Life, 1918-06-06 · page 26 of 40
Life — June 6, 1918 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This article documents Life magazine's "Baby Fund"—a charitable program supporting French children displaced by World War I. The piece illustrates the urgent humanitarian crisis: a woman from Attichy (near the front lines) wrote seeking help evacuating her children to safety. An American donor immediately contributed funds, which were cabled to Paris relief organizations within 48 hours. The accompanying photographs show beneficiary children (identified by number: Marcelle Hirsch, Yvonne Baroin, Jean and Raymonde Guinois, etc.). The article emphasizes that monetary donations—not clothing shipments—are most effective due to limited cargo space and Red Cross coordination requirements. The title references how close these children lived to combat. By listing donors and amounts, Life demonstrates both the magazine's social responsibility and reader generosity during the war. This represents early American philanthropic response to European civilian suffering.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
922 Close to the Danger Line 'O one of the contributors to the Baby Fund there came a letter this week from the mother of the child he had “adopted,” stating that she and her children had been driven by the ad- vance of the Germans from the vil- lage where they had lived. The letter was written from Attichy, a village about twelve miles southeast of Noyon, and stated, further, that the mother was trying to find some way of send- ing her children to some place not so close to the battle-line. Our contribu- tor enclosed a check for a sum which would enable the mother to send her children to a place of safety and also an additional amount to offset the cost of cabling, so she could have it at once. The necessary cable was immediately sent to the Fraternité, with instruc- tions to rush the money to the mother. Within forty-eight hours of the receipt of the appeal in America there should have been in the hands of the mother the means to save her little brood from the savagery of the Hun. This occurrence is quoted simply as an instance of the prompt and efficient generosity of Lire’s readers, . Stress must again be laid upon the statement that it is impossible for Lire to forward clothing or similar gifts to the mothers or children. Cargo space is so limited that it must be devoted to bulk shipments. The American Red Cross insists, and properly, that the transportation faci MARCELLE HIRSCH, BABY 1843 YVONNE BAROIN, BABY 2151 JEANNE NICAISE, BABY 548, AND HER MOTHER “LDPE E-: EMILE METIFIOT, BABY 2285 JEAN AND RAYMONDE GUINOIS, BABIES 239 AND 330 ties must be used for the greatest good of the greatest number, Creditable as is the motive that inspires these gifts, we’ are compelled to discourage them. Money we can transmit at any time, and at better rates of exchange than can be obtained through the post office or express companies. For the Babies’ Fund Lire has received, in all, $204,178.76, from which there have been remitted to Paris 1,157.444.03 francs. We gratefully acknowledge from Miss Bessie Enbank, Sherman, Texas, for Baby No. Frederick Kniffen, Wilmington, Del., for Baby No. iH Umstad and P. W. Darrow, Cebu, Cebu, P. No. 2697... " sagehe Hobbs, Ne . Rochester, Philadelphia, ker Club, East Liverpool, C Mrs, Marie Van Zandt Keehen, C: No. 270, . Brig. Gen. H.R. Anderson, W Subscription for Bal s Mrs, Henry A. Kimball, tion for Baby No. Ida Esquerre Leeds, P for Baby No. > Mrs. W._D, Olmsted for “Baby No. vesees W. O., Oakland, Cal., re jor Baby No, 28. Lv'and L., Worcester, Mass., renewal of subscription for Baby No, ~92. ..0s- E. M. 7. Boston, bscrip Mass.,” ret ‘of subscription for Baby H. H., Camp ‘Kearney, Cal., renewal of subscription fo F. J, Godsol, New York Ci renewal of subscript Babies Nos. 78 to 87, inclusive. Miss M. Otis: Howes, Salem, Mass for Baby No. s3.. 5 “In memory of Ruth’ Evans" W Washington, renewal for one year of subscription for Baby No. 125 Ben C. Holt, Spokane, Wash., renewal of subscription for Baby No. 54 gtvetiesetis : Payurnts ox Account: R. A. Holmes, Brooklyn, N. Wallace, New York City, $7 M. Redfiel Mich., $36.50; “ Peggy and’ Phyllis.” State College, Pa., $30; A. F.C. Pittsburgh, Pa., $10; The Jobe's cy” Club, Xenia, Ohio, $8.40; Mr. and Mrs, R. E! Hill, Nunn, Colo., $3. renewal of subscription BABY NUMUFR 2644 Already acknowledged . » Chase, Jamestown, ND. BABY NUMBER 2686 Already acknowledged tee KF, Chase, Jamestown, No Dio sc. Mrs. D. A. ‘Moulton, Sacramento, Cat. ! “Anonymous,” Marion, Va. ..... comicbook sera