New Britain Herald Newspaper, December 30, 1922, Page 11

Visit to France After War’s Dire Desolation and Destruction A Description of a Tour o the Devastated Regions— Conditions of People Who Lived There, (Bpecial to The Herald), Paris, Dec, 30.—What happens in war-swept land when the invadin hosts have been rolled back and th native children of the their ‘wrecked homes? Modern warfare creates a new typ soil return t of wilderness. To the bleakness of the Dakota bad lande, it adds th desolation of a desert — the whol scene made tragle by the fact that gaunt memorials herc and there tes tify to the previous existence of huap- by, prosperous communities, In the United States, the memor: of reconstruction days still And even after 60 years there ar still reminders in the reborn south of the ruin that visited the Cumberland and Shenandoah valleys and the de- vastation that stalked In the way o Bherman's mareh to the sca. North and South The war between the states entail ed an economic handicap upon 1¢cently become generally How the south bravely faced more appalling because the difficul ties of the struggle were not appre- ciated until the opportunity to extend & helping hand had vanished. The. work of economic reconstruc- tion that always follows closely upon the chariots.of Mars is, so far as the a story told in terms of conditions that American. people are concerned, bave ccagsed to exist. Fortunately the American people have been spar- ed the necessity of learning anew, by i ke slean ay i " Y .| First and South Congregational b personal experience, the extent to| °'® the war. pa “.r}g;‘f‘;"‘;;; T o™ churches will ho held in the South| Friday, 4 p. m. sewing school. which the devastation wrought by French Resolutions, x'fl\)tiy beheld on these same fl(,rmv‘(‘hnrch chapel Thursday evening at kv modern warfare transcends the possi-| Resolutions adopted by the French [colossal water-filled shell holes, miles| 7:45 o'clock. Rev. Henry W. Mafer A M, K Blon, bilitles of war as it was waged 60| Reglonal association include the fol-|of withered and torn camotfiage, | Will have charge, SUidavscrvios Tiens iy Riedch: years ago. DBut, no nation.can grasp|lowing items: “That barracks needed |rusted barbed wire—enough to 'en-| The Woman's Society of the First|ing by the P“tg,r-_!“b!"vct Pardon the slgnificance of the economic tides|immediately to replace —destroyed [girele the earth, one thought—broken, | COngregational church will have its| For AlL” Luke, 24:47. Sunday school - now running their course unless there [buildings shall be of a strictly tem- |yuiverized stone and plastor, unex.|annual meeting and departmental re-]12:80 p. m. Varick Ch"“}f_‘;‘f:di“’- is some realization of just what hap- pens when a modern nation sets out by to repair the damages wrought modern war. Review Difficulties It is the purpose, therefore, in this review | geries of articies, briefly to some of the difficulties that must he conquered, when the vanguards of peace move into the trenches and the rvear gtards of war have deserted. No region so cpitomizes these problems as France, because no other region has heen so completely devastated. Tamiliar with the duties of rural France in the pre-war days, I revisit- ed that country in 1918. l'rom Bel- for to Dunkirk and Ca from Meaux to Lilie, T searched und search- ¢d in vain for the countrysice I had Toved in other days. Although the violets and anemones gpringing from empty trenches, shell- holes and dugouts, from fields and barbedwire and dead men's strange abodes, gave promise of life and res urrection, the trees still lay wounded and dead, and tree stumps stood gaunt and lifeless in the grey light of dawn and purple mist of evening in that vast expanse of empty ruin. Three years passed by ! In our own country the president of one of our great universities was still com- bating bolshevism in the student body ——with the odds against him; the murderers in a great coal mine dis trict were still unpunished; enem propaganda, better —organized than ever befere, was gnawing at the heart of our American institutions. What “then could be expected of a dreary, desolate, war-devastated land? Then, like a bolt from the blue, came the call “Come back to KFrance and view again the str waged to repair the wastes of war.” Joan of Arc Fittingly, the first persons to greet me on my return was Joan of Arc in her Eagles' Perch, high above the city 4 1 stood of Rouen, A few. hours later beside her, where she eternally rides her charges in the street of the Pyrenees in Paris, pointing her white