their instruction. 
 
 An agricultural colony of refugees was also undertaken at Coyolles and one 
 at Dampleux. Movable barracks provided by the Government were put up 
 for the personnel, and agricultural implements were furnished. 
 
 As far as possible we kept records of the destination of our refugees and at 
 the end of the month we sent delegates from the Committee to the points in 
 the interior where they were quartered. We found many of them living under 
 terrible conditions. Clothing and food were distributed among these refugees 
 and efforts were made to ameliorate their condition. Their absolute trust in 
 the Committee was evidenced by their pleas to be allowed to return to the De¬ 
 partment of the Aisne where they might be under the protection of the American 
 Committee. 
 
 During this month a depot was opened at Paris. The Mimstere de la Guerre 
 offered two bararcks at the Entrepot des Dons, Boulevard Lannes, and the facil¬ 
 ities of their services, which we gratefully accepted for our warehouse and ship¬ 
 ping department. The refugees of the Aisne passing through Paris and those 
 staying in Pans or its environs were here warmly received and clothed. Inqui¬ 
 ries were made concerning these families for the purpose of aiding them in 
 every possible way and also for the purpose of avoiding any abuse, or of distri¬ 
 buting help unjustly. Over one hundred people came to this warehouse each 
 day and as many as 800 garments were distributed in a single day. Our records 
 
 give the following figures. 
 
 Clothing distributed on personal visit of passing refugees. 2,261 
 
 Articles of clothing sent directly to Interior to refugees who did not 
 
 pass through Paris. 12,820 
 
 Total number articles of clothing distributed to refugees from May 1st, 
 
 1918 to April 1st, 1919 . 68,000 
 
 Our Paris office was opened at 15 Boulevard Lannes and operated as a 
 switch-board for the work m Paris and for the two centers in the field — Vic-sur- 
 Aisne and Soissons. 
 
 Every effort was made by the Committee to meet the demands made upon 
 it by the tragic retreat — demands that could only be met by an organization 
 which had its motors, its workers, and its supplies at the veritable Front. 
 
 14 — 
 
— 15 — 
 
 OUR SCHOOL AT ST-13 AM DRY. — THE ONLY WHOLE BUILDING IN THE VILLAGE 
 
MAY 1918. 
 
 The work of April continued through May, becoming more intensified 
 wherever we were in touch with inhabitants of villages recently evacuated by us. 
 We were temporarily established at Vic-sur-Aisne with a definite center at Sois- 
 sons which had been operating since January 1st. From both these centers, 
 however, we were called upon to succor a great many refugees coming from the 
 villages in the North. 
 
 As quickly as conditions permitted we resumed our former system of records 
 adding to these the new addresses and data of our families. 
 
 The disorganization of our cooperative agricultural societies, combined 
 with the fact that many of the members of the various agricultural cooperatives 
 had retreated with the American Committee to Vic-sur-Aisne in the belief that 
 the Germans would be pushed back from their territory by a quick counter¬ 
 offensive — a belief which as the days progressed seemed further than ever 
 from being realized — caused the Government to suggest to us that we should 
 reorganize the members of the various Cooperatives in the region of Troesnes 
 and Marizy, on a line well to the rear between Villers-Cotterets and Chateau- 
 Thierry. The possibility of a second invasion never entered the mind of anyone 
 in authority. The month of May, therefore, was largely given to planning 
 with the Prefet the proper site for such a cooperative, which would not only 
 result in wheat production but would offer immediate employment to unem¬ 
 ployed men and horses. 
 
 It was during this month that the mutual agreement between the American 
 Women’s Hospital and the American Committee for Devastated France was 
 signed in America. This agreement provided that a medical unit, to be known 
 as the American Women’s Hospital, should be sent to France to work as a 
 distinct entity but in close affiliation with the American Committee for Devas¬ 
 tated France ; that the American Women’s Hospital should maintain a hospital 
 of 25 beds for one year, with its personnel of doctors, nurses and lay workers, 
 including the upkeep of ambulances, a motor dispensary, and the provisioning 
 and furnishing of the hospital and equipment of the dispensary. The Director 
 of this hospital, aside from professional and medical questions, agreed to be 
 subject to the official order of the Commissioner in France of the American 
 Committee for Devastated France. 
 
 On the morning of May 27th disturbing rumors reached the American 
 Committee of a second invasion on the Chemin-des-Dames within 25 kilometers 
 of Vic -sur-Aisne and 14 kilometers of Soissons. For ten days the American 
 Committee was occupied in the sole business of evacuating civilians and tending 
 wounded. Dr. Tallant had recently arrived from America and reinforced 
 
 16 — 
 
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 A COMMITTEE DISPENSARY 
 
Dr. Kelly in her invaluable services of war emergency. The center at Vic-sur- 
 Aisne became the Poste de Secours for the wounded brought down from the 
 region of Coucy and Vaux3illon. Our motor service operated day and night 
 and the canteen literally never closed. 
 
 On the evening of Thursday, the 30th of May, the Commandant Major 
 of the Zone requested us to evacuate Ambleny and Vic-sur-Aisne. We sent 
 our camions and two members of our Committee to Coyolles to take the children 
 to Paris, from where they were sent to Beaumont-le-Roger well in the interior. 
 We fell back to Coyolles moving in the path and direction of the retreating 
 armies, and there continued the evacuation of Ambleny, Fontenoy, Villers- 
 Cotterets, Morte-Fontaine, Coeuvres, Largny, and Coyolles. Some wounded 
 arriving at Coyolles were sent to Ambulance 104 of the 74th Division and after¬ 
 ward to Crepy-en-Valois. 
 
 The nomadic career of the American Committee began on the 30th of May, 
 1918. The fiches and records were carefully carried to safety and our work 
 for sometime was to be divided between small posts in the field for canteen or 
 civilian service, and the greater work that devolved upon the Committee of 
 taking care of its refugees in the interior. 
 
 18 — 
 
JUNE 1918. 
 
 At Coyolles we were within six kilometers of the Germans. The wounded 
 were quietly brought in to the Poste de Secours of the 56th Division, established 
 in the cellar of the Chateau. On Saturday, June first, we left Coyolles for 
 Feigneux and at this place we continued the evacuation of the civilians in that 
 region. We were obliged many times to sleep in our cars having no fixed 
 habitation. Our doctors and nurses established themselves at Senlis where they 
 cared for both civilians and soldiers. Soon, canteens for refugees were opened 
 and our doctors offered their services to the military hospital at Senlis. 
 
 From Feigneux we evacuated Morienval, Bonneuil-en-Valois and Feigneux 
 itself. We also established canteens on the side of the road for the use of the 
 many troops in that region. At this time when the passage of troops was con¬ 
 tinuous, when all the avenues of approach to the Front were thronged, such a 
 canteen was a road-side necessity, for there the weary poilu might be refreshed 
 by a cup of hot chocolate or coffee and his coveted cigarette. To meet this 
 situation each camion, loaded with necessary supplies and equipment, and 
 usually carrying two girls of the canteen unit, would take a given route, stop at 
 an advanced center, start a fire for the chocolate or coffee, and serve without 
 pause a ceaseless line. In this fashion, across a rude plank to the road-side, 
 daily, at one canteen only as high as 7.000 men were given a warm drink, a ciga¬ 
 rette and a word of cheer for the long march. 
 
 For over a year the American Committee had been operating in the territory 
 of the Sixth Army. At Feigneux we discovered that we were no longer in their 
 field of action and not having had any relations with the Tenth Army, we 
 communicated with headquarters and were ordered to leave Feigneux. Four 
 days later the Army removed our quarters to Jaignes. A schedule of rolling 
 canteens was arranged and a canteen itinerary developed that included all the 
 accessible points of arrival and departure for the front of the sector, under the 
 order of the Sixth Army. Many times we have wished that friends of France 
 in America might have been with us in a little town behind the lines in France 
 that had long since been evacuated of its civil population, and was then filled 
 with French soldiers and Colonials of every hue, standing with outstretched 
 hands before a steaming kettle and packages of cigarettes. As the scope of the 
 work grew, we increased our stock of supplies — adding tablet chocolate, pipe 
 tobacco, daily papers for the remote posts, writing paper upon request, and 
 milk for the sick. 
 
 Adhering to our aim of assisting the civilian population of the Department 
 of the Aisne and at the request of the Prefecture, we established a center at Viels- 
 Maisons, Aisne, just south of Chateau-Thierry to look after the living conditions 
 of the inhabitants and refugees in the few remaining non-invaded villages. Our 
 presence there was considered a vital necessity. The people knowing that 
 we were under the protection of the* Army, regarded us as a barcmeter. Our 
 calm residence prevented any panic for they realized that if danger ceme we 
 
 19 
 
would quickly get them to a place of safety. We immediately moved the very 
 old and the ill, as well as the younger children, to safer places, feeling that this 
 was an expedient precaution. Between the 9th and 25th of June, over 75 of 
 these people were evacuated by our camions w r hich carried them to their desti¬ 
 nation or to the nearest railway station. 
 
 There was not a civilian doctor left in the 26 communes of the Aisne, nor a 
 pharmacy. Therefore, at two central points — Viels-Maisons and Artonges — 
 we organized dispensaries which were open twice a week. 
 
