1,000,000 REFUGEES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11947, 5 March 1917, Page 1

1,000,000 REFUGEES.

HOW FRANCE CARES FOR THEM.: The Exchange Telegraph Company, t London, recently received* ,1 message Irom Mr henry Yv'ood, rho eorrespo;!- 1 dene. oi i'hc United Press of America. ! Alt' Wood says that France has solved the problem of looking after nearly i,OOu.(JfJO war refugees in ji remarkable mamiev. The bulk of these homeless victim;; of the war come from the invaded and occupied districts of France, but many ol them are Belgians and Serbians.. As far as possible I lie refugees have boon grouped iuio iitsl© colonies or cities, in which they enjoy a sort of , municipal life oi their or, !!. France's j' •army barracks bine been adapted to) i this end. YiosA of them are empty, ; las the entire French Army is at the/ I trout. i, , in the province* of which .Nancy is > I the capital there arc ,'*o,ooo roiugees, : | and each barracks represents « little; . ; icy pro\'-ding homo* lor about 5000 ! war victims. The authorities guarded against ihe separation of families, and even, of neighbours and residents of the .si'.me towns and villager. For in-j . . stance, a visitor wilt now find all the residents of the .same, village _ grouped ! o>n the same floor. e;'ch iamily being • alio; ted one or tivo rooms. i , ! The hulk of the refugees are worn en { ! and children, and schools have been j ; established for the latter. A spec al • feature of these are the classes in man- j ua.l training for boys over twelve. They ! are taught, a practical trade, and the | ' pnpds are already making the chairs, j tables, desks. :t.:ul other urticVs of fur- j niture wil'n which to their | . homes and schools as sooti as the armies ; of Franco have redeemed the in I rem j j the einMny's occupation, j There is a. course in domestic ero- . • nomy for f ;h'ls over twelve, and Hie 1 1 earning l ; from the sewing classes can m-> , used io buy little luxuries avid j comforts. If i« not obligatory for ibo'i adults. but the children must take their meals in the municipal diningroom;;, where the teachers, matrons, and others in charge can watch them and restrain any litilo breaches of discipline or good breeding. A common social room .serves for the aged grandmothers to work and talk together. Thev arc a brave lot, nearly all with grandsons. if not also with sons, at the front. The. organisation of each refugees' city includes vast municipal kitchens and hospitals and entertainment halls, where moving pictures and so on aro given several times in the week.