banner towards the stars. Somehow that made easier the necessary excur- sions into the unknown conditions of the east and north of France. Better Taxis The taxicab which took me to the station of the Northern railway was; like its fellows, better groomed than in 1919; fares were still about one quarters those of New York or San NOTICE In order to wind up the business of the concern — The — W. L. DAMON CO. have opened a tempora office at 71 CHURCH STREET (Courant Office) where they will be pleased to see all debtors and creditors. THE HERALD The A-B-C Paper with the lingers. the south, the extent of which has only realized. the problems of a ruined land is a story that has been told—a story that is the| I"rancisco, f driver's alacrity in carrying my ba to the station door, an Indication tha a little money means a great deal | the life of an stepped back into his pre-war The train of fourteen ears had one first-class coach; long lines men, women and children hastened t the second and third-class jol onl a g ™ myself only one passenger, an elder! man with a Leglon of Honor ribbon 1 his coat lapel, [Even he was spirite away to a second-class coach by bavy of fellow dignitaries before 0 o th e |The French never did waste money o elde luxe traln travel, -1 the upbullding of thelr land homes, v | express—-and we the minute, trip were those of each il subsequen be funetioning on the same scale a f[hefore the war maintained, This is surely an unpre. stupendous losses in roadbed, some cases permanent, tions have replaced the structures of pre-war days, destroyed place with such tures—sturdy and artistical enrbellished stone France building shall be undertaken until general plans have been adopted, and then only under public control; that all reconstruction shall be inspired by the spirit of the community and with regard for natural harmonies.” These resolutions reflect the sentiment not only of the men in public life, but also of every villager and peasant with whom I have talked. The Northern Railway company is evidently trying to live up to these resolutions in the erection and restor- ation of architecturally appropriate stations. This in itself is a tremen- dous task and once in a while there may be slips. Only last week I wac urged by fellow-passengers to ‘“be- hold” in one new station, just opened, “the black eagles paintéd hideously on the station wall”” How did it hap- pen? Is it possible Germany had at | sent material or workmen and Lad added this cynical bit of Teuton humor to the payment? In any case T am sure that when I return to that town the black eagles will have fallen from their frescos and lovely French landscape panels will smile back at me as of old. Construction Begun. Railway and road construction were necessarily the first cares of the state and local governme but not even |the lack of roads could keep the Krench peasant away from the ruins of his old home and flelds. Empty- handed, but strong-willed and tenacl- jous, he wandered back and sought till he found it, some evidence that this or that bit of shell-ploughed land was his. He did not walt for a suitable dwelling, for furniture or tools. Sleep- ing in a dugout or any other make- shift shelter, eating war-bread secur- ed once a week at the c roads a mile or more distant, he toiled from daybreak to dark, with the patient, stubborn industry which is the basic clement of his character, to rehabili- tate his fields and gardens. A holy the war had been to him, a hol- cause the reconstruction of his Iht ing back cultivated fields to four mii- enormity of the task of bring- fion and a half acres which had been laid waste did not stun the Krench peasant into inactivity nor deter him from facing toil and want, pain and danger. His intelligence, his com- mon-sense, told him to return to his own fields and by his own labor re- claim them—his neigiibor would do the same and his neighbor's neighbor —no, not the same, perhaps, but ai- most, his neighbor always appearing to him less industrious than himself. Government's Task. The pleasant left the railway ana road construction to his government —and his faith was well placed. As to his own bit of soil, the peasant who survived the horrors of Verdun or enemy prisons would take care of that, trusting his government to com- pel the enemy to repay his losses eventually—had France and her Al- lies not won the war?