 The most vital problem to the whole district was undoubtedly the question 
 of food. The railroads had to be used for military purposes. The Prefet of the 
 Department asked us to assure food to the 4.000 inhabitants who remained 
 in the Department for the purpose of looking after the harvests. Within two 
 days we had 8.000 kilos of food stuffs which were systematically apportioned 
 to the different communes. We gave blankets and clothing in addition to food 
 as the people were living under crowded conditions, sleeping in stables and con¬ 
 gested in the cottages of the farm laborers. This work was continued until the 
 Ministry of Ravitaillement was able to take it over. 
 
 j 
 
 FARMS 
 
 At the time of the retreat and evacuation the farmers who had been members 
 of the Cooperatives naturally turned to us fcr further assistance. With the 
 exception of 24 communes, the Department of the Aisne at this moment was 
 entirely invaded. The problem here presented comprised more than the care 
 of our refugee farmers. Many farms in the interior had been abandoned 
 during the war because of the mobilisation of proprietors and laborers. Food 
 production was a vital necessity. The Committee therefore deemed it well 
 to rent some farms m the interior and to establish agricultural colonies. 
 
 The Villeneuve-la-Huree farm of about 570 acres (210 hectares) was first 
 brought to the attention of the Committee by M. Cormier, Director of the 
 Agricultural Cooperative at Bleranccurt. When evacuated frcm our farm at 
 Ccyolles he came with his family and three ethers who had been working for 
 him to this farm, where he had spent several months in 1914. The lease of the 
 tenant had expired, and as he had lost ail his sons at the Front, he did not have 
 the courage to continue. The farm was leased b / the Committee at 65 francs 
 a hectare and M. Cormier was appointed its manager. To the small nucleus 
 of our own refugees from the North were quickly added others who had been 
 vainly seeking in the Seme-et-Marne work and food for their animals and lodg¬ 
 ing fcr themselves. 
 
 Small houses suitable for housing members of the Colony were rented in 
 the nearby villages, and every family was installed and outfitted. 
 
 A small magasin was started for the distribution of clothing, kitchen utensils, 
 etc., to those who had lost everything m the retreat. Inasmuch as the men were 
 receiving 5 francs a day and the women 3 francs, after the first distribution the 
 goods were sold on the same basis as in our supply D.ipot at Blerancourt. Al¬ 
 though this was a farming district, the question of food was a difficult one, as 
 the farms raised only enough vegetables for their own consumption and a trip 
 to market meant the loss of half a day s pay. We therefore secured food sup¬ 
 plies also for distribution. 
 
 During the month of June and also July this group constituted an important 
 colony in which the 62 men, women a^d children benefitted and the able-bodied 
 men and women were employed m the care of the animals and in harvesting 
 
 — 20 — 
 
21 
 
 AMERICAN TRACTOR WORKING ON FIELDS OF BLERANCOURT COOPERATIVE 
 
the hay and fodder growing on the land. When the Germans were pushed 
 back from the Marne those from that Department naturally rushed back to 
 their own farms to save what they could of their harvests, but their places were 
 quickly filled by other refugees. 
 
 This experiment in communal farming by refugees promised to give suffi¬ 
 ciently interesting results to justify the Committee m extending the experiment 
 still further. 
 
 Through the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture, we secured 
 the services of M. Binet who had organized the Juvigny Cooperative. M. Binet 
 possesses a thorough knowledge of all conditions of the soil and of stock, together 
 with a knowledge of the intricacies of French law and the policy pursued by^ 
 the Ministry of Agriculture for the rehabilitation of farms. He selected for us 
 two farms in the Eure-et-Loire, a Department rich in agricultural production 
 and one which has always played an important part in the raising of stock. One 
 farm of 250 acres is located at Bretouville, the other of 125 acres at La Troche.. 
 The object of the Committee was not only to provide work for the refugees but 
 to help them to raise something with which they could rehabilitate themselves 
 when they returned to their own Department of the Aisne, such as seeds and 
 live-stock, and also to provide agricultural implements that could later be trans¬ 
 ferred to the Department of the Aisne. 
 
 The Committee invested its own funds on the expectation — later fulfilled •— 
 that it would benefit by the law of May 4th, 1918, known as the Compere-Morel 
 law, which provides for government advances up to 1.000 francs per hectare 
 for the cultivation of abandoned or partially abandoned farms. Also, we were 
 able to take advantage of an arrangement made by the Agricultural Department 
 to place with farmers herds of cows, and flocks of sheep, the progeny of which 
 should belong to the farmer as well as the profits to be derived from the sale 
 of the milk and the sale of wool. 
 
 M. Auguet who had been foreman for the Administration Building Asso¬ 
 ciation of the Department of the Aisne, was made farm manager of Bretouville^ 
 for we found that in common with all our Aisne people he shared the extraor¬ 
 dinary understanding of farming that is instinctive and traditional to them. 
 Mme Auguet was made overseer of all interior domestic machinery for the Colo¬ 
 ny which was run on a communal basis. The superintendent, the carpenter 
 and painter and the overseer of the chicken and rabbit farms were each chosen 
 for his particular ability along a special line, a knowledge of which was well 
 known to us, as they were refugees from our own villages. 
 
 The farm of La Troche was put under the management of one of our refugees 
 from Audignicourt — M. Milhem. He had owned a large farm there and imme¬ 
 diately upon his release from captivity in Germany he came to us. 
 
 Barracks were ordered for the housing of the other refugees and our farm 
 colonies, which later developed such tangible results, were well started. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL UNIT 
 
 A group of eight American women possessing a knowledge of American 
 farming reported at our office on June 25th. This unit was requested for agri¬ 
 cultural work in the Department of the Aisne, but the retreat altered the circum¬ 
 stances and an arrangement was made whereby the farmerettes would be given 
 training at Versailles under Captain Coulter of the U.S. Army Garden Service, 
 to help in the garden work of the U.S. Army. 
 
 — 22 — 
 
JULY 1918. 
 
 AMERICAN WOMEN'S HOSPITAL 
 
 The American Women’s Hospital began its life in the Chateau de Chemin, 
 -at Neufmontiers, Seine-et-Marne, where the refugees who had fled from the 
 North were suffering from a severe epidemic of dysentery, on account of bad 
 sanitary conditions, bad water and pcor feed. The hospital and dispensary 
 found its need immediate. 
 
 OUVROIR 
 
 It was in July that another barrack of the Entrepot des Dons was offered us 
 by the Mimstre de la Guerre to organize into a work shop where five refugee 
 women from the Department of the Aisne, who had taken temporary abode 
 in Paris, were given work in cutting out garments, which were distributed to 
 other refugee women to sew and bring back finished. These garments were 
 then put on the shelves of our supply depot and given to the refugees. The 
 women were employed at the rate of 6 francs a day and they cut on an average, 
 five dozen chemises, 6 dozen pantalons, 6 dozen petticoats, 2 dozen sheets 
 1 dozen children’s dresses and aprons a day. 
 
 An arrangement was also made by which a Singer sewing machine might be 
 purchased at the rate of 8 francs a month by any one wishing to do sewing at 
 home. Thus was started a small working force of needy refugees that grew 
 until they occupied a whole barrack. This work enabled each woman not only 
 to support herself but often her children, an aged parent or sister. In return 
 it furnished us with garments which helped to supply our increasing refugee 
 needs. 
 
 OUVROIR REPORT — July 8, 1918 - April 1’st 1919 
 
 Total No. workers given employment 
 
 Total No. articles made. 
 
 Approximate value of articles. 
 
 23 — 
 
 156 
 
 ... 26,260 
 frs. 337,842 
 
CANTEENS 
 
 The 14th of July marks an epoch in the canteening of the Unit. With the 
 advent of American troops in our sector between Crouy-sur-Ourcq and Viels- 
 Maisons, the canteen unit had the opportunity to help boys of five different 
 American divisions. In one case a Division detrained from box cars in a town 
 where our canteen was able to serve hot chocolate to men who had had nothing 
 hot to eat for three days. It might be added here that on account of the passage 
 of troops from sector to sector this particular canteen served 45.000 soldiers* 
 American and French, in one week. 
 
 One of the most important services rendered by the Canteen unit was through 
 the permanent canteen at Changis, where at all times of the day weary soldiers* 
 American and French, and chauffeurs of ammunition trains, who often had not 
 left the wheel for 14 hours, were provided with hot coffee, bread, sardines, cake* 
 chocolate and tobacco. 
 
 As on the 4th of July we had had great festivities for the American Batta¬ 
 lion quartered in Changis in which the French participated with much enthu¬ 
 siasm, we decided to duplicate in every respect the occasion on the 14th in honor 
 of the French Independance Day. Accordingly a concert, which included Amer¬ 
 ican, French and Italian talent, was arranged and presided over by the Town 
 Mayor. The festivities were at their height, the rank and file for the ice cream 
 had just started, when orders arrived for two American Machine Battalions, 
 that had already contributed a gallant record in the defense of Chateau-Thierry* 
 summoning them to Headquarters from where they were sent to the Front 
 within one hour. No American present will ever forget the dramatic climax 
 to this fete. 
 
