Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-24
UNITED STATES SENDS AID.
Condition of Wounded Pitiful-Red
Cross Sends 5000.

Washington, Dec. 24.--Following
peremptory warning to President Mad
riz that the United States will hold
him personally responsible for the
safety of Americans in the western
part of Nicaragua, the state depart
ment last night extended more than
moral encouragement to the revolu-
tionists.
Under orders from Secretary Knox,
the American Red Cross funds are to
be expended in caring FOR the sick and
wounded troops on both the Estrada
and Zelayan armies, more than 1000
of whom are incapacitated in Blue
fields.
This move on the part of the United
| States is expected to be more efficaci-
Gus than the dispatch, OF strong force.
| Bread instead of bullets" is the watch
word of the state department and it is
| generally believed that the prospects
of food and medical attention will win
over more men from the government
ranks than any other plan that could
be adopted.
| According to the latest reports the
medical corps of the various war ves-
sells now at Bluefields has installed hos
pitfalls ashore, where scores are being
cared for
| The procession of sick and Wounded
men thru the town is said to be pitiful,
and altho Estrada is doing everything
in his power to relieve the suffering his
resources are meager. With view to
relieving the situation, Secretary Knox
last night consulted with the American
Red Cross and Immediately afterward
sent the following dispatch to Thomas
H. Moffat, United States consul at
Bluefields:
Red Gross to Send $4,000.
"The American National Red Cross
will telegraph you tomorrow. the oath
$4,000, and they will send another So
900 if needed. Navy department has
instructed Captain Shipley to land
whatever supplies can be furnished
from our ships now at Bluefields, and
orders will be given the Priarie, now al
Colon, to transport Immediately tc
Bluefields from the stores intended foi
the marines, or from the Panama cana
commissary department, such supplies
as you may ask for within the limit
of $4,000 to be cabled you tomorrow
You will CO. operate with Shipley in the
distribution of supplies, payment 70,
all of which, both those landed from
ships at Bluefields and those sent from
Colon, will be recouped fro., Red Gross
fund"
The dispatch of this telegram follow
ed close on the receipt of report from
Consul Moffat depicting the state o
i affairs. in Bluefields.
His story of the suffering of the de-
feated Zelayan soldiers was brief. bu
graphic. 1t read:
1.-TWO thousand starved, emaciatet
prisoners have been brought here from
Zelaya's surrendered army The sigh
of the sick and weary tottering thr,
the streets is horrible; half are mer,
boys. The emergency hospital estab
lished by the Des Moines and Tacom;
contains ninety wounded; the city hos
pital sixty. Few of the surrendere,
i army had shoes or blankets. Score
were almost naked; all are in pitt
able condition. Estrada is furnishin,
them with blankets, clothing. shoes an,
food as best he can. Flour, beans, rice
sugar, coffee, and condensed milk ar
Il needed instantly to feed the starving
Zelayan soldiers Disease and dealt
| threaten unless they are properly givel
the best of food and care.
4 '"The great and sudden demand TO
proper clothing and food for the suffer
. ing is a problem for the provisiona
government whose resources are ex
: hausted. Their own men. numbering
5000. are well fed and clothed, bu
they can not find means whereby t
care for their increasing burden.