The evening times., 1896-05-06
CLARA BARTOA'S- ANXIETY
Bed Cross Worker in Turkey Makes
a Pathetic Appeal for Aid.
Declares the Impossibility Of With
drawing From the Field and Asks
That Promised Relief Be Sent.

| the corresponding secretary VI ouc
American National he'd Cross Society, re-
siding in this city, has received letter
| from Miss Clara Barton, which Will natur-
| ally attract instant attention. The COM
muinication is dated from Constantinople
April 10, and is as follows:
| II received both your and Stephen E.
| Barton's heavy-hearted and friendly let
| ters and they fell on soil about as heavy.
| could not understand bow II could be,
| for / knew we had done our best, and
| believed the best that could have been
| done under the circumstances and conditions.
I knew we held great, well-organz:d
| relief that would be needed, as nothing
else could be; that besides us, there was
| no one to handle that terrible scourge that
was settling down. No one here, no one to
come, that could touch t.
Il knew | was not interfered with; that
no restrictions nor propositions bad been
| imposed or even offered. That the govern
| ment was considcrate, and accorded all
l asked. But what had stirred America
| up and set IL, apparently, against us? The
| relief societies going to pieces and turn
| ing sad glanccs here. We could not under
| stand 1t.
Il did not wonder that you thought we
had best come home, still kne W we would
not; indeed, we could not. have a body Of
| relief on these fields, hundreds of miles
away in the nlountains-a thousand miles
from me-that could not dra W off in six
| weeks. The best we could all do, and if
| we were to, it would be to abandon ten
thousand poor, sick suffering wretches to
| fate that ought To shock the entire world.
n,-,t pia r-oI not
doctor, and no medicine among them. Whole
cities scourged and left {" their fate, people
to die without hand raised, save the three
or four rcsolute missionaries, tired, worn,
God-serving, at their pests until they drop
The civilized world, running over with
skillful physicians, and not one there. No
one To arrange to get them there, TO pay cx-
penses, take special cha rye and thus niakei it
possible for them to go.
And we. seeing that state of things,
holding in our grasp the relief we bad
been weeks preparing and organizing. in
anticipation of this. TO turn back. draw W off
our helpers, send back the doctors already
started, give all up. because somebody had
said something. the press bad Circulated IT,
the world had believed it: our disappointed
committees had ost henrt and grown sore,
struggling with an occupation rather new
20 them. and the people had taken alarm
and failed to sustain them. Was this all
there was of u.s. No purpose Of our own?
On change like the price of wheat On the
market?
.In the name of God and humanity, this
field must he carried; these people must
be rescued. Skill, care, medicines and food
for the sick must reach them. And II is
a glad sight to my soul to think of Turkish
troops taking these bands of doctors on
70 Marasch. They have done it, ami are
at this very moment marching on with
them to their field OF labor. What does
one care for criticism, disapproval or
approval. under circumstances ike these?
Don't he troubled. We can carry it.
We are fair fiGancers. not diSma we'd, and,
God helping. can save our hospitals.
"Dr. Hubbel has been at Marascb several
days, and will go on from there as soon as
the medical work is well established. We
are caii;ng all the PHYSICIANS from Beyrout
that can be gotten We think enough. can
heobtained. 1tisdcsirable that the medical
attendants he accustomed to the climate OF
the country, and, seemingly Indispensable.
that they speak some OF the langua ees of
litt people, aTIHeflEin. luTklSn or tIeek,
Mr. Wistar's party Is at Orfa, which was
one of the most injured places, and where
brave Miss Shattuck has so long struggled
alone. They sre distributing, and report
splendid success. They say they are met
with love EVERYWHERE There Is no de-
scrbing the Joy of these desolate people
at seeing body of strangers come TO do
something for them
THE parties will all go into the Har-
pnot region as soon rs they can get way
established for others to go through and
take supplies.
''Dr. Hubbell and Mr.. Mason were well
at last accounts. but tremble for them
in all that contagion. Mr.. Pullman is do
ing the work Of three men here as indeed
he must. TO keep the wheels moving.
81 inclose a slip which will explain to
you the conditions under which our peo-
pie move. Will write again soon. Frater-
nally yours. CLARA BARTON"