—but he woula not sit down and wait for reparation payments as capital with which to finance his toil. And herem lies, per- haps, what the Irench themselves would call the defauts de leurs quali- tes—the good traits turned bad-—for the hardest task government repre- sentative in the devastated regions have today is that of persuading the peasant to abandon his labor in gar- den or fleld long cnough to listen to explanations of government advances (loans), the proper fillng in of rep- aration blanks, and the rest of the financial red-tape essential to the ap- plication of justice. Later Article In a later article 1 wish to give a eross-cection of the daily life of some of the peasants T have encountered in the devastatéd regions, their work, their character, their ontlook, and the part they are playing in the political development of the nation. ‘What they have achicved is unparalleled, their endurance las been epic. The A tip equivalent to three and one-half cents at that day's ex- change was acknowledged not only hy whole-hearted thanks, but also by the ex-soldier who has of coaches, but in the first-class there was besides train started on its northern journey. much less now, it seems, when every sou 18 needed for ana The train was comfortable—a fast arrived at Noyon on The impressions of the journey by rail in the devastated area of France; passenger service seems to and its schedules are cedented achievement considering the bridges, railway sta- The tem- porary stations, like the thousands of barrack homes and shops, sadly dis- figure the fair landscape of France, and T have heard more than one re- turning visitor rage against conditions which could make it necessary to re- ugly wooden struc- doubtless answer- ing every requirement of utility—the and 'tbrick buildings which helped to make a pleasant place to visit be- |porary character; that no permanent 3 it n b, v 0 y n d a 0 n t s tunnels, ralls and rolling stock and €quipment, as well as in workmen| Only these smoking \valh remained of the beautlful Notre Dame and personnel, mporary, and in 1| been started by a religious fanatic, historical documents, they living and what are they think- ing now? But other toilers are at northern France, Surprise to Travelers, The unexpected development of the vailways .is the first surprise to the returned traveler. Then the flelds, among the children, will be held Sun- day evening. work he Ladies' Aid of the Stanley Me- in nesday afternoon. The I'riday evening. ports at noon Friday. A choir of 12 voices from Waterville [ will sing at the People's church next IPriday evening at 8 o’clock. Members of the Second Advent church will welcome their new pastor, Rev. Robert G. Huggins, who delivers ploded shells and grena machine guns, bones of airplanes and of horses and cattle, rags of old uniforms, c: tridge belts, and, here and there, dead man, refusing to remain in so desolate a place. a buried After that'the roads—roads on which our Ford christened v, his first sermon in this city tomorrow. could run 'for miles without getting A"f"m"""“‘"’n _“"l” be observed in sev- Ler foot out of focus in some mud-| ¢l ‘0‘""1 churches next Sunday liole. Our roads ran through deso-| St Matthew's Swedish Lutheran ate regions of dead trees, shell- | Church will have a special New Year's service Monday forenoon. The Epi. acked and gaunt and stumps of trees, awed off or chopped to four feet above the ground. Then came St. Paul au-Bois; but that is another story. For at St. jPaul-aux-Bois I tound the Holy Grail and the evi- dences of a ministry that must go far to re-establish our faith in the exist- ence of helpful fairies. SIX CHURCHES WILL USHER IN NEW YEAR Watch Night Services to Be Held Sunday Night vested choir of St. Mark's copal church will give a musical m in the South Congregational following the New Year's sup- per Wednesday evening. Congregational Churches, First. Church school 10 'a. m. Morning service 11 a. m. New Year's sermon by the minister, Rev. ][E‘nr\ W. Maier. Adult Bible classes 12 p. m, Wednesday, 0 p. m., English class for Armenian women. 4:15 p. m., Junior Missionary society. Thursday, 2:30 p. m,, woimen's Bible 4:30 p. Scouts. The union preparatory service will be held in the South church chapel Thursday evening, 7:45 p. m. The message will be given by Rev, Henry W. Maier. 'he annual luncheon of the Wom- Armenian m., Girl Publication of notices in this | | 11 soclety will be held Friday, Jan, columin _cannot he guaranteed if |15 4¢ 19 o'clock, Reports of the var. recelved later than 3 o'clock Friday | | jous departments will be given at this afternoon. time. e vt eeeeed | Friday, 7:30 p. m., Boy Scouts. 