The American Red Cross Magazine (Vol. 8, No. 2, April 1913)American National Red Cross
History
The American Red Cross Magazine (Vol. 8, No. 2, April 1913)
American National Red Cross
American National Red Cross -- Periodicals; Red Cross and Red Crescent -- Periodicals
I am writing this letter also as a sort of report, any material of which
you are at liberty to use. You have already received, I understand, a
copy of the “Independent,” describing the work of the “Societe de Secours
aux Refugies.” This is a quite modest and impersonal description of
the work of Mr. Haskell, Mme. Christo Hajji Lazaro and the association
whom they have gathered, namely, Pastor Brunau, Mme. Yenny, the wife
of a Swiss merchant; Sister Augustine of the Catholic Mission, and
lately Mr. van Bommel. They began at once the collection of funds, the
investigation of the condition of the refugees and the giving of bread.
It must have been a terrible task to locate 50,000 refugees, scattered
as they were all over the city, and still more so to inaugurate a system
of distribution, for the imams of mosques and the former Mouhtars of
different districts tried in every way to turn the funds into their
own pockets. But by frequent and tiresome inspections a fair degree of
efficiency is now maintained. The committee has now the aid of three
native pastors, who are proving very effective in tracing irregularities,
removals and other changes.
[Illustration: HOSPITAL IN CONSTANTINOPLE IN CHARGE OF GERMAN OFFICERS.]
[Illustration: TASH-KESHLA HOSPITAL, CONSTANTINOPLE.
FRONT ROW (BEGINNING FIFTH FROM LEFT)—MAJOR FORD C. S. A.; TURKISH
DOCTOR; MADAME DEPAGE IN NURSING COSTUME; UNKNOWN LADY; MARCHIONESS
PALLAVACINI, WIFE OF AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR; MRS ROCKHILL, WIFE OF AMERICAN
AMBASSADOR; DR. DEPAGE.]
This group of people has thus far had to confine its activities to
the giving of bread, the most immediate necessity of the unfortunate
“muhajjirs.” For a long time they gave at the rate of 9 ounces per person
per day, surely a minimum ration. Since this week it has fortunately been
possible to raise the rate to 12 ounces a day. Four distribution centers
are operated, the people coming to these places for their allowances. At
the one where I am working we are now distributing 2,700 loaves a day.
The total daily distribution is 8,000 loaves and costs a little over 100
Lt. a day.
In certain directions the financial support has been very encouraging.
The largest giver, unofficial, of course, is the Greek government, which
has put into the hands of this society about 180,000 francs. Queen Olga
has in addition given the good sum of 40,000 francs out of her own purse.
From Holland came, as the result of an unsolicited appeal from the Dutch
Red Cross Mission here, 25,000 francs. The American Red Cross is credited
with about Lt. 350 and about 7,300 francs have come to Mr. Haskell from
friends in Switzerland. So up to the present the work has been maintained
without a deficit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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