Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1909 — FOOD RUSHED TO ITALY DY NAVY [ARTICLE]

FOOD RUSHED TO ITALY DY NAVY

Fleet’s Christmas Ship Now Relief Vessel DISPENSE WITH RED TAPE Celtic Loads In Record Time and Probably Will Make Record Run Acroee the Atlantic to Stricken Citiea—Carries Tons Upon Tons of Subsistence Stores, Clothing and Shelter Tents. To Duplicate Feat Achieved In Martinique Disaster.

Washington, Jan. 1. —The United States supply ship Celtic, which waa to have met the returning battleship fleet with holiday oheer, sailed out of New York harbor on an entirely different mission, but without changing a single item of her cargo. She will go direct to Messina to give a million and a half of navy rations to the earthquake sufferers. The idea of changing the Celtic into a relief ship came to her Commander Harry McL. P. Huse. It met with the Immediate approval of Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich, commandant of the navy yard, who promptly communicated with the department at Washington. Red tape was cut out in a jiffy on the ground of humanity, necessary preparations were hurried at the yard, and the Celtic, with Christmas trees still lashed to the mastheads—it had been, designed to make the Celtic the Christmas ship for the fleet — steamed out of the harbor. Her supplies will not be eaten by American sailors, but by suffering survivors of the Calabrian and Sicilian disaster. Red Tape Forgotten. The navy department takes full responsibility for this sudden gift of supplies belonging to the United States government to the Italians, without warrant of law. It probably relies upon congress to approve of its action, but the expectations is that congress will be only too well pleased at this evidence of American pluck and of the "get there” qualities of the American navy.

Just as its ships were the first to reach Kingston after the West Indian earthqualv disaster, so the American naval flag on the Celtic may be the first to bring actual food supplies to Messina from any country, even, though we are 3,600 miles away. Certainly the ship has been dispatched to sea in record time —in less than eighteen hours after her captain conceived his humane idea.

A memorandum showing the location and proposed disposition of the Atlantic fleet is now before the state department for use when the decision is announced to offer the Italian government the assistance of these vessels, and their crews in caring for the sick and wounded. The navy department has asked the commanding officer of the Culgoa as to the condition of his stores, but after careful examination the officials are inelined to think there are no more aboard than are necessary to supply the larders of the sixteen battleships. Dispatched In Record Time. The Scorpion, which is ordered to render all service possible, will be particularly valuable, perhaps, to the American diplomatic and consular officers who may feel the necessity of using her in going from place to place in the stricken district. It is desirable that the American flag should be represented in Italian waters during these times. Ambassador Griscom will leave Rome today. As soon as he has organized and distributed the work at Messina, Mr. Griscom will return to Rome. He says in his dispatch he will be glad to have a few thousand dollars in case it is necessary for relief work. Edward Postpones Berlin Trip. London, Jan. I.—The Dally Mail announces that King Edward and Queen Alexandra have abandoned all idea of visiting Berlin in the spring. It is not stated whether the king’s health has caused the alteration in his plans.