Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 136, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1919 — Red Cross Workers Aid Exiled Greeks [ARTICLE]

Red Cross Workers Aid Exiled Greeks

Athens. —In its work in the Greek islands the. American Red Cross has the co-operation of the United States navy. Six submarine chasers have been assigned for transporting personnel and supplies.* On the Island of Mytilene are 52,000 Greeks, who fled there from Asia Minor five years ago. Red Cross workers are regularly visiting all the towns and clothing has been given to about 20,000 of the refugees. At tiie outbreak of the war, In 1914, there were 3,000,000 in Asia Minor. More than 500,000 escaped to the islands in the Aegean. Thousands were massacred. Armed bands of Turks roamed the couiftryside, plundering and murdering Greeks wherever

found. The others, driven out of their homes and sent inland, are now returning, to find their homes either destroyed or occupied by Turks. The refugees in the Aegean Islands intend to return to Asia Minor as soon as conditions permit. At present the Greek government gives each refugee six cents a day. The Red Cross is devoting much attention to the prevention of further epidemics, such as the typhus scourge, which took such a heavy toll at Mytllene. Food is scanty and costly, and most of the refugees are underfed, even in the Idrge towns.. Nearly all are in rags. The hospitals are short of medicines and other supplies, and have been crowded by Ihfluenza'cases. Clothing, blankets and medicine are needed on all the Islands. Canned meat for broth is wanted in the hospitals. American women run the worshops where clothing is made on the three Islands of Mytilene, Chios and Samos. 22,000 In Town of Mytilene. Of the 52,000 refugees on Mytilene 22,000 are in tlie town of Mytilene and its suburbs; the others are Scattered about in 62 villages. Of the 20,000 refugees on Crlos part are sheltered in old houses and the rest in wooden barracks, divided with bagging and old carpets into “rooms,” each accommodating a family of from five to ten persons. The Islands of Lemnos, Imbros, Tenetjos and Samothrace are served with Red Cross supplies from Mytilene; Olnousa fs served from Chios, and Ucanla from Samos. The American R&d Cross agent* were received at Mytilene with the greatest enthusiasm. The horses were unhitched and the carriage drawn by a cheering crowd tQ the residence of the governor general, who commandeered a private home and placed it at thell disposal. r .