New-York tribune., 1909-01-05
CONGRESS VOTES HELP
ss00,000 FOR SUFFERERS.
President asked $500, ,O0O-Bottle-
shin Division Going to Naples.

Washington, Jan. 4.-Bountiful provision Tor
the earthquake sufferers of Italy was mace py
Congress to-day. The vote was unanimous. III
| the House there was vigorous handclapping as
| the bill carrying the appropriation was sent vi
its wav. The sum Of sSoOOOO granted al
most Immediately after the reception IN '''i
houses of a message from the President Gaining
| attention to the calamity and the pressing need
for aid for the stricken people of sister na-
| ton. The message follows
To the Senate and House Of Representatives.;
| The appalling calamity which has pe1ahei
the people of Italy Is followed by distress anu
suffering throughout wide region among many i
| thousands who have escaped with life, but
whose shelter and food and means OF living aIe
destroyed The ordinary machinery y,njt,es LII is
parayzed, and an exceptional emergency exlsts
which demands that the obligations OF humanity
! shall regard no limit of national lines
| The immense debt of civilization to Italy; the
| warm and steadfast friendship between fhat
native land felt by great numbers OF goou A1iI 1I
ican citizens who are immigrants from ltaly,
| the abundance with which God has blessed Us
| in our safety: all these should prompt US u
Immediate and effective relief - ~,
| Private generosity is responding nobly to the
| demand by contributions through the safe and
| efficient channel OF the American t'eu OioS9 ~
| ciety. ,s +,,a
Confident of your approval have ordered tne
government supply ships Celtic and Culgoa 10
| the scene of disaster where, upon receiving the
authority which ] ask from you, rhey VIII
able dispense 1000,
pIies with which they are laden to the value OF
| about $500 900. The Celtic has ALREADY sane,
and the Cugoa is at Port Said. Elght VesseIs VI
the returning battleshp fleet are aIreauy t uIiuet
| orders for italian waters, and that goVernineul
| has been asked il their services can be maoe
useful. A.,
7 recommend that the Congress approve the
application of supplies above indicated ana
further appropriate the sum or s5ooc1o 20 On
| of the Executive and with the consent OF tIe
Italian government l suggest that the law Iol.
| low the form of that passed after the MONT
reiee uiSsS'ei III THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Jan. 4, 1908
! The bill did not reach the President to-nlshI'
| the Vice-President and the Speaker not having
| signed It, The House had adjourned ana speak
| er Cannon had left the Capitol before the sen
| ate passed the measure. President HooseVet
will sign the bill as 1t reaches hiIl'
| probably tomorrow.
| No such generous help ever vas extended TO
| a stricken people by this government before.
| The legislators expecting the Presidents mes
| sage and filed with desire to vote for any
proposition which would bring relief. were early
| in their seats and prepared to take immediate
! action.
| Confident that the further contributions Of the
| American public would justify Its assumption OF
| responsibilitv in authorizing Ambassador Girls
| com at Rome to charter and load with supplies
| a relief vessel and also to transport refugees
| the American National Red Cross advanced the
necessary means wheTewith to meet the sug-
| gestion of the ambassador and his committee
| collected through the Red Cross alone. of
| which 100000 represents the advance referred
/ to, one-half of which The Christian Herald
| has agreed to raise.
RATTL LESHIPS GOING TO NAPLES.
The nrst division of Admiral Sperry's battle
| ship fleet has been directed to go to Naples TO
assist In the relief work The remainder of the
| no at
| Mediterranean at Admiral Sperrys discretion
! No other Italian port is to be visited by the
| ships.
Because the belief of the Prime Minister OF
/ Italy expressed in a message to-day In response
| to cable dispatch from the President TO Am
| bassador Griscom, transmitted last Saturday
| that the battleships will arrive at the scene OF
disaster too late to be of great assistance, con-
| ferences are being held with view to rear
ranging their sailing programme. especially as
II has been determined that visit to several
Italian ports where preparations were making
| for an appropriate reception would be Ill timed
| under the present circumstances.
The ships of the first division which are to
| go to Naples include the flagship Connecticut,
| Captain Osterhaus; the Kansas, the Vermont
| and the Minnesota. The original plan contem-
| plated that the Connecticut and the Vermont
should go to Villefranche on January IA and
| the Minnesota ana the Kansas 10 hdrSelileS oh
| the same date. In consequence Of the decision
| of the department there necessarily will be some
| rearrangement of the itineraries of some of the
other vessels. 1t is not supposed that Admiral
| Snerrv's first division will remain long at Ma
| p,es as by the time the ships arrive there the
| relief work will have been pretty thoroughly or
! ganized. The feet Is scheduled to arrive at
| Hampton Roads on. February -, and It was
said at the Navy Department to-day there was
no reason to suppose the change of plans would
delay its arrival
President Roosevelts tender to the italian
! government of the services OF the battleshp
| fleet was made on Saturday In the following
dispatch sent by Assistant Secretary Bacon to
| Ambassador Griscom at Rome:
| The supply ship Celtic. which sailed from here
! ~, Decenher 81, and the supply ship Culgoa,
| awaiting arrival OF the feet at Port Said. with
supplies for the fleet. have been ordered by the
| preridert 70 proceed to Messina to offer food
and medical supplies and ciothns' amounting 10
| shout $500 900 Eight battieships of the fieet
| now on their way to Italian waters due 20 ar
rive from Suez about January IA. according to
| former programme You VIII ascertain rom
| these or of any additional vessels or the neet
! can in any way be or use
CONTRIBUTIONS TO RED CROSS.
Contributions of money for the relief Of the
sufferers continue to pour into the headquar-
ters of the American National Red Cross and
the work In connection with the activities of the
society keeps It's staff here busy.
| sTo-day the subscriptions amounted to $49,1
! THE largest contributions were: Illinois branch
of the Red Cross, S10441; California branch.
| $4,000. District of Columbia branch. $4,000;
| Italian relief committee of Milwaukee. 5000;
| r,opnactycut branch S4G0: Rhode Island