 Twodays after the launching of the greatFranco-Amencan counter-offensive* 
 the canteen unit was asked to render its services in the Triages and Ambulances 
 of the sector. At the same time we were requested by the headquarters of an 
 American Division to take care of its wounded that were « piling up » at a certain 
 dressing station. In this way we were able to alleviate the sufferings of 5.230 Amer¬ 
 ican and French wounded in the offensive of July 14th. During this same 
 period we sent our canteening camions daily in the direction of the ever advanc¬ 
 ing line to establish road-side canteens for the returning forces. On this drive 
 alone we gave refreshing drinks to 39.250 soldiers, and cigarettes to 79.350. 
 To summarize the canteening statistics contained in this report : 
 
 Canteens Established in 45 Cantonnements. 
 
 Soldiers served in 45 cantonnements. 200.150 
 
 Soldiers served at road-side canteens. 39.250 
 
 Soldiers served at permanent Changis canteen... 12.500 
 
 Wounded cared for... 5.230 
 
 Total number of soldiers served by canteen unit. 257.130 
 
 CHATEAU -THIERRY 
 
 No American needs to be told of the bravery of the American boys at Chateau- 
 Thierry. It was the great privilege of the American Committee for Devastated 
 
 — 24 — 
 

 25 
 
 CAWTiihSJN UUK1MU KtiTKhSAT UF 19i<5 
 
France to offer aid in that sector. On July 27, the Chezy branch, which had 
 formerly been at Vieils Maisons, was opened by two membeis who established 
 themselves In a small house on the main street. Military canteens were started 
 in the neighboring villages wherever they were needed and for two days at a 
 French Poste de Succors at Essomes we gave hot coffee and cigarettes to both 
 French and American wounded passing in ambulances enroute from the field 
 to the base hospitals. 
 
 Afterwards one member did night duty at Chiteau-Thierry for the American 
 Hospital No. 167 where help was desperately needed in caring for the seriously 
 wounded who could not be moved; and the other member used her car to trans¬ 
 port the wounded from the dressing stations and field hospitals to the hospital 
 back from the line, for ambulances were much needed at this particular time. 
 
 A canteen providing hot chocolate for the childien of this section was opened 
 every afternoon at 4 o’clock. These people had no sugar and little food and 
 this canteen provided a very material amount of necessary nourishment for 
 growing children. 
 
 A Foyer du Soldat was started here where the men had games, bocks and 
 magazines and where 10.000 soldiers, French and American, were given coffee, 
 chocolate and cigarettes before starting for the Front. 
 
AUGUST 1918. 
 
 Henceforth the activities of the American Committee become divided into 
 field activities and interior activities. Our field activities comprised the various 
 posts for war service, that is, (1) road-side canteens for troops, itinerary laid 
 down by the Army; (2) fixed canteens of the hospital service designated by the 
 Medical Inspector General of the Army, and (3) civilian posts for relief to the 
 population and refugees in the southern limits of the Aisne Department. As the 
 Army advanced we were compelled to follow with these posts of succor as our 
 work either directly concerned the welfare of the troops or the welfare of the 
 refugees, who followed closely upon the heels of the troops in order to reach 
 their fields m the hope of being able to reap some of the still standing crops. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES - CHATEALLTHIERRY 
 
 In August, therefore, we continued for a time the canteen opened for Amer¬ 
 ican soldiers at Chezy-sur-Marne and toward the latter part of the month, 
 placed the entire group of Changis, Vieils-Maisons and Chtzy, in one central 
 group at Chateau-Thierry. This center was established on the very street 
 down which marched that immortal band of Americans. 
 
 At the time of the retreat the refugees left smiling fields. Returning, they 
 were met with the problem of harvesting their crops in fields full of dangerous 
 explosives and where it was impossible to use mowing machines. Bands of men 
 and women in each commune were encouraged to cut the grain with scythes. 
 This meant a long and tedious task, working to the very limit of strength, with 
 improper nourishment owing to the complete absence of all supplies. The 
 American Committee organized harvest canteens ter the civilians in place of 
 military canteens which we had up to this moment been operating for the Army, 
 and from village to village our rolling canteens were able to supply the harvesters 
 With hot food. 
 
 The fighting in this section had been open warfare. Thousands upon thou¬ 
 sands were killed and many dead were still unbuned. It was a country of flies, of 
 poisoned wells, and of impure food. Into this malstrom of advancing armies, of 
 ammunition convoys, and of devastation, left behind by the retreating Germans, 
 the refugees poured hoping that in turn they too could return to their homes in 
 the region of Soissons to save the crops. Community life was entirely disorga¬ 
 nized, lacking even the elemental supplies of food, drink and shelter. Primarily it 
 
 — 27 — 
 
was important to supply food which they could not obtain. We organized for 
 the first time traveling stores reaching 50 villages every week on stated days. 
 These stores were continued until it was possible for a community to start its 
 own food shops which depended upon the restoration of transportation for 
 
 civic use. 
 
 A dispensary was opened in Chszy and in eight other villages ; calls were 
 made in thirteen further villages, making a total of twenty-two villages cared 
 for by the doctors in this month. These dispensaries were established in cen¬ 
 tral places so that the inhabitants of all the country-side could come. In accor¬ 
 dance with the advice of the French officials they were placed in villages destitute 
 of doctors. Each day our medical staff received or visited from 100 to 150 pa¬ 
 tients, many of them children whose strength had been depleted by lack of food 
 or by improper food. It was felt that unless we did everything we could to 
 build up their strength by good food and healthy conditions France would suffer 
 for two generations from the effect of this war on the children of the devastated 
 areas. 
 
 INTERIOR ACTIVITIES 
 
 The summer of 1918, particularly the months of July and August, will always 
 be known as the period of greatest depression in France during the war. Men 
 and women viewed the approach of winter with increasing disquietude and 
 hopeless terror. Hundreds of appeals were made to the Committee to find some 
 refuge for the children during the wintermonths. Ourlittle colony at Beaumont- 
 le-Roger, where we were enjoying the hospitality of a Patronage offered to the 
 Committee by the Countess de Boisgehn, did not permit of any expansion, so it 
 became imperative to find more space. 
 
 CHILDREN'S COLONY - BOULLAY-THIERRY 
 
 In August we secured through the French Government a mediaeval chateau 
 at Boullay-Thierry in the Eure-et-Loir for a larger Children’s Colony. It 
 must be remembered that these children are all refugees from the Department 
 of the Aisne and have lived under German domination during which time they 
 were deprived of all educational advantages. They are, therefore, below 
 par both physically and mentally, and are in great need of special training. 
 This chateau had been empty for some time and was in need of repairs and such 
 installation as would be necessary to house and hygiemcally care for 100 children. 
 
 The education of the children is under the instructor who had been with 
 them since Blerancourt days, appointed by the Inspector in Chief of the Depart¬ 
 ment of the Aisne. He has as his assistants two primary school teachers, one 
 kindergarten teacher, one domestic science teacher for the girls and a carpentry 
 teacher for the boys. 
 
 Oar proteges are not orphans who should be the wards of the State, but in 
 every case, their fathers, if living, were either mobilized or prisoners and their 
 mothers, if living, were unable to support them under the present abnormal 
 
 — 28 — 
 
29 
 
 NURSERY CORNER IN CHILDREN’S COLONY AT BOULLAY-THIERRY 
 
conditions. A trained nurse is in constant attendance and an infirmary is 
 provided for the segregation of all sick children. In a very real way this chateau 
 is a half-way house. We believe that it is a garden in which will bloom some 
 of the new youth of France, whose fate it has been to know the horrors of war, 
 but whose duty and privilege it is to pass on through their generation the sacred 
 flame borne by their fathers. 
 
 We are especially grateful to our American friends who have responded 
 to the pathetic appeal of these children. By careful management, a child can be 
 supported in the colony for four hundred dollars. The many advantages of 
 the Colony and especially the intensive training gives each child an opportunity 
 to regain his normal vigorous mental viewpoint and a healthy physique in pre¬ 
 paration for the future. A special effort has been made to remove all morbid 
 influences and to surround each child with the traditional color and teaching 
 of a normal French child. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL UNIT 
 
 During this month the farmerettes were formally attached to the garden 
 service of the American Army. This service in Versailles was made up of Class 
 B or C men and the work of this unit not only included actual garden work from 
 7,30 in the morning until 5,00 o’clock every night — ram or shine — but also 
 the more important work of raising the morale of the soldiers who were put 
 hors de combat. 
 
 The experiment of having the farmerettes work with the men was such a 
 success that the officials recommended that it should be tried on other farms 
 which the American Army was planning and organizing. 
 
 - 30 — 
 
SEPTEMBER 1918. 
 
 On September 3rd. General Degoutte, commanding the Sixth Army, deco¬ 
 rated with Croix de Guerre and Palm, Mrs. A. M. Dike and Miss Anne Morgan, 
 President and Vice-President of the American Committee for Devastated France. 
 