8 p. Watch Night services will be ob-|m., Center Girls' club. served tomorrow night in six local Communion will be observed next morning, also reception of The Bible Study class until Wednesday, m, Sunday new members. will be postponed January 10, 7:30 p. South. Sunday, Decembe Italian school. 10: ice, sermon by Rev. Dr. George W. Hill, “An Animus Process.” 10:45, beginners' department of the church school. 12:10, church school. 2:30, Assyrian worship. 6:30, Christian ndeavor meeting. 11:15, Watch churches. Services will continue un- til midnight, when the worshippers will welcome the New Year with prayer and hymns. 'Those churches | which will hold Wateh Night services are the South Congregational, the German Baptist, the Trinity M. B, Gospel, Swedish Lutheran and A. M. E. Zion, The Christmas party planned for the beginners and primary depart- ment of the Stanley Memarial church, which was postponed from December 17, because of an epidemic of measles 81, 1922: 9:30, morning ser Coue Cheers Up Cripples Emile Coue, the mental healer who is to visit America in results of their present daily contribu- A-B-C Want Ads tion to life and thought will decide the futuwe of the nation of which they form the very foundation. How are January, preached good cheer to ervippled children at the Her- mitage Craft school and home for cripples at Sussex during aj tour of England. Basilica of Quebec after it had been swept by a five alleged to have Paintings by Van Dyke and Maratta were lost along with other priceless art treasures and e morial church will elect officers Wed- Men's club will Install its newly elected officers Union preparatory services of the Night service, quartet, Tueaday, 7:80, First division, Troop 2, Boy Beouts, Wednesday, 4:10, week day church school for grades 4 and 5. 6:30, New Year's supper, Kollowing the supper the vested ehoir of 8t, Mark's church will give a musieal program, Thursday, 4:10, week day school for grades 6, 7 and 8, 17:30, Second di- vislon, Troop 2, B, 8. A. 7:45, union preparatory service in the parish chapel. Rev, Henry W, Maler will be the speaker, Friday, 5:00, bookbinding club, L. H. Bell, leader, 7:00, meeting of ju- nior rifie club for practice. Stauley Memorial, Sunday: 10:45 a. ship with sermon by the pastor; sub- Ject: “Pressing On." 12 m,, Bunday school. 7 p. m, Christmas exercises by the children of the beginners’ and primary departments of the Sunday school, These exercises were post- poned from Sunday evening, Decem- ber 17, on account of an épidemic of measles. Wednesday, 2:30 p. m., 'meeting of the Ladles' Ald socliety with election of officers for the comipg year. I'riday, 7:30 p. m,, meeting of the Men's club with installation of the newly elected officers. Methodist Churches. Trinity. Sunday: 9:30 a. m., Everyman’s Bi. ble class. 9:45 a. m., Sunday school. 10:45 a. m., sermon by the pastor, “A New Task for Old Churches.” 7:30 p. m., Epworth League devotional serv- ices ‘led by Miss Dorothy Pinches. “Watch Night Service.'” 8:30 p. pageant, “The World's Christmas Mall Box. 10 p. m,, social hour and refresh- | ments. ice. Tuesday afternoon, W. H. M. 8. sew- ing meeting in the church. 7:45 p. m,, class meeting. 8 p. m., bowling at the Y. M. C. A, Wednesday, all-day sewing meeting of the Ladies’ Afd. religious school. meecting. 7:45 p. m.,, prayer vor soclety, 6:30 p. m. preaching by the pastor, subject: “The Definite Aim."” Phil, 3:13. Watch Night meeting from o'clock to 12 a. m. 10 Baptist Churches, First. 10:45 a. m,, morning worship, ser- mon by Rev. William Ross. Subject: “The Changing and the Changeless.” 12:10, Bible school and Brotherhood class. 7:00, Young People’'s meeting in the chapel. Monday, 7 p. m., Boy Scouts. Wednesday, 9:30 a. m,, the woman's society will have an all day meeting for sewing. Hot lunch at 12:15. Open to all. Thursday, 7:45 p. m., mid.-week service. German, Sunday, 9:30 a. m,, Sunday school. 10:30, German Bible class for adults, and divine service in English. Sermon, “Laying Off the Welght in Running the Race.” 11:30, divine service in German. Sermon, “Forgetting the Things Behind and Stretching For- ward."” Sunday, 9-12 p. m, Watch Night services. General subject, “Standing Still and Giving an Account of the Year's Debit and Credit Sides.” Tuesday evening prayer meeting in English, Young people’s night. Wednesday evening meeting of the church board in the parsonage. Thursday evening, prayer meeting in German. Friday evening, of the rehearsal choir, Boys' class for religlous instruc- tion meets Thursday evening at 7 o'clock. Lutheran Churches, St. Matthew's. English service at 9:15 a. m. Ger- man