New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-24
APPEAL TO COUNTRY
FOR WAR SUFFERERS
Christians, MoSIems and Jews
Join Hands in New York
for Relief.
OSCAR STRAUS AT HEAD
Red Cross and Red Crescent
Work as One to Help
Pest Ridden Con-
stantinople.


Representatives Of every Oriental or
ganization in the city, together with
officials of the National Red Cross and
Red Crescent met yesterday after
noon at tho home Of oscar straus
and made plans for a nationwide CO.
operative campaign for funds for the
relief OF the Turko-Balkan war vic
tins. The new organization, which will
be known as the American CONSTANT
Dople Relief Committee, marks the first
cooperative movement ever under
taken by the Occidental and Oriental
divisions.
Yesterdays meeting was largely the
result Of recent cable messages from
the front, appealing for aid and an
nouncing the total inability Of the
Red Cross and Red Crescent 10
cope with the situation in the East.
DR.. Richard Gotthell and Or. Talcott
Williams, OF Columbia; Dr. Haddad,
the treasurer OF the Rod Crescent,
the Turkish and Persian consul
generals and Solomon Schnasi were
among those who attended and assisted
in the launching Of the new committee.
As explained by Mr. Straus last
night, the present appeal for funds for
the relief Of the mass Of humanity now
herded within the walls Of the city OF
Constantinople. is essentially interna-
tional in it's character since no city
I'm the world IL so cosmopolitan Not
only are representatives Of every ma
tionality on the face Of the earth con-
gregated there, large colony OF Amer
lean residents and visitors included.
but every religion Is represented.
Christians Mahomotans, Jews and
Buddhists are being held IN the city
under martial law, with no possible
escape from the menace OF starvation
and disease
Recent dispatches indicate that at no
time since the CHmean war have there
been such scenes OF death and utter
generalization enacted as are now
taking place in Constantinople. The
great mosque II Ct Sophia IS only one
Of the public buildings whigh have been
filed with wounded soldiers and those
dying from disease. The American
Embassy has been transformed into a
hospital. and All average OF a hundred
soldiers day are being treated there.
on account Of the fearful and increas-
Ing loss Of life from disease alone, the
Sublime Porte. It is said. has strength
ened it's demands upon the powers for
Interference and cessation Of hostili-
ties.
I'VE make our appeal for funds, said
Mr.. Straus. upon the common claim Of
humanity alone. and the appeal is as
specific as IL is general, since repre-
sentatives OF every race and creed in
the world are involved. We have here
in New York thousands Of Eastern peo-
pies who are vitality interested. Nearly
every great business organization In
this country and in Europe has rest
dent representatives in Constantinople,
and the action Of the war has been such
that il has contributed 10 d crOwding
Of the city with refugees Of all sorts
within the last few weeks.
In the best OF times Constantinople
is poverty stricken 80 FAR as the great
mass Of It's residents are concerned.
Now, already weakened by starvation
and unusual harship, this population Is
helpless against the rayages OF disease.
and what relief they are to have they
must have quickly. So urgent are con-
ditions in the Turkish capital that we
have received requests to give such as
slstance as we can by cable only"
A committee. OF which DIR. Talcott
Williams IL chairman, was formed at
Yesterdays meeting TO urge the appeal
for Immediate funds. Other members
Of this committee are Mr.. schinasi the
Turkish Consul General, and Dr. Rich
ard Gottheil. OF Columbia University.
The committee received word yestor-
day that Ambassador Rockhill had sent
a cable message to the State Depart
mSut at Washington that the Red Cross
relief organization In COnstantinoplc,
under American supervision, had not
only supplied the Red Crescent with
complete outfits for several hundred
wounded soldiers in the military hos
pital at Tashltissla, but had also
equipped a ward in an operating room
and supplied surgeons, assistants and
nurses under the supervision Of Major
c. Sinclair Ford of the medical corps.
L. S. A. Missionaries are also at
tempting some relief. work among the