 Following is a translation of the citations : 
 
 « During a period of more than a year, has consecrated her energies and with 
 most admirable devotion and great intelligence, has recreated homes devastated 
 by the enemy in the reconquered territorv. » 
 
 « During the offensives of the end of March and the end of May, 1918, was 
 obliged to leave the territory under her protection which the enemy was invading 
 to destroy for the second time but retreated, step by step, only after all civilians 
 had been evacuated, and always under the fire of the enemy. » 
 
 « During all this period the work was distinguished by most energetic and 
 courageous assistance to military and civilian authorities in aiding in the evacua¬ 
 tion of the inhabitants, the protection of the children^ ransportation or numerous 
 French wounded, under fire, to the interior, and assuring ravitaillement to isola¬ 
 ted troops, in the front line, by a system of rolling canteens. » 
 
 « Since the offensive of July, has helped the inhabitants to reestablish 
 themselves in their homes, and furnished them means by which to live, has 
 continued to conduct rolling canteens in the most exposed parts of the front 
 with untiring devotion caring for the wounded and for the soldiers returning 
 from the front, always in the first field of combat. » 
 
 « Added to this has enormously contributed in maintaining to a high degree 
 the morale of the civilians of the department of the Aisne and the combatants 
 of the Sixth Army. » 
 
 — 31 
 
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE WORKMEN ARRIVE 
 

 33 
 
 HOUSE REPAIRED BY COMMITTEE 
 
From M. Lebrun, Mimstre du Blccus et des Regions Liberees, came a 
 letter of which the following is a translation : 
 
 MINISTERE DU BLOCUS 
 ET DES 
 
 REGIONS LIBEREES 
 
 Paris, 12 September 1918. 
 
 REGIONS LIBEREES 
 
 Madame la Presidente, 
 
 The citation in the order of the day of the Army of which you and Mile Morgan,. 
 Vice-President of your "Comite Americain pour les Regions devastees de la France", have 
 been the recipients, furnishes me the occasion not only of addressing to you my heartiest feli¬ 
 citations, but also of expressing to you anew my gratitude for the admirable work which you 
 have not ceased to follow in the liberated regions. 
 
 It is for me a most agreeable duty at this time to render homage to your efforts, to your 
 devotion, to your perseverance and courage, and to the sympathetic and understanding way in 
 which you and your collaborators have brought your material aid and your moral assistance to 
 our unfortunate people who have been so cruelly tried. 
 
 After having contributed in reinstalling them for the first time in their villages, after having 
 assisted them and cared for them on the route of their exile, when they were forced to flee 
 again before the invader, you are now prepared to take up with renewed ardor the work of 
 the reconstruction of their "foyers", which was so tragically interrupted. I keenly desire that 
 you should find, in order to insure the continuity of your efforts, some proportional 
 collaboration in the great task that you have so valiantly assumed and you may be assured in 
 every case, Madame la Presidente, that my warmest collaboration will not fail you in your 
 enterprise. 
 
 I beg of you, Madame la Presidente. to accept my most respectful homage. 
 
 Le Ministre du Blocus et des Regions liberees, 
 (Signed) LEBRUN. 
 
 34 — 
 
OCTOBER 1918. 
 
 We were still in war. To the East and North the armies had made strides 
 toward the frontier. In the Department of the Aisne the armies were in the 
 region of Laon. Our sector was completely liberated, and following in their 
 wake we returned to Vic-sur-Aisne. Response was made to an urgent call to 
 Laon. The American Women’s Hospital advanced to Luzancy. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES - VIC-SUR-AISNE 
 
 A preliminary survey was made of the villages in the cantons of Vic-sur-Aisne, 
 Soissons and Villers-Cotterets showing a total of 1.500 civilians returned. In 
 the first two weeks of the work this number increased to over 1.800 ; two weeks 
 later the population was 3.000, in spite of the fact that destruction in some 
 places was almost complete. 
 
 A schedule of traveling stores, similar to those at Chateau-Thierry was esta¬ 
 blished reaching 52 villages. The first store was opened on October 14th. 
 
 Four dispensaries and a system of house visits were also established thereby 
 covering the entire canton and some of the more remote villages of the canton 
 of Villers-Cotterets. 
 
 In order to meet the medical needs at Chateau-Thierry and Vic-sur-Aisne, 
 our medical staff was divided. Dr. 7allant remaining at Chateau-Thierry and 
 Dr. Kelly stationed at Vic-sur-Aisne. An epidemic of Spanish grippe was so 
 successfully combatted that not one case was lost. 
 
 LAON 
 
 Another new departure was the establishment at Laon of two members of 
 the transport service. As soon as the French Army had taken possession of 
 Laon and before the Prefecture had been able to reestablish itself there, we were 
 asked to make a survey of the recently liberated villages in the region of Laon and 
 report all findings as well as the needs of the population to the Prefecture. This 
 work was begun on October 29th. At that time the Germans had only been 
 out of the city ten days and had moved only ten kilometers north. This posi¬ 
 tion of the enemy left not more than eight towns to which we could then carry 
 relief. October 30th we reported with two cars at the store house of the Prefec¬ 
 ture. 
 
 — 35 — 
 
INTERIOR ACTIVITIES - American Women's Hospital 
 
 It had become apparent that the American Women s Hospital at Neufmou- 
 tiers was now too far in the rear and too removed from the returning population 
 in the devastated area to fulfill its aims. There was a crying need for it in the 
 region of ChTeau-Thierry. The two doctors attached to the American Com¬ 
 mittee were overwhelmed with work. At the suggestion of the Service de Sante, 
 Mimstere de la Guerre, the American Women’s Hospital moved into an old cha¬ 
 teau at Luzancy near La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, which during the war had succes¬ 
 sively been a hospital for the Germans, then for the French and six weeks 
 before their arrival, an evacuation hospital for our own American boys. Dispen¬ 
 saries were formed within a radius of thirty miles, and a frightful typhoid 
 epidemic was fought across the Marne, combatted by vaccination and sanitation. 
 The welcome arrival of a surgeon enabled this hospital to treat major and minor 
 surgical cases and a highly successful series of operations for tonsils for all the 
 children in the region was earned out under the able direction of the Directress 
 of this Hospital. 
 
 VILLENEUVE-SAINT-GEORGES 
 
 During the summer our office in Paris operated as a switchboard between, 
 the field and the interior. Refugees from the Aisne stopping in Paris or those 
 passing through reported to our supply depot and were there aided and directed 
 to their destinations. It became more and more apparent that the question of 
 housing was an acute one. In June, therefore, two members of the Committee 
 began to search for a house which might be installed as a hostel where Aisne 
 refugees might have clean living quarters and the opportunity to earn something 
 toward their support. 
 
 A Chateau at Villeneuve St. Georges, one-half hour from Paris, large enough 
 to house seventy people, with grounds and vegetable gardens, was offered to the 
 American Committee by M. Duplan for one-half of its yearly insurance. During 
 the summer this Chateau was installed. Also arrangements were made with the 
 United States Salvage Department for work to be given to the refugees. Thus 
 through funds donated by Baltimore and Washington friends was started an 
 enterprise which had its fulfillment on October 14, when the Chateau was opened 
 to twenty-one families, consisting of thirty-eight adults and twelve children.. 
 The number was soon increased to seventy, the total capacity. 
 
 The cost of operation is about 3.000 francs a month, for a nominal sum only 
 is paid for rent and food. 
 
 The Ouvroir turns out 6.000 kilos of work a week, which is transported by 
 camions rented through the Prefecture. 
 
 Positions were obtained in some of the munition factories for those who 
 could not work in the Ouvroir, and the children were entered in the public 
 
 schools. 
 
 Through the aid and generosity of American friends, it was thus possible to 
 provide shelter, heat and food to seventy Aisne refugees, who are here given 
 an opportunity for better health and greater vitality. In addition they have 
 the satisfaction of feeling that they are not objects of charity, but self-supporting 
 and self-respecting citizens. 
 
 — 36 — 
 
— :> 
 
 7 - 
 
 THE dentists at work 
 
*•••• 
 
 ••••* 
 
 NOVEMBER 1918. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES - LAON 
 
 As the enemy began their retreat we followed upon their heels, arriving at a 
 town as soon as it was liberated with supplies of condensed milk, sugar, rice and 
 shoes. The Prefecture left to our discretion the amount to be given to each 
 village ; therefore, a preliminary visit was usually made^ before supplies were 
 taken and a report given to the Prefecture each night. It must be borne in 
 mind that these villages were only partially depopulated and that with the 
 retreat of the Germans, the population was suddenly deprived of alimentation. 
 The advancing Army had its hands full in convoying its own food supplies. 
 It was therefore a critical moment and of great importance for the Prefecture 
 to know the sources available for food in the rear. 
 
 On the 11th of November, armistice day, the French Army had moved on 
 to the very limits of the Department. This opened up an enormous territory 
 for the Prefecture. Lines of communication were cut and the Government 
 possessed no means of a proper survey of the requirements of the liberated vil¬ 
 lages. The American Committee in undertaking this service became the 
 official courier for the Government. In addition to this work, when the armistice 
 was signed, vast numbers of returning civilian and military prisoners passed 
 through this region and we were again requested to open canteens and vestiare 
 for the relief of these people. This service increased so tremendously that we 
 were asked to secure the cooperation of two sections of the American Field 
 Service attached to the French Army and left at Laon. The canteen during 
 its first days served daily about 500 starving men, many of whom were tasting 
 chocolate for the first time in five years. 
 