at 10:45 a. m. Annual reunion at 7 p. m. Special New Year's service Monday forenoon at 10:30 o'clock. Swedish morning service at 10:30 Sunday school at Sunday will be in Swedish. ong of the Night" by Dudley Buck will be sung by the m,. morning wor- m., Watch-night service, A | 11 p. m,, testimony and prayer serv- | 4 p. m., week-day | noon, evening at 9 o'clock, mas," by Matthews, Sololsts Violet Foster, contralto; Stuhlman, tenor; J. Alfred bass. Christian Sclence, Ject, “Christian Sclence.” school at 9:45 a, m, Wednesday evening o'clock, The reading room, tional bank building, is open public dally from 12 noon Wednesday 12 to 7:30 p..m, Second Advent, mon by the new pastor, Rev. G. Huggins, class at 10:05. ing at 6:30. with sermon by the pastor. | Evening subject, a New Year's sermon. St. Mark's (Episcopal.) | mas. 7:30 a. in the chapel. school. sermon. 9:30 a. 7:45 p. m, cantata, sung by the cholr, | | Nondenominational. Emmanuel Gospel. | Sunday, 10 a. | service. trospect.” meeting; preaching, topic, pect.” Watch Night service. class. Thursday, 7:30 p. m,, prayer meeting. | A | People's. | devotional service, followed by | ing worship at 10:45 a. m. | tor. Subject, “Where and In Spirit Should it Be Done?” 8:30 p. m. ‘Watch Night service in the the choir will glve the cantata “The Story of Christ- Mrs, H, E. Christensen ,soprano; Miss Charles Erlcson, Bunday service at 10:456 a, m. sub- meeting at § room 604 Na- o'clock except Sundays and holidays. Morning service at 10:45 with ser- Bunday school and Bible Young People's meet- Ivening service at 7:16 ‘Agur's Prayer,” | | December 81, SBunday after Christ- m,, Holy Communion m., church 11 a. m., morning prayer and lehem,” by J. H. Maunders, will be m., prayer and pralse 10:45, preaching, toplic, “Re- 12:15, Bible school. m., baptismal service; Young People’s Tuesday, 7:30 p. m, Bible study mid-week Sunday at 10:15 a. m., prayer and The third | of the series of sermons on personal evangelism will be given by the pas- Sunday school at 12:15 p, m. Junior Endea- vor at 4 p. m. Young People’s meet- ing at 6 p. m. Preaching at 7 p. m. Subject, “Turning Over a New Leaf.” Official board meeting Monday at 7:46 p. m, 10:45 a. m.—Sermon by the Pasto X Tasks for Old Churches,” a review of Babson’s latest book. Pageant “The World’s Christ- mas Mail Box” Moving Pictures “The New Citizen” Testimony and Prayer Service led by Mr. E. F. Neumann. will be | nounced later, Wednesday at 8 p. m, Missionary Prayer Band. testimony meeting, cale, Subject, Sunday ing taken, Everyman's Bible Class, Everyman's Bible class wi to the untll 4| el UTTERS INDIOTMENT. Robert Ladles' Ald soclety will meet on|by W, Welsh, F. R. G. 8, honorary Thursday. treasurer of the Royal Australin His- Prayer and soclal meeting on|torical soclety, who has returned from Thursday at 7:80. a visit to Rabaul. Morning subject, *Unreasonable- “Many people in the territory would [ness of People About the Pulpit” |o.eter government from Dowsing “Beth- ST.MARK'’S CHURCH Sunday, Dec. 31st. 7:45 P. M. Cantata: “Bethlehem” Composed by J. H. Maunder Sung by Choir of Men and Boys Soloists Master Lester Hume, soprano Leon E. Jackson, tenor. Ralph B. Britton, baritone. M. G. Humphreys, organist Welcome 8 p. “Pros- morn- ‘What Scene From ”Bu”d_og Drummond’ one of the greatest nfrnma: g;' :llc yc’::/f A Hodkinson ictur FOX’S: MONDAY—TUESDAY—WEDNESDAY Trinity Methodist Church “New Watch the Old Year Out and the New Year In! A BEAUTIFUL MID-NIGHT SERVICE DUDLEY BUCK'S—“THE SONG OF THE NIGHT” SOUTH CHURCH, SUNDAY, 11:15 P. M. CORDIAL WELCOME TO ALL “HUMAN GOOD MUSIC MASS MEETING FOR MEN Address By DR. CHARLES R. BROWN Dean of the Divinity School of Yale University Subject: RELATIONS IN Under the Auspices of The New Britain Industrial Council and the Y. M. C. A. Lyceum Theater Sunday, December 31, 1922, at 3 o’clock ADMISSION FREE BUSINESS” GROUP SINGING Chlldun meeting Tuesday at ¢ Couu. prayer moeting to be an Woman's Thursday at 7:45 p, m., prayer llld 4 ¥riday at 8 p. m., cholr of 12 voices from Waterville will render a musi- “Moses Leading the Children of Israel Out of Bondage, No admisslon charged and no offer- meet Bunday morning at 9:30 o'clock as People in Territory of German New Guinea Prefer Downing Street Rule, Sydney, N. 8. W,, Dec. 30.—An fin- dictment of the Australian administra- tion of the mandated territory of German New Guinea has been uttered street to that which they ar~ ebtain- ing from Melbourne, and the inex- perience of the administration is at the bottom of the trouble,” he said. g