Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-14
RED CROSS TO THE RESCUE
They Have Decided to Accept the Sacred Trust of Endeavorng to Relieve the Starv-
 ing Armenans.

Washington, Dec. 13.-The following official announcement was issued from the national headquarters of the Red Cross today:
 Owing to the unanimous and urgent appeals from the friends of humanity, representing nearly all of the people of this country, the American National Red Cross has decided that 1t must accept the sacred trust of endeavoring to relieve the starving Armenians in Asia Minor. According to conservative estimates there are 350,000 utterly destitute people in that country who will have to be as- i sisted six or eight months until the next harvesD.
 Fully realizing the difficulties and dan gers to be met, the Red Cross will start for Turkey as soon as sufficient funds are placed at its disposal or guaranteed to insure success. Funds may be sent to Miss Clara Barton, president and treasurer of the American National Red Cross, Washington.
 Authorized agents to receive funds and materials will be published in a few days.
 The Red Cross also suggests that goods, grain and other material may be sent by chartered steamers. AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS,
 CLARA BARTON, President.
 The final determination of the Amer1- can National Red Cross to go to the re- lief of the Armenians, though not wholly unexpected in view of the numerous ap- peals for such action which have come to them from every direction in the past few weeks, was not definitely reached until today, when it became apparent that if effectual aid was to be rendered it must be commenced at once, and no other benevolent organization in the world was in a position to successfully undertake 1t. The action of the society IS regarded by its executive committee as the most important any organization has ever undertaken. Nevertheless, never before have so many difficulties been pre- sented or such extensive measures been necessary For the first time the field or the famou Red Cross will be transefer- red to a foreign country, far from It's main base of supplies and abounding with dangers. The organization will be hampered by an utter lack of facilities for transporting food clothing and other supplies, by unfamiliarity with the lana and by general state of lawlesnesS that is known to exist in that part of Turkey. Notwithstanding the conditions. Clara Barton, in spite of more than fifty years service in benevolent work, has de- termined to go in person into Armenia and in person control the disbursement or the funds subscribed for Red Cross re- lief.
 The 6eQ CTOSS III luc Pdot lCW "SShSs ever since the pressure for it to under take the responsibility became too strong to resist, has been thoroughly consid- ering the character of the work required, and its estimate that 350,000 are abso- lutely destitute and starving is declared to be thoroughly conservative. While it cannot be determined until the field is reached how much money will carry these people over to the next harvest, missionaries who are familiar with the country and people think $5,000. 900 a fair figure Of course all this will not be needed at once. and the RedSCross off, cials at Washington are confident that whatever is needed will be forthcoming. They are in close touch with benevo- lently inclined people throughout the world and the appeals of which having reached them no doubt the people gen. orally will evince their practical sympa- thy with the movement.
 Miss Barton and her staff will be ready to leave for Turkey next week if success is assured through responses to the an- nouncement made today. It will take her two weeks to reach Constantinople and two weeks longer to initiate the ac- tua1 work of relief in Armenia. In the meantime at least a month of suffering and distress is inevitable She regards every moment lost as wasted and is now engaged in perfecting every possible de- tail of work that can be done in advance for announcement to the public in a few daxr