Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-16
100000 Are Victims Of Out.
RACES Since Balkan War .
Ended

London, Jan. 15.-Noel Luxton, a
member of parliament and prominent
in connection with past Balkin re-
liefs, tonight gave the Examiner cor
respondent a letter received in London
today from William Phelps, head Of
the Balkan relief fund. Mr.. Buxton
will shortly publish an appeal for
funds for the Balkan relief and this
letter will be made a prominent. fea-
ture of the report. The letter, dated
Sofia, December q, as follows:
There is no question but that
thousands of Bulgarians have been
robbed and killed by the Turks. Many
of these Ontrages have occurred since
the signing Of the treaty at C%onstan-
tinople. In fact, more than 100000
another since this date.
when ! was in Western Thrace |
saw many hundreds of Bulgarian re-
fugees who had just arrived from diff
ferent parts. They were all in a de-
plOrable condition. The Turkish an-
IllOllIlcS IluhEs III NoIIlI oIIlA6C ChOy
just swoop down and raid a Bulgarian
village, often carrying off many Of the
young women and always taking O
ey and valuables.
Village is Wiped Out.
"In many Of the villages of the Te-
hatalja district the Turks entered the
village and gave the Bulgarians just
one hour to leave on the penalty of
death. The poor creatures were glad
to escape with their lives, and were
only able to take such articles as
they could carry on their backs 1t is
the same old story of Turkish me-
thods.
"0na of the most glazing examples
of cruelty and depravity was shown
at Mustapha Pasha, where not a sin
gle house or church now remains
standing Of the several hundred which
made up the village. Not only was the
town completely destroyed, but every
one of the many trees nearby, which
were used in connection with the
large and thriving silk industry, were
destroyed. Nearly all of the Bulgarian
villages through which the Turks pass
ed in their last advance suffered the
same treatment. Remember that all
this occurred after the peace treaty
had been signed.
Real Fact Suppressed.
"The curious thing is that although
this must certainly be known in Off
cial circles and is generally known
and discussed publicly, yet no official
report has ever been made to any Of
the powers. And as far as the news
papers of Europe being filled with the
outrage, we all know that the reverse
is true. The truth is that every ef-
fort is made to suppress the real facts
both in official circles and by the Euro
pean press.
''This is done because several of
the powers are anxious to keep friend
ly with Turkey and to isolate Bulgar-
ian in international affairs. The situa-
zion is at present calm on the. surface
but the deep-roore hatred of the
Greeks may precipitate trouble any
time. The situation needs a steady
hand and calm head to guide it
through the present difficulty.
Descending Winter Feared.
From my observations | feel certain
that more than 0 $1,000 we're made
homeless by the war, and it would
cost the government $40, 900 a day to
just feed these refugees. The 1ues-
ticn of housing these people and pro-
viains permanent homes fer then is
a problem which will o occupy wise
statesmen for a generation. The ques
ton IS, will it be done? ,
What is wanted is peace, wise
craftsmanship and money, but unhap-
PLY there is neither, and, in fact, con
siderable uncertainty about all. We
have hundreds of thousands of home.
less people, al half-clad and starving.
The women and children abe i'll.
nourished and haggard. With the bit
ter winter descending upon them they