The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-14

Armenians have suffered at the hands
of the unspeakable Turk.
observations have been made not in the
rural districts, where the most horrible
conditions are said to exist but right
here in Havana, under the shadow of ca
thedrals and churches, where SPANS au-
thority is absolutely unquestioned. The
world has heard with horror the story Of
the starvation of hundreds Of thousands
of innocent people on this island. but,
while the statement has been generally
accepted as true, there are those who
have refused to believe that a great gov
eminent was waging a war of extermi-
nation instead of a war of honor, con-
Quoted upon the high principles OF hu-
manity and bravery. / visited the or
phanage under the care of that sainted
woman, Clara Barton, who is being so
ably assisted by that remarkable physi-
clan, DR.. a. NJ. Lesser, surgeon-in-chief
of the Red Cross Hospital of New York
city. and his accomplished wife. II was
also my great privilege 10 meet there
Mr.. Louis Klopsch, proprietor of the
Christian Herald, under whose efforts the
money has been raised to carry on Miss
BartOns heaven-inSpired work, and who
receives help and encouragement from
his lovely wife who is here in person to
do what she can to alleviate the terrible
suffering that exists In connection with
the orphanage the dispeusary is main
tanned DIR. Lesser being ably assisted in
that work by a corps of Cuban physi-
clans. and every day hundreds of poor
creatures are assisted in that way. AT
present the orphanage contains about
fifty children. almost every one of whom
is the victim of starvation. suffering from
diseases directly traceable TO want of
food and imperfect nourishment. DR.
Lesser has had experience in the famine
in Armenia and I believe in India. and is
recognized as the highest POSSIBLE au-
thority on diseases of that kind.
~ have it from his own lips that the
famine in Cuba is worse than was that
in Armenia or any other of which he has
had knowledge and the pictures that he
drew of the terrible suffering from star
walton in the island fully confirm what
has been written on the subject by those
whose statements have been challenged
in some quarters. For most of my life |
have witnessed human suffering. but pic
lures of Indebtedness and anguish Were
photographed upon my brain today that
will never be effaced. After the visit TO
the orphanage was over | went with the
medicine gentlemen and others to Los
Forcas. the place where the reconcentra-
dos assemble to get food and shelter.
There is a large side yard. which was
filled with men. women and children. Il
motley. dilapidated. hungry looking
crowd. But sad as was the crowd out
side. it was nothing as compared with
that inside the building. The structure
is los by 40 feet two stories high. and
when, few weeks ago, Miss Barton dis
covered the place, there We're 645 people
lying on the floor, many of them entirely
nude and all suffering the pangs of star
walton. The children in the orphanage
were taken from that wretched abode,
and much has been done to alleviate the
condition of those who remain. Cot beds
have been furnished, clothing supplied
plain food distributed. medical attend
ance arranged for, and every effort Is
being made in their behalf. Still chill
dren are there-as gaunt and bony almost
as a skeleton. while again the sores that
come from insufficient nourishment and
the other deplOrable effects of starvation
are on every hand.