Life, 1918-11-14 · page 25 of 34
Life — November 14, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents a **French Babies' Fund**, a charitable campaign supporting orphaned French children during World War I. The top photographs show individual babies and toddlers who were beneficiaries—each assigned a number like "Baby 2675." The fund's mechanism is explained in detail: donors contribute $73 to support a destitute French child for two years, keeping the child with family rather than in institutions where survival rates were lower. The Fraternité Franco-Américaine (a Franco-American fraternal organization) managed distributions and corresponded with contributors about specific children. The bulk of the page lists donors by name and location—hundreds of Americans contributing to the cause. The satirical cartoon at bottom ("A Common Necessity") appears unrelated to the fund itself; it jokes about post-war profiteering schemes. This reflects WWI-era American philanthropy toward war-devastated Europe and domestic mobilization for humanitarian relief.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
YVONNE QUINTARD, BABY 2675 amount, so that the American Santa Claus could be prompt in his distribution of happiness. Besides, the advantage is not confined to the children. The toys are bought from inded French soldiers, and the useful little garments rom women and girls who, through the war, have to be self-supporting. Make it a dollar, ladies and gentlemen! We have received from acknowledged ..... eens tor Talking Machine Company Lunch Cub,‘ liss Helen Buchanan Holmes, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1 M. Hinkel, Berkeley, Cal... : tation Oliver Atherton and Charles Porter Atherton, Swamp: scott, Mass. s : Hi. Holladay, Cynthiana, Ry... < Lunsford, Roanoke, Va. : rence E, Bartlett, Providenc ie anor McKay, Buffalo, N. Y.. Tiss H.C. Cushing, East ‘Orange, No J. Irs. EL. Hardy,’ San Diego, Cal Irland Mrs. Charies B. Scott. Chicago » IL Burgess, Petersburg, Va... Ios ALY. Post, Englewood, ous friend,” Ironia, ile Rarig, Ironia, N. J... Friend,” Holiywood, ‘Cal ward Loeb, Albany, N.Y. cs Byrne, Scottdale, Pa ‘ and Mrs. C. H. Brownell, Peru, C. ON. Kimball, Ventura, Cal n J. Lichter, St. ‘Louis, “Vancouve Colo larold C. Brooks, Marshall, ‘arlson. Indiana Harbor, Ind...... die “Nichols, Springfield, Ohio : officers of the Provost Guard Company, Camp Pike, Ark. oceeds of a sale of toys made by the children at the Toledo Street playground, Logansport, Ind Sibeaveaae H. H.. New York Cit se cd'$. Cooper, Aspen, Colo. : rs. Henry A. Kimball. Concord co. L. Strayer, York. Pa argline and Roger Dixo: M. W., Lockport, N. ¥...... irs. William J. Sherwood, Rrooklyn, N.Y. Mrs. Alfred Hennen’ Norris, S." U. RF. - Postlethwaite, New. York City. :: Alice Meyer, Menlo Park, Cal..... MADELEINE LAURENDEAU, BABY 2984, AND HER COUSINS Laura Doney, Waupun, Wis... Mrs. J. M. Belcher, Wheeli Mabel Porter, Red “Bluff, Cal A. Frisbie Mitchell, Marion T. } Norwich, Conn. coat Mrs. C.E. Tilford, Tombstone, Ariz... Robert R. Friend, Irvine, Ky. z Mrs, Eva Wade Fowler, Hackettstown, N. J Frank Beckwith, Oakley, Idaho. Mrs. Robert B. ‘Livingstone, Detroit, Mich. Minna C. Smith, Atlanta, Ga......1. id Allen if.” Mitchell, . $1,300.13 THE PLAN OF TRE FRENCH BABIES’ FUND A contribution of seventy-three dollars provides that for two years a destitute French child, orphaned by the war, will be kept with its mother or relatives instead of being sent to a public institution, where its chances of survival are less than in a family environment. Dur- ing this critical period in the child's life its welfare is looked after and the funds disbursed by the Fraternité Franco-Américaine, an organization officered by eminent Freach men and women. Fraternité has committees in every part of France, who keep touch with the children and supervise details of management. Contributions of less than seventy-three dollars are combined until they amount to the larger sum. To those who are unable to con- tribute the whole seventy-three dollars at one time a child will be assigned under a pledge to complete this amount. As fast as Lire receives from the Fraternité the names and ad- dresses of the children and their mothers with parti lars of the father’s death and other inform: n, these are communicated directly to the contributors for the care of each child. Contributors wishing to correspond with the mothers should address them as “ Mme. Veuve (surname of the child) ” at the town and department given. A self-addressed envelope should be enclosed for reply. Contributors will be notified at the expiration of the two years, and be given opportunity to continue the support, if they so desire. The full amount of the funds received by Live is put into French exchange at the most favorable rate and remitted to the Fraternité with no deduction whatever for expenses. Under the present regula tions of the American Red Cross Lire is unable to forward packages to the children, Gifts of money we can remit with other fund Checks should be made payable to the order of Lire Publishing Company. Owing to the large amount of detail work connected with the fund, contributions are acknowledged only through Lire A Common Necessity E has a plan to make millions after the war.” “Melting up captured iron crosses for the Allies?” a patented ‘ Not-Made-in-Germany’ tag for mer- comicbooks.com