The San Francisco call., 1896-11-23
Noble Work Done by the
Representatives of
the Red Cross.
Food and Medicine Given to the
Prosecuted Race of
Armenians.
There Is Yet Much to Be Done in
Relieving the Distress of the
A Fl cted Christians.

WASHINGTON, DC, Nov. 22.-Graphic
and complete reports of the American re-
lief expedition to Asia Minor last winter.
spring and summer, under the Red Cross,
have been made by Miss Clara Barton,
president, and the officers and agents
associated with her in the mission of
mercy. The reports have been completed
and will soon be published. That of Miss
Barton is quite extensive, covering in a
general way the work of the several expe-
ditions sent out from Constantinople, the
details of which their leaders supply. Miss
Barton 5 references to the attitude of the
Turkish Governments toward the relief
work she directed are interesting and val
liable, and will have considerable inhu-
ence on public opinion.
The work undertaken by the American
Red Cross had its inception in the reports
of the terrible sufferings endured by the
Armenians and from requests of Rev.
Judson Smith of Boston, secretary of the
American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions, and of Spencer Trask,
connected with the National Armenian
committee organized in New York.
The party sailed January % on the
steamship New York under grave uncer-
tainty as to the Red Cross representatives
being permitted to enter Turkey. The
Turkish Minister'S pronunciamento was
found to be official upon arrival at South
ampton, with the proviso, however, that
such persons as United States Minister
Terrell designated would be received. The
general field agent was dispatched to Cor
stantinople to confer with Minister Ter
Ill l. ID
party remained in London. The confer
ence being satisfactory Miss Barton pro-
ceeded to COnstantinople, reaching there
February 15, NEE ting cordial reception
from the United States officials and from
the missionary board of Constantinople,
to which she refers with much feeling and
respect.
Her first interview with Tewfik Pasha,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, in the pres
ence of Miss Terrell, in which Miss Bar
ton explained the objects of the mission
OF herself and associates, is especially in
terestlng and exhibits the Turkish states
man In an attitude quite attractive.
AS will be generally remem bered, the
pronunclamento prohibiting the Red
Cross from going to Turkey was the natu-
raj result of the free expression of our
opinions In public Assem- bIages and
through the press. SO at the beginning
OF the Work considerable delay in
sending out the first expedition, arranged
in less than one week after arrival, was
caused by the receipt at the Turkish Gov
ernment In ConstanIinople of QUANTITY
OF American newspaper clippings adverse
In tone 10 the Turkish administration.
The Government censor wanted to know
what they all meant and whether they
had any connection with Miss Barton's
work hPfOrQ rmiftInn har 10
Translatlons showed that there was
nothing official in the publications. The
request for delay was withdrawn.
Ihe relief was then carried into the dis
tressed districts by their five expeditions.
under charge of DR.. Hubbell, E. M. Win
stor and G. K. Wood. DR.. Ira Harris of
TripoH, Syria, in aid of the work. took
charge of the medical relief in Saitoun and
Marash, where 10000 people were stricken
with contagious diseases
These expeditions penetrated the interior
at distance OF Thousand miles from
Constantinople, going in at the Medi-
terranean and out at the Black Sea, cross
ing the Taurus Mountains and the
Euphrates in both the SHOWS of winter
and the suns of midsummer.
Miss Barton speaks OF the labors of her
associates on these expeditions with sim
cere approval, paying them a high COM
pliment for their faithfulness and devotion
IN the face OF almost iuconceivable diff
culties, which confidence and goodwill is
manifestly not without return on their
part.
Miss Barton returns thanks to the press
OF the United States, to all contributors to
The relief funo, to the National Govern
ment, especially to the Secretaries of State
and OF the Navy, all the officials of the
United States legation in Constantinople.
and to the ambassadors of England. Ger
many and Russia for substantial aid in
carrying out the purposes OF the mission.
In conclusion Miss Barton saws not
wIthstanding all that has been done
through all agencies infinitely more re-
mains to be done by some one. Between
the Archipelago and the Caspian Sea. the
Black Sea and the Mediterranean" she
says, ''are to-day living a million and a
half of people of the Armenian race. ex-
isting under The ordinances of at least
standardization and protesting the re-
ligion of Jesus Christ. According to the
stated estimate of intelligent and Impair
tial observers of various countries and
concurred in by our own agents. whose
observations have been unrestricted. from
100 900 to 100000 of the persons-men.
women and children-are destitute of raj
ment, fire, food, medicines and the COM
forts that tend to make human life pre.
servable, or any means of obtaining them.
save through the charitable benefic ence of
the world"