 The rush and congestion of repatries during the first ten days resolved 
 itself gradually into a certain number that passed through Laon daily and after 
 conference with the military authorities it was decided to open the canteen twice 
 daily at stated hours. With these reduced numbers we were able to contribute 
 to their mental as well as their physical comfort, to reassure them of the interest 
 of the Government in their behalf and above all to give a word of cheer. When 
 the number of repatries passing through Laon was reduced to 100 a day we felt 
 that this number did not justify the maintenance of a canteen. On the special 
 request of the authorities, however, the time was extended as they would not 
 countenance our closing it on account of the moral stimulus it exerted. 
 
 The signing of the armistice occasioned more joyful celebration and more 
 tragic remembrances in our centers than in the majority of other places. These 
 people had not only contributed sons and husbands and fathers to the war ; 
 they had been the victims of that war in every way. While to the combatants 
 
 — 38 — 
 
the armistice meant a cessation of hostilities, to us it meant increased activity 
 and new plans for a more permanent rehabilitation of this land and of our 
 people. 
 
 CHATEAU ^THIERRY 
 
 Our traveling stores in the region of Chateau-Thierry were no longer 
 indispensable. Commerce had gradually been reestablished and it seemed 
 advisable to close this center, particularly as the presence of the American Wo¬ 
 men s Hospital covered fully the needs of the medical service. The dispensaries 
 of the American Committee, 15 in number, were turned over to the American 
 Women s Hospital. Our medical staff statistics show the following : 
 
 Cases cared for by this Committee between August 1st and November 25th 3,356 
 
 Villages supplied regularly from rolling stores. 50 
 
 Articles of clothing distributed. 4,600 
 
 INTERIOR ACTIVITIES . PARIS OFFICE 
 
 In the official Journal of November 5th, 1918, it was publicly announced 
 that by mimsteriel decree pronounced November 4th, the American Committee 
 for Devastated France was recognized and approved by the French Govern¬ 
 ment. 
 
 On November 18th, 1918, at a meeting convened under the auspices of the 
 Ministry of Liberated Regions we became officially registered at the Ministry,, 
 in the Special Bureau of Coordination of CEuvres. 
 
 At this meeting which was presided over by M. Bleuzet the various organi¬ 
 zations represented were requested to confine their efforts to certain definite 
 sectors and we were assigned the cantons of Coucy-le-Chateau, Vic-sur-Aisne 
 and Soissons in the Department of the Aisne, exception being made of the city 
 of Soissons. 
 
 At this point it may be well to state concretely in what our cooperation with 
 the French Government consists. The policy of the administration in France 
 has been thoroughly to familiarize ourselves with the laws passed in the interests 
 of the population of the destroyed Department and to avail ourselves of the 
 various services created by the Government in the interest of the liberated 
 regions. 
 
 1. PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES. — For the purchase of certain food stuffs 
 no open market now exists ; wherever this condition is present we apply to the 
 Ministry of Ravitaillement for the right to purchase the necessary supplies 
 through the governmental permit to requisition. Such supplies as chocolate, 
 coffee, sugar and cigarettes, to maintain our canteen service, were obtained 
 through the Intendance of the Army. Food supplies for the supplementary 
 ravitaillement of our devastated area, such as coffee, lard and dried vegetables, 
 are secured through the services of the Ministry of Ravitaillement. Application 
 is made stating the uses and designation of supplies and we have been given the 
 right to purchase limited quantities of the above mentioned articles as well as 
 coal, petrole and essence. 
 
 — 39 — 
 
2. TRANSPORTATION. — Through the Ministry of War we have been 
 ^granted the right to free transportation of supplies from Paris to our field 
 centers. In addition to this it is our privilege to transport by railway without 
 cost any supplies which we may wish to purchase in the interior of France 
 in the way of live-stock or food. Our camionettes are provided with military 
 numbers, issued to us by the Government and giving us the right of purchasing 
 essence and spare parts at Government prices. 
 
 3. HOUSING OF SUPPLIES. — Through the Ministry of War barracks 
 have been provided for the purpose of our Supply Depot in Paris. This ser¬ 
 vice is known as the Entrepot des Dons. In addition to this a large barrack was 
 given us for the purpose of an Ouvrior in Paris. Free camion service of our 
 supplies from the Entrepot des Dons to the railway station is also provided. 
 
 4. DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPLIES. — Recently a society has been 
 formed in the Department of the Aisne known as the Societe Cooperative 
 Mandataire de 1’Aisne, which has been authorized by the Ministry of the Libe¬ 
 rated Regions for the purpose of buying at wholesale prices supplies available in 
 France for the reclaiming of the land. The object of this society is to coope¬ 
 rate with the Government to prevent the raising of prices through competitive 
 buying. Through this Societe we are able to purchase all agricultural stock 
 and supplies at the lowest price. Where stock or supplies exist only in limited 
 quantities, our cooperation with this society is a distinct advantage to the 
 American Committee. 
 
 FARM COLONIES 
 
 We secured as a gift from Mr. Henry Ford two Fordson tractors, wmch have 
 been the only two of this type in France. One of these was placed in October 
 on our farm colony at Bretouville, the other at Villeneuve-la-Huree and these 
 two tractors proved the most tremendous success. These two farms which 
 m the month of August were practically in an abandoned condition, are now 
 entirely ploughed and sown. The tractors with the work of farm horses com¬ 
 bined, give us a surface of : 
 
 230 acres in Spring wheat. 
 
 150 acres in oats and rye. 
 
 25 acres in cereal, 
 
 Remainder in fodder, potatoes, pasture and wood. 
 
 — 40 — 
 
\ 
 
 41 
 
 STORE REAPY FOR CUSTOMERS 
 

 
 •• 
 
 o® ©® 
 
 ••••* 
 
 DECEMBER 1918. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES . SOISSONS 
 
 In pursuance of our understanding with the Special Bureau for Coordination 
 of (Euvres, Ministry of Liberated Regions, as expressed at the meeting m No¬ 
 vember, we opened our center in the Canton of Soissons in December. 
 
 One of the least injured houses in Soissons, belonging to Madame Moreau- 
 Ferte, was generously put at our disposal and repaired for us by German 
 prisoners on the order of the Army. 
 
 CHRISTMAS 
 
 The magnificent response of our American supporters to the Christmas 
 appeal of the American Committee for Devastated France in America, combined 
 with the fact that this was the first Christmas in four years in which the true 
 meaning of the day could be celebrated by the American Committee in France, 
 inspired us to make it a real victory Christmas. 
 
 Festivities commenced at our children’s colony at Boullay-Thierry, and 
 Christmas, 1918, will live as a never-to-be-forgotten day. Simultaneously our 
 group at Vic-sur-Aisne started on a two week’s round of Fetes de Noel in every 
 village. These parties were attended with considerable ceremony, presided 
 over by the officials of the district, with an exchange of greetings and good-will 
 in the true spirit of the season. 
 
 Christmas celebrations at Laon, Soissons and our farm colonies reached 
 many that did not directly fall under the charge of the American Committee. 
 It is estimated that over 7.200 children were made happy on that memorable day. 
 
 — 42 — 
 
JANUARY 1919. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES . SOISSONS 
 
 The Soissons branch formally opened its supply depot on January 4th. 
 The city of Soissons had then a population of 1.000. The work here is of a 
 different character than that in our Vic-sur-Aisne branch. It was not necessary 
 to inaugurate traveling stores from this branch as the grocery stores were opened 
 in Soissons and the villages are near enough for the civilians to patronize them. 
 Therefore, the work here took on more of the character of the original relief 
 work which was done at Blerancourt, reinstating people in their homes, supplying 
 immediate needs, procuring tools and seeds for their gardens, furnishing their 
 houses, donating tarred paper and oiled muslin, encouraging agricultural 
 development, and solying innumerable problems, individual and collective. 
 
 Garden seeds and tools were much in demand at our various centers and 
 purchases of these in great number were made during this month. 
 
 INTERIOR ACTIVITIES - FARM COLONIES 
 
 Over 500 acres of our farms were inspected by the Directors of Agriculture 
 for the Government in each Department, who congratulated us on all that we 
 had accomplished and accorded us the advances provided for under the Compere- 
 Morel law. We were the first foreign organization to profit under this act. The 
 Ministry of Agriculture also gave to the Committee five plows. 
 
 We were assured of the continuing need of our work by a letter from the 
 Mimstere de la Guerre, of which the following is a translation : 
 
 MINISTERE DE LA GUERRE 
 
 CABINET 
 
 du 
 
 SOUS-SECRETAIRE D’ETAT 
 
 CONCOURS ETRANGERS 
 
 REPUBLIQUE FRANCHISE 
 
 Paris, Ie 28 janvier 1919. 
 
 Madame la Presidente, 
 
 Following the conversations with you and with Miss Anne Morgan, Vice-President of 
 the Comite American pour les Regions devastees de la France, concerning the continuation! 
 
 — 43 — 
 
-of your work in the period after the war and the prolongation during this period of the 
 facilities that the Sous-Secretaire d’Etat du Service de Sante has been happy to provide you, 
 I have the honor to confirm to you : 
 
 1. That there is no question of suppressing or even of reducing the services of the 
 Entrepot des Dons du Service de Sante. Therefore nothing stands in the way of the Amer¬ 
 ican Committee continuing to benefit as in the past and even to a greater extent, should you 
 judge it desirable, by its services, its means of communication, its transports, etc. 
 
