The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-14
RED CROSS TO THE RESCUE.
CLARA BARTON TO TAKE UP THE
CAUSE OF THE ARMENIANs.

Five Million Dollars the Amount Es-
timated as Necessary to Help Carry
the 35O,OOO Homeless and Starving
People Through the Winter
gIonths-The Society to Take Up
the Work Under Many Disadvan-
tages.
Washington. Dec. 1S.-The following Of
fetal announcement was issued from the
national headquarters of the Red Cross
to-day:
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 it must accept the
sacred trust of endeavoring to relieve the
starving Armenians in Asia Minor. Ac-
cording to conservative estimates there
are $4,000 utterly destitute people in that
country, who will have to be assisted six
or eight months Wntil the next harvest
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 in
sure success.
ton president and treasurer of the Ameri-
can National Red Cross, Washington,
d. C.
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 steamer.
American National Red Cross,
Clara Barton, President.
The final determination of the Red
Cross to so to the relief of the Armenians,
though not wholly unexpected. in view of
the numerous appeals for such action
which have come to them from every di-
rection in the past few weeks, was not
definitely reached until to-day, when it
became apparent that if effectual aid was
10 be rendered it must be commenced at
once, and no other benevolent organtza-
ton In the world was in a position 20 sue
cessfully undertake 1t. The action of the
society is regarded by its executive com
ganlzation has ever undertaken. Never
before have so many difficulties been pre-
sented, or such extensive measures been
necessary. For the first time the field of
the famous Red Cross will be transferred
10 foreign country far from its main
base of supplies and abOundng with dam
gers. The organization will be hampered
by an utter lack OF facilities for trans
porting food, clothing and other supplies
Dy unfamiliarity with the language and
by general state of lawlessness that is
known to exist in that part of Turkey.
Notwithstanding these conditions, Clara
Barton, in spite of more than fifty years
service in benevolent work, has deter
mined TO go in person into Armenia and
control the disbursement of the funds
subscribed for the Red Cross relief. The
Red Cross in the past few weeks, ever
since the pressure for 1t to undertake the
responsibility became too strong to resist
has been thoroughly considering the
character of the work required, and its
estimate that $4,000 people are absolute
ly destitute and starving is declared to
be thoroughly conservative. While il
cannot be determined until the field is
reached how much money viii carry these
people over to the next harvest, mis-
siOnaries who are familiar with the coun-
try and people think $5,000,0OO fair figure.
OF course all this will not be needed at
once, and the Red Cross officials in Wash
ington are confident that whatever is
needed will be forthcoming. They are in
close touch with all benevOently inclined
people throughout the world, and the
appeals that have reached them leave
no doubt that the people generally will
evidence their most practical sympathy
with the movement.
Miss Barton and her staff will be ready
TO leave for Turkey next week if sue
cess is assured, through responses to the
announcement made to-day. 1t will take
her two weeks to reach Constantinople
and two weeks longer to initiate the ac-
tual 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
detail of the work that can be done in
advance for announcement to the public
in a few days.