Page:Christian Science War Time Activities.djvu/70

 The Mayor of Moy, for example, applied to the Committee to help twenty-five necessitous cases from his village. The whole village had been razed to the ground and the inhabitants were being repatriated by way of Switzerland. There was no one to help them except the Mayor. He had exhausted all of his personal resources, and came to our Committee at a moment when he was in despair at not being able to meet the very pressing need of a number of families. The Committee aided the twenty-five families with sums averaging from 50 to 100 francs ($10 to $20) per family. This was in August, 1917, and similar help was given in December of that year.

Another particularly interesting case was that presented to the Committee by the Mayor of Orchies, Département du Nord.

“Dear Sir:

“I have the honor to acknowledge your favor of July 14. I am tremendously grateful for the interest you are kind enough to take in my unfortunate fellow citizens. Our city, almost completely burned by the Germans on September 25, 1914, is still in their hands.

“I correspond at present with 450 soldiers, 125 prisoners and 350 civilians. At first I was able to send help to the mobilized men and to the prisoners; but the modest resources which I had at my disposal were soon exhausted and public charity solicited on every side, could do no more for my poor citizens.

“I call your kind attention especially to the Prisoners of Orchies. These unfortunate men cannot receive anything from their families, for most of them are still in the invaded districts. The prisoners, therefore, are entirely destitute and to my great regret, it is impossible for me to reply to their urgent appeals.

“This is why I should be very grateful to you if you could