New-York tribune., 1895-12-14
RED CROSS TO THE RESCUE.
rr WILL TAKE CHARGE OF RELIEF
WORK IN ARMENIA.

MISS RARToN WILL GO TO sUPERlNTEND THE
DISTRIBUTION AND HOPES TO START NEXT
wEEK-AN APPEAL FOR MONEY
AND SUPPLIES.
Washington. Dec ls-The following official an
nouncement was issued from the Natonai hea'-
quarters of the Red Cross to-day:
Owing to the unanimous and urgent appeals from IN
the friends of humanity Representing near,y National
the people of this country the Amercan acceSt the
sacred trust Of endeavorng to relieve the s,aTys
Armenians in Asia Minor Aceordns aes,ne 20 peo
pie in that country who will have to be assiseF FuX 1
Or eight monthsunt the next hapves' ar Ss met T the
Red Cross will start for Turkey as soon a. su
Glen, funds are PLACED ns ss sy ms 81 to Miss
barton president and treasurer or the America"
National KSd agents to receive funds materials
will be published in few days the ,naT Ken material t
n,sv msy sSs bc Sent by chartered steamer. ,s
AMERICAN SIARA NAIloHAARFr oHARr6S 6SD President. Ps8
The final determination of the American Ma
t,onal Red Cross to go to the relief of the Ar
menians though not wholly unexpected IN view
of the numerous appeals for such action which
have come from every direction in the last iew
weeks was not definitely reached until To-Day
when II became apparent that If effectuai ala was
70 be rendered 1t must be begun at once anu
no other benevolent organization in the worio
was in a position TO undertake IL success u''''
The action of the society is considereu u! 10
Executive Committee the most important any
organization has taken. Never before have 80
many difficulties been presented or sun 49, 80
sive measures been necessary. For the his. uI,e
the field of the famous Red Cross VIII De trdns
ferred to a foreign country far from lts man
base of supplies ard ahounding win daheels,
The organization will be hampered Dy an u'.VI
lack Of facilities for transporting food, cloihins
and other supplies. by unfamiliarity with the
language and by the general state OF lawiesshess
that is known to exist in that part OF iurkTS.
Notwithstanding these conditions Clara Bar
Ton in spite Of more than fifty years service
In benevolent work, has determined 10 go III
person to Armenia and control the disbursement
of the funds subscribed for Red cross rehSI'
The Red Cross in the last few weeks, ever
since the pressure for IL to undertake the re-
spOnsibility became too strong 10 resist mas
been thoroughly considering the character OF me
work required. and Its estimate that 3oVVoo
people are absolutely destitute and starving Is
declared to be thoroughly conservative. Whhe
II cannot be determined until the field is reached
lust how much money will carry these people
over to the next harvest. missionaries who are
familiar with the country and people thlnk
5000 900 fair figure. OF course all TINS wii not
be needed at once and the Red Cross officials IN
Washington are confident that whatever IS
needed will be forthcoming. They are in close
touch with benevolent people throughout the
world. and the appeals that have leached them
leave no doubt that the people generally will
show their practical sympathy with the move
ment.
Miss Barton and her staff will be ready to start
for Turkey next week if success is assured
through responses to the announcement made
to-day. 1t will take her two weeks to reach
COnstantinople and two weeks longer 10 initiate
the actual work of relief IN Armenia. In the
mean time at least month of suffering and dis
tress is inevitable. She regards every moment OF
delay wasted, and is now engaged in per-
fecting every detail of work that can be done
In advance for announcement to the public in
few 0ays