Imperial Valley press., 1913-10-04
Awful Suffering
In the Balkans


bier and more humane civilization,
trust it may be demonstrated by a
prompt response to the cry of distress
that now comes to us from unhappy
/ Bulgaria. In these words, Lieuten-
ant General Nelson A. Miles, of the
! United States army, who recently re-
turned from Europe, where he BE-
held inconceivable misery, appeals to
his fellow countrymen through the
American Red Cross to relieve the
suffering of uncared for wounded SOL
diers and the despair of helpless and
homeless women and children.
The communication which the
American Red Cross received from
| General Miles is as follows:
CAS- charter member of the Amer
lean Red Cross, feel it a duty again
to call attention to the appalling de-
struction of life in the Balkans, the
desolation of large districts of coun-
try and the terrible condition of the
wounded, especially in the territory Of
Bulgaria, from whence / have just re-
turned. During the war with Turkey
the losses in killed and wounded we've
unprecedented. The Montenegro army
lost % per cent of the men engaged,
while the Bulgarian army lost $4,000
men. 1t is not necessary here, or nov,
to say who was responsible for this
war. Those who are responsible for
wars and railroad disasters are not
the ones who suffer. 1t is sufficient to
say that one of the most desperate and
destructive wars of modern times has
been fought within the last few
months, leaving whole districts of
country devastated. Every home and
harvest field was burned or destroyed.
At the capital of Bulgaria the rail
road officials reported that $4,000 dis
abled men have been received. | saw
the general and field hospitals all
overcroWded with wounded men, and
in one field there were 1000 wounded
men without shelter from the sun or
rain. The highest military officials
reported over 100000 men killed and
wounded in the Bulgarian army, and
it is reasonable to say that an equal
number was disabled in the opposing
armies. Every lady at the national
capital, including her majesty the
queen, was acting as nurse to relieve
the suffering.
81 saw more than 100000 refugees
who had fled from the cruel atrocities
of the invader. In one group of these
25 babies died in a single night from
exposure and starvation. Many of the
poor wounded soldiers have now no
homes, for their country has been
taken by foreign powers, and their
families, those who are still alive,
are wandering half starved among the
refugees. These facts give you a pic
ture of the inhumanity and crueltics
Of war. Those who suffer are often
in no way responsible. The reports
of atrocities have been exaggerated,
though some nave been committed
under the desperate excitement o.
fierce warfare.
eff we have reached higher,
nobler and more humane civilization,
trust it may be demonstrated by
a prompt response to the cry of dis
tress that now comes to us from un-
happy Bulgaria. No more urgent
case was ever presented than the
present, and no more urgent appeal
was ever made to the generous hu-
man spirit Of America than the one
now made to send aid to the Ameri-
can Red Cross at Washington to be
forwarded to her majesty the queen
of Bulgaria who is at the head Of
the Red Cross in that country.
Though their sufferings were no.
so great, and their means of relief
are ample, | would recommend that a
part, say one-fourth, be sent to the
Red Cross Of Servia.
With great respect
Very sincerely yours,
(Signed) Nelson A. Miles,
Lieut.. General United States Army"