 2. Estimating that your beneficent activities are now able to be exercised more usefully 
 than ever in the regions now liberated, I hasten to give to the services placed under my 
 authority in these regions all the orders that you may judge useful in order that the services 
 may continue to lend in every circumstance their support to your work. 
 
 1 am happy to seize this occasion to express to you anew the profound gratitude of the 
 French Government for the participation so devoted and generous that you and your colla¬ 
 borators have brought to the reconstruction of the French countries that have been victims of 
 -the invasion. 
 
 Will you accept, Madame la Presidente, the homage cf my greatest respect. 
 
 (Signed) MOURIER. 
 
 In January 1919, the American Committee became interested in the design 
 known as the Maison Type. This was drawn by Pierre Sardou, the son of the 
 well-known dramatist by that name, and himself a very well-known architect 
 in France. During the war M. Sardou was engaged in the Service of War 
 Maps attached to General Mangm’s Army and while stationed in the region of 
 Soissons the Government asked for designs of typical French houses destroyed 
 in the Pays Devastes. M. Sardou made a careful study of the original archi¬ 
 tecture of Soissons and after inspecting the stone quarries in that region and also 
 the small farm houses, entered a competition that was carried on under the 
 direction of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and won first prize. 
 
 We studied this design with the purpose in mind of establishing in the region 
 of Soissons a typical farm house, which might be placed within easy reach of the 
 entire canton. Pernant was the site chosen for the construction of this house- 
 first, because it is within easy access of Soissons, a big center, and, second, be¬ 
 cause a proprietor of Pernant, familiar with the work of the American Committee, 
 made a very generous gift of 10.000 francs for his own village of Pernant. 
 This proprietor became interested in the project of the American Committee 
 with this Maison Type as a center of education and recreation for his village. 
 
 It was first proposed that we should ask the Mayor and Municipal Council 
 to give us the land necessary on which to construct it. Every commune, however, 
 has not free land at its disposal and here again the proprietor offered us his 
 own property on which to build it. 
 
 The house proper in the design will be used to lodge a district nurse or m- 
 structess of domestic science, who will give the children of the village lessons 
 in hygiene and domestic science and the boys lessons in carpentry. The grange 
 will be reserved for lessons as well as being intended for recreation for the 
 inhabitants of the village, being open certain hours for reading, writing, cinema, 
 concerts, lectures or conferences, the idea being to afford some center of local 
 amusement and interest to replace the cabaret, which is the cause of so much 
 alcoholism in the country. 
 
 It is estimated that the whole plan of rural farm house and recreationTall 
 
 — 44 — 
 
45 
 
 BABY CLINIC AT VIC-SUK-A1SNE 
 
will probably cost about 50.000 francs and our hope is to reproduce this educa¬ 
 tional and recreational center in many of our villages. 
 
 AMERICAN WOMEN'S HOSPITAL 
 
 The American Women s Hospital in January opened another medical hospi¬ 
 tal of 18 beds at La Ferte-Milon. A unit of three, consisting of a doctor, nurse 
 and chauffeur was established here. From this as a center those villages 
 between the radius covered by the American Women s Hospital at Luzancy 
 and the villages visited by the doctors of the American Committee at Vic-sur- 
 Aisne are covered by this Unit and afford proper medical care for the serious 
 cases of illness in that region. 
 
 > 
 
 — 46 — 
 
FEBRUARY 1919. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES . BLERANCOURT 
 
 February 1919 was a memorable month for the American Committee for 
 Devastated France, for in that month our center was reestablished in Blerancourt. 
 During the eleven months since our evacuation in March 1918, we had gained 
 a profound personal knowlege of the disastrous effects of war on our French 
 peasants, and holding the vision of what Blerancourt had meant to us, as well as 
 to the French of our region, we strained every effort to keep in constant commu¬ 
 nication with the needs and requirements of our emigres, confident that we could 
 and would rebuild what had been won and lost on a stronger and more lasting 
 basis. 
 
 We obtained German prisoners to clear the streets of debris and to carry 
 away broken stone and refuse from the ruins of houses presenting possibilities 
 of reparation. The former town-crier of Blerancourt offered his residence, 24 
 rue du Chateau, as headquarters for the center. Temporary repairs were made, 
 giving us four rooms, and for a warehouse we gladly accepted the generous 
 gift of an aviation tent from the American Army. In less than a week over a 
 hundred inhabitants had returned to Blerancourt and about the same number 
 to Camelin. Every day brings its influx of large numbers of inhabitants who 
 flock to the American Committee for assistance. 
 
 After investigation we found three-fourths of .the fruit trees planted last 
 year by our Committee still standing. 
 
 In 1917 this Committee purchased a large barrack containing rooms for about 
 ten persons, dining room, kitchen, Ouvroir and space for a warehouse which 
 was held in storage in the interior, as the Government provided us with barracks 
 for the personnel and we had no use for it at that time. This barrack is now 
 to be constructed on the site of the old chateau. 
 
 The records of the families made by the American Committee in the winter 
 of 1917-18 were sent to each center as it reopened. This standardized 
 system of records will continue. 
 
 SOISSONS 
 
 During the first month of the existence of the Soissons center 425 families 
 were investigated and household necessities and clothing distributed to the 
 needy. • 
 
 — 47 — 
 
VIC-SUR'AISNE 
 
 555 families were investigated, 18 stores established and traveling stores 
 started in five of the smaller villages where only three or four families had return¬ 
 ed and where it was obvious a permanent store was not required. It would 
 be well to state here our reasons for establishing a supplementary ravitaillement 
 in this region. 
 
 Our experience at Chateau-Thierry had taught us that the French peasant 
 prefers to purchase an article he wants rather than be given an article he doesn't 
 want. Our traveling stores at Chateau-Thierry, therefore, carried in stock 
 such articles as soap, mattress covers and household utensils that were not 
 provided by the Chamber of Commerce at Chateau-Thierry, which was the 
 center of ravitaillement for the region. Until ordinary transportation facilities 
 could be resumed it was vital that ordinary household articles and food should 
 be added to the comforts of the population. As quickly as the Municipal Coun¬ 
 cil of each village had arranged for the resumption of normal commerce, the 
 traveling stores of the American Committee were no longer required. With- 
 this in mind we reopened our centers at Vic-sur-Aisne, Soissons and Blerancourt- 
 Soissons in 1914 was a city of 14.000 inhabitants. Today in the ruins of Soissons 
 there are 3.500 people, but as it is a city on a railway head and is the seat of the 
 Sous-Prefecture small shops quickly sprang into existence and the Chamber 
 of Commerce, which had established a large depot there, was able to sell food 
 to the neighboring villages which obviated all necessity for our traveling stores 
 in that region. 
 
 We carried in our own supply depot at Soissons chiefly household utensils 
 and clothing. Stocks of food there are mainly for free distribution. We have 
 a distinct responsibility — deriving from the fact that the Government gives 
 us free transportation, — to keep those articles in the supply depot that are 
 mostly in demand for that region. 
 
 Our center at Vic-sur-Aisne is not so fortunate. This village is situated 
 on the limits of the Department and in the heart of a great agricultural belt.. 
 Commerce, therefore, is slow to revive. The Government through its arrange¬ 
 ment with the Chamber of Commerce has foreseen the needs of the people 
 in so far as bread, rice, coffee, sugar, frozen meat, and a limited quantity of 
 tinned vegetables or meats are concerned. But man cannot live by this alone 
 and our system of stores was therefore worked out in the following way. 
 
 Through the Ministry of Ravitaillement we were able to purchase at wholesale 
 prices. The supplies are transported free to Vic-sur-Aisne but from that point 
 the transportation of supplies is a free gift of the American Committee. A 
 delegate is appointed by the Mayor of the village who becomes the recipient 
 of the supplementary stock of the American Committee and is permitted to 
 sell the same at a ten percent profit. This prevents exploitation and is carried 
 by the American Committee only until such time as the former grocer or grocers 
 of the village can reestablish themselves. 
 
 In 1917 the conditions were different from those of today. Since the signing 
 of the armistice the Government has passed various new laws in the interests 
 of the population of the devastated area. It is obvious that our duty clearljr 
 lies in aiding and encouraging the recognition of such laws. If we instituted 
 a policy of free distribution or even gave as freely as we did in March 1917 at 
 Blerancourt when we were still at war, we would be acting directly against the 
 interests of France. * 
 
 — 48 — 
 
49 
 
 A TRAVELING STORE 
 
By personal investigation of every family certain ones fall into the category 
 of needy families, to whom we distribute clothing, household articles, trade tools 
 and as is often the case supplement the table by generous gifts of food. Our* 
 service of supplementary ravitaillement undoubledly has aided in the reorgani¬ 
 zation of local life. We also act as intermediaries between the Committee and 
 the authorities and are often called upon to interpret the laws to the people. 
 
 By a decree issued by the Ministry of the Liberated Regions on November 
 2nd, 1918, the individual who has suffered a loss of furniture is allowed an ad¬ 
 vance of two hundred dollars to the head of the family and forty dollars for every 
 other member of the family. In the absence of furniture shops and the lack 
 of transportation our Committee sells at cost price, beds, bedding and essentials 
 of household articles. A receipt is given to the person and after he is reim¬ 
 bursed by the State, he in turn reimburses the American Committee. 
 
