The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-01-22
THE RED CROSS.


Its Loving ILLUSTRATIONS Cannot Be Car
ried On in Turkey.
Washington. Jan. l4.-The Turkish
legation gave out Monday afternoon
the following:
THE imperial government win not per,
nit any distribution among his subjects.
in his own territory. by any foreign So
ciety or individuals. however respectful BILE
they may be las. for instance, the Red
Cross society. Of money collected abroad.
Such interference no independent govern.
ment has ever allowed. especially when the
collections are made on the strength Of
speeches delivered in public meetings by
irreconcilable enemies Of the Turkish race
and religion. and on the basis of false ac-
cusations that Turkey Iepudiates Be-
sides, the sublime porte is mindful of the
true interests of its subjects. and, dis
tinguishing between the real state of
things and the calumnies and wild exag-
gerationS of interested or fanatical par
ties. will, as ii has done heretofore, under
its own legitimate control alleviate the
wants of all Turkish subjects living in
certain provinces, irrespective of creed or
race"
Washington, Jan. 15.-Miss Clara
Barton, president of the Red Cross So
ciety, after consideration of the emana-
lions from the Turkish government
through its legation here said to re-
porter Tuesday evening:
1.-THE movement of Armenian relief did
not originate with the Red Cross. The first
appeal for the Red Cross TO act came from
the missionary boards of Constantinople
and were brought to il from the various
committees of this country asking that
the Red Cross consent to distribute the
relief funds of America and Armenia To
these and other bodies as well as repre-
sentative citizens We made two conditions:
First that the request be unanimous from
the people of the entire country, regardless
of religious. sectarian or other denomina
lions, in order that there should be perfect
harmony of action; second, that sum OF
money sufficient to do credit and honor to
the United States and adequate to the RI
lief desired should be placed at our dis
posal TO distribute.
ct was decided that the first condi-
ton, that of unanimity, was more than
complied with. and on the 14th of December
the Red Cross accepted the trust on rea-
sonable assurance that the second proviso
would be met On the 9Th of January the
guarantee of funds was assured by the
national committee, as We had previously
corresponded by cable with the interna-
tional committee of Geneva, the official
head of all the Red Cross treaty nations,
and learned that 1t had no objections to
our acceptance of the trust
AS all conditions were thus complied
with, we had no option left US but to con-
sent to set sail within two weeks, the
time named by the committee, which, as q
duty, We were perfectly ready and willing
to do, however hazardous and pitiless the
task before US. AS Is the weL-known
custom of the American Red Cross, we
had no part in the raising OF money; we
were simply asked to take and distribute
America funds. We have, from the first,
given no expression of opinion, either pub
lie or private, which, in accordance with
the neutral principles of the Red Cross,
we neither could nor desired TO 90.
"On the 18th of January a statement
reached headquarters that the imperial
government OF 1urney would not permit
any distribution among his subjects
in his own territory by any foreign So
ciety or individuals, however respectable
Red Cross society. of money collected
abroad
"A careful perusal of the context of the
statement will show that the Turkish gov
erInent is not antagonistic to the Red
Cross as such, which 1t recognizes as a
part of its own treaty and for which in its
statement II publicly expresses its respect,
but objects to the distribution of foreign
relief on entirely different grounds. neither
in it's power nor in ours to control We
also desire to add that any publication to
the effect that the Red Cross is aggressive
in the matter and intending to act in spite
of authority or cooperation is entirely in
correct, and that any statements convey
ing that meaning in the slightest degree is
not official and has not been made nor sug
geSted, even in spirit, by any officer or
member OF the Red Cross"