 There is also a law permitting advances to the amount of six hundred dollars 
 for trade tools. This we treat in the same way. It is to be remembered that 
 the supporting member of our families, has in the majority of cases been a civi¬ 
 lian prisoner for the last four years and is unaware of the existence of these laws. 
 The Mayors are not always present and there is no one in authority to explain 
 his status to him. We are often appealed to by our people to obtain unpaid 
 pensions, to have explosives extracted from the fields, to have houses patched, 
 to have school teachers recalled, schools furnished and opened, sick, healed, 
 children’s classes formed, focd obtained and commerce started and promoted. 
 
 AMERICAN WOMEN'S HOSPITA^ 
 
 The American Women’s Hospital at the urgent request of the Prefecture 
 and the civilian doctor at Laon, established a unit of doctor, nurse and chauffeur 
 at Laon. This unit opened a dispensary covering some twelve villages. 
 
 REVIVING FARMERS COOPERATIVES 
 
 The evacuation of 1917 disseminated the members of the five farmers 
 Cooperatives established in our region. The condition of the soil at present is 
 deplorable. We have not yet obtained any relief from the Technical Service 
 of Reconstruction of the Ministry of the Liberated Regions, which was formed 
 for the purpose of putting the soil back into condition for use. The Coopera¬ 
 tive of Juvigny which in 1917 comprised 2.500 acres is being aided by the 
 American Committee in its desire to revive this Cooperative, although it can 
 only plough with security about 500 acres. We are helping in the reestablish¬ 
 ment of this Cooperative ; first, by assuming the obligation of the wages of the 
 farm hands, until such time as the advances by the Government to which 
 they are entitled have been made ; second, by securing and mounting two 
 demountable barracks for housing purposes ; and third, by offering tractors 
 for tilling the soil. 
 
 In conjunction with this we are opening a depot at Soissons where we are 
 
 — 50 — 
 
sending fodder from our interior farm colonies to be sold through the Coopera 
 tive at Juvigny. Although the Army has demobilized thousands of horses and 
 has placed them at the disposal of the Ministry of the Liberated Regions, who is 
 offering them to the farmers of that district, the latter are unable to avail them¬ 
 selves of this opportunity because they cannot secure for them the necessary 
 fodder. As quickly as the Government has cleaned the soil of explosives and 
 barbed wire, and leveled the trenches in any part of the region where we have 
 created Farmers Cooperatives we are ready to reorganize them and as far as 
 possible to aid in stocking them with implements, machines and cattle. 
 
 In preparation for summer ploughing we have purchased 25 Fordson tractors 
 and 4 Cleveland tractors which will be loaned or rented to the Cooperative 
 societies or sold to individuals through the Societe Mandataire of the Depart¬ 
 ment of the Aisne, which is exceedingly anxious to secure their distribution. 
 
 — 51 
 
MARCH 1919. 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES - LAON 
 
 The vestiaire established in Laon to meet civilian prisoners and refugees 
 gives the following statistics : 
 
 From the 15th of January to the 1st of April 7,409 men, women and children 
 aided. 
 
 Clothing distributed 28, 338 articles. 
 
 At the request of the Prefecture our Committee is relinquishing this vestiaire 
 because of the recent arrival of members of French Committees, in whose 
 hands this charge is to be vested, and our group has been asked to extend their 
 work to the sector north of Laon and outlined by the Prefecture for investigation. 
 
 123, 256 articles have been distributed for the Prefecture and 1.535 garments 
 for the C.R.B. 
 
 We commenced distributing for the Commission for Relief in Belgium at 
 their request. Excerpt from their letter follows : 
 
 36 bis, Avenue de l’Opera, 
 
 Paris, 19 February, 1919. 
 
 EXECUTIVE N° 544 
 
 Mrs. Dike , President, American Committee for Devastated France 
 15, Boulevard Lanne s, PARIS. 
 
 Dear Madam, 
 
 In making an investigation of territory in the region of the Marie and Laon to^ arrange 
 for the distribution of clothing to the civil population, the Commission found that members of 
 your unit had gotten themselves so thoroughly in touch with the needs of their territory that 
 the distribution of clothing by the Prefecture had been turned over to them, and it was 
 determined also that the Commission with your concurrence would make use of their services 
 in that districtTor distributing the clothing of the Committee of Ravitaillement. 
 
 Yours faithfully, 
 
 (Signed) M. B. POLAND, 
 
 Director for Europe Commission for Relief 
 in Belgium and Northern France 
 
 — 52 — 
 
55 
 
 HOMES OF REPATRIATED REFUGEES 
 
AMERICAN WOMEN'S HOSPITAL 
 
 During this month the Army demobilized many of its doctors in the neigh¬ 
 borhood of Luzancy. Therefore, the American Women’s Hospital by arran¬ 
 gement made through the Service de Sante, Ministere de la Guerre, and autho¬ 
 rized by the Prefecture of the Department is moving its plant to Blerancourt 
 into barracks to be constructed by the Army. 
 
 The Commission for Relief in Belgium has asked for the cooperation of 
 the American Women’s Hospital in the outlying territory of Laon and arran¬ 
 gements are being made for a traveling doctors’ unit, in addition to the perma¬ 
 nent base at Blerancourt. Everyone entertains grave fears of possible outbreaks 
 of epidemics this summer and in anticipation the American Women’s Hospital 
 is preparing a prophylactic campaign. 
 
 BLERANCOURT, VICTSUR^AISNE, SOISSONS 
 
 One of the greatest needs of the devastated region is that of chickens. This 
 month 1.700 chickens (two carloads) were purchased and distributed. Because 
 of the difficulty in obtaining chickens, — the supply being so far below the 
 demand, — we have established at our farms at Bretouville and Villeneuve-la- 
 Huree, two chicken farms capable of producing 2.000 chickens each month. 
 A small unit of 250 chickens is installed at Vic-sur-Aisne. Our first hatch of 
 105 chickens was announced the 10th cf March. 
 
 « Winston Salem Rolling Kitchen ». Special emphasis has been given in the 
 past to the feeding of children, which under the conditions has been a problem. 
 We are trying an experiment of school canteens for which purpose we are using 
 the Winston Salem Rolling Kitchen to provide hot soup or chocolate to the 
 school children. Many children are forced to walk miles to school. They bring 
 with them merely a crust of bread for lunch. If this experiment proves a success 
 we shall try to provide all the schools with hot fortifying midday soup or a meal. 
 
 TEMPORARY OR OTHER REPAIRS TO BUILDINGS 
 
 It may be well to state here the policy of the Government in regard to questions 
 of reconstruction. Under the Ministry of the Liberated Regions, a Technical 
 Service of Reconstruction was organized <nd divided into two categories — 
 first, the provisional and emergency repairs ; second, permanent rebuilding. 
 In the first category the question of paramount importance is the one of barracks. 
 At the date of writing, in our three sectors it has been impossible to obtain any 
 barracks ; therefore we are obliged to fall back upon the service of provisional 
 and emergency repairs. 
 
 Many carpenters, masons, roofers and plumbers, either demobilized soldiers 
 or civilian prisoners, are now returning to the devastated region without tools or 
 materials except such as can be salvaged from the trenches. To each commune 
 or village the Prefecture has allocated a small quantity of tar paper or oiled muslin 
 but without tools even the most willing worker is unable to porfit by this gift. 
 
 — 54 — 
 
It was impossible for the American Committee to remain idle while these men 
 were vainly seeking employment. We, therefore, bought the necessary supplies 
 in Paris — cement, white wash, tools, nails, ladders,etc., and put an equipe of 
 men to work at once on repairs. The Technical Service of Reconstruction for 
 the Department of the Aisne has now arranged with the American Committee 
 that an equipe, similar to that which we have in Blerancourt be organized in 
 every village. The Government agreed to supply the materials, the procedure 
 being that the request of each proprietor to have his house repaired should 
 be attached to an estimate of the approximate cost of repairs and counter-signed 
 by the Mayor. It is then sent to the Technical Service of Reconstruction and 
 the amount credited against the proprietor s war indemnity. The advances 
 made by the American Committee for labor and supplies are reimbursed by 
 that Service. 
 
 Plans for the rebuilding and rehabilitation of France are still in the formative 
 stage. The process of rebuilding will be slow and rightly so, if France is to be 
 restored to the French. After a successful major operation, we do not put our 
 patient immediately on a rich or even plentiful plain diet and France’s wounds 
 are very deep. 
 
 During five years of war, men and women have been uprooted from their 
 homes, living from day to day under cruel conditions and the most heartrending 
 anxiety. As a result the race and especially these, the real victims of the war, 
 are exhausted. We must give them time to catch their breath and in time the 
 marvelous energy and courage of the French will have found a solution to this 
 stupendous problem. Surely our responsibility on these battlefields, over 
 which we fought to defend our own ideals does not cease until that solution is 
 found 
 
 Commissioner in France. 
 
 — 55 — 
 
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g. -sg <sg> <% 
 
 »••••* a ••«»*• A *••••* A *••••* A *••»»• a *••••* s 
 
 STATISTICAL SUMMARY 
 
 The American Commitee for Devastated France has under its care the 
 Canton of Coucy-le-Chateau, which includes 32 communes representing a 
 population before the war of 15,395, and an area of 25,265 hectares or approx¬ 
 imately 63,162 acres ; the Canton of Soissons, which includes 19 communes, 
 representing a population before the war of 25,081 and an area of 13,042 hec¬ 
 tares or approximately 32,605 acres ; the Canton of Vic-sur-Aisne, which 
 includes 26 communes representing a population before the war of 10,039 and 
 an area of 21,823 hectares or approximately 54,557 acres. 
 
 Communes Population before War Area covered 
 
 Total : 77 50,515 Hect. 60.130. Acres, 150,324 
 
 FIELD ACTIVITIES — CIVILIAN RELIEF 
 
 Articles of 
 
 No. People Aided Articles of Clothing Household Furnishings 
 
 12,953 42,853 9,390 
 
 In addition - 123,256 articles distributed for the Prefecture 
 
 and 1,535 garments for the Commission for Relief in Belgium 
 and Northern France. 
 
 MEDICAL WORK 
 
 • Medical Staff of Committee. — Aug. 1918-April 1919 : 
 
 Patients 
 
 Villages 
 
 House 
 
 Visits 
 
 Dispensary 
 
 Visits 
 
 Medical 
 
 Centers 
 
 Soldiers 
 
 Attended 
 
 2,273 
 
 135 
 
 4,449 
 
 3,223 
 
 23 
 
 710 
 
 — 58 — 
 
59 
 
 TEMPORARY SCHOOL ERECTED IN FORTY EIGHT HOURS IN STABLES IN VILLAGE OF CAMELIN 
 
American Women’s Hospital— July, 1918-April, 1919 
 
 House Dispensary Medical Soldiers Hospital 
 
 Patients Villages Visits Visits Centers Attended Cases 
 
 Luzancy. 425 
 
 2.770 59 3,626 3,344 21 La Ferte-Milon 66 
 
 5,043 194 8,075 6,567 44 710 491 
 
 Of the total of 491 Hospital Cases, 254 were Surgical Cases. 
 
 425 Dental Cases were reported in Dental Department. 
 
 CANTEEN WORK 
 
 Canteens were established in June-July, 1918, in 45 cantonments, serving 
 257,130 soldiers, 5,230 of whom were wounded cared for. 
 
 In Aug. 1919, 10,000 soldiers were served in one canteen. 
 
 No record was kept of the number served in several canteens opened in 
 villages in the Chateau-Thierry sector, nor in the children’s canteen opened 
 every day, nor in harvest canteens in the same sector. Also, owing to the 
 pressure of events, no record was kept of the thousands of soldiers served 
 during retreats in 1918. 
 
 At Laon during eight weeks of canteen service for returning prisoners, 
 9,227 men were served and about 700 ill prisoners. 
 
 ENTREPOT 
 
 During the summer of 1918, 68,000 articles were given to refugees and 
 680 packages sent by post to refugees. 
 
 Total of assorted cases and bales received from America from May 1, 
 1918, to April 1, 1919: 4,003. Also 2 tractors, 1 rolling kitchen and 9 auto¬ 
 mobiles. 
 
 OUVROIR 
 
 From July 1918 to April 1919, J 156 refugee workers were employed ; 
 26,260 articles were made, the approximate value being 337,842 francs. 
 
 CHILDREN'S COLONY 
 
 87 children are being cared for and educated, of whom 14 have been 
 adopted by people in America at a cost of $ 400 a year. 
 
 FARMS 
 
 250 acres in Spring wheat. 
 
 150 acres in oats and rye. 
 
 25 acres in cereal. 
 
 Remainder in fodder, potatoes, pasture and wood. 
 
 — 60 — 
 
61 
 
 IN THE ATELIER OF THE EQUIPE AT BLERANCOURT 
 
BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION 
 
 IN FRANCE 
 
 Mrs. A. M. DIKE, Commissioner in France ; 
 Miss Anne MORGAN, Vice-President; 
 
 Mr. J. RIDGELEY CARTER, Treasurer. 
 
 PARIS OFFICE 
 
 Mrs. Frederick Allen 
 Miss Lucile Atcherson 
 Miss Mary A. Berry 
 
 * M. O. C. Biardot 
 
 Mme la Comt"‘ de Bremond d’Ars 
 Miss Jessie Carson 
 
 * Miss Elizabeth Delafield 
 Miss Celine Garney 
 
 * Miss Kate L. Hayden 
 Mr. Walter P. Magee 
 
 Mrs. Henry Beach Needham 
 
 * Miss Gertrude H. Partridge 
 
 * Mrs. Valentine Schuyler 
 
 PARIS ENTREPOT 
 
 Miss Ruby L. Archambeau 
 
 M. Paul Archinard 
 
 Miss Elizabeth S. Loveland 
 
 * Miss Sue K. Watson 
 
 (Mrs George S. Stockley) 
 
 Mrs Robert L. Pierrepont 
 
 * Mr. H. P. Williams 
 
 PARIS OUVROIR 
 
 Miss Amelia Kohlsaat 
 Miss Laura A. Smith 
 Miss Elsie E. Wilcox 
 
 FIELD CENTERS 
 
 Blerancourt: 
 
 * Miss Flora Bewick 
 M iss Miriam Blagden 
 
 * Miss Helen Colt 
 
 * Miss Gertrude Folks 
 
 * Miss Georgina Grant 
 Mrs. A. E. Hamm 
 
 Miss Margaretta S. Hinchman 
 M iss Alice Meunier 
 
 * Miss Margaret Moore 
 
 (Mrs. Richard Hevenor) 
 
 * Miss Rosalie Moran 
 
 * Miss Mary Virginia Peyton 
 iMrs. Ella M. Taylor 
 
 * Miss May Toovey 
 M iss Mary L. Turner 
 
 * Miss Florence Wright 
 
 * Miss Edna Winslow 
 
 Chateau-Thierry : 
 
 * Miss Joan R. Michler 
 
 * Miss Helen Me Carthy- Morrogb 
 
 * Miss Carolyn B. Mountain 
 
 * Miss Elizabeth Smith 
 
 * Miss Emily Smith 
 
 * Miss Maegaret Stevenson 
 
 * Miss Mary F. Watkins 
 
 62 
 
Laon : 
 
 Miss Cara Burch 
 
 * Miss Ethel M. Colgate 
 Miss Elizabeth A. Eames 
 Mrs. Marie B. Kittredge 
 
 * Mrs. Frances C. Platt 
 Miss Helen Seton 
 Miss Muriel Valentine 
 
 Soissons : 
 
 Miss Barbara Allen 
 
 Miss Anna P. Bond 
 
 Miss Francis Cassidy 
 
 Miss Rose Dolan 
 
 Miss Caroline Duer 
 
 Mrs. Florence Bayard Hillis 
 
 Miss Edith Kohlsaat 
 
 Miss Helen V. Latrobe 
 
 Mrs. Marie C. Lehr 
 
 Vic-sur-Aisne : 
 
 Miss Louise J. Barney 
 Miss Marian Bennett 
 Miss Esther Braley 
 Miss Rosemary Clarke 
 Miss Dorothy Cordley 
 Miss Lucy Hewitt 
 Dr. Maude Kelly 
 
 Miss Alice Parsons 
 
 Miss Margaret Parsons 
 
 Dr. Alice W. Tallant 
 
 Mrs. Mary BreckinridgeThompson 
 
 Miss Catherine Van Rensellaer 
 
 * Miss Jessie Wilkinson 
 
 CHILDREN’S COLONY 
 
 Boullay-Thierry : 
 
 Miss Mary C. Breen 
 M iss Elizabeth Deming 
 
 Miss Ada Milne (loaned by “ Jardin 
 d’Enfants Unit ”). 
 
 Mrs. Lewis Washington 
 
 Mrs. Arthur W. Wylde 
 
 M. G vulier 
 
 Mme. Gaulier 
 
 Mme. Aubriot 
 
 Mile. Renee Charpentier 
 
 AGRICULTURAL UNIT: 
 
 * Miss Elizabeth Baker 
 
 * Mrs. Jane B. Baum 
 
 * Miss Frances Polk Dillon 
 
 * Miss Margaret Eaglesfield 
 
 * Miss Sylvia D. Hitch 
 
 * Miss Mary Rutherford Jay 
 
 * Mrs. Gertrude H. Leonard 
 
 (') Have completed their term of service with the Committee. 
 
 THE FOLLOWING DECORATIONS HAVE BEEN CONFERRED : 
 
 CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM ; GRANDE MEDAILLE D'ARGENT, 
 ACADEMIE D'AGRICULTURE DE FRANCE; MEDAILLE DE MERITE 
 AGRICOLE, TO : 
 
 Mrs. A. M. Dike 
 Miss Anne Morgan 
 
 CROIX de GUERRE WITH STAR TO: MEDAILLE D'HONNEUR TO 
 
 Miss Miriam Blagden Mrs. Marie C. Lehr 
 
 Miss Barbara Allen Miss Helen V. Latrobe 
 
 Miss Rose Dolan 
 
 Mrs. Richard Hevenor - 
 
 Miss Muriel Valentine 
 Dr. Alice W. Tallant 
 Dr. Maude Kelly 
 
 — 63 — 
 
Imp. Kossuth & Cie Paris.