Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-12
Section. IVY

- F . 1.H 4. A. r
Two reports reaching the Red Cross
from Leghorn on different dates illus
trate both the particular needs OF the
fugitives. the marshalling of sympa-
thy which made great practical gains
in each locality as the month advanc.
ed. and incidentally the way Ameri-
cans dovetailed into the situation.
Here, by mid-November, the number
Of refugees were such hat the last lot
had been@put on the floor Of the Col
doni rtheater. 1#
Like refugees reaching Leghorn,
each had a straw mattress and a
blanket. Food was very short, and
work for the refugees had, much OF
1t bee done at random. To make
American help count and at the same
time help organize the situation, the
American consul undertook the dis
trtbution Of clothes. milk and cocoa
in two refugees sheltering 900 people.
The first report is from a Red Cross
inspector on November II:
Great need for condensed milk,
rice, sugar for babies. Most needed
in way Of clothing: Mems and boys
suits n underwear, women's under
wear. blouses. hygienic linen hand
kerchiefs, shoes (big sizes). The
amount of clothes needed required
cannot be found or the place, the
shops having been exhausted by the
for the women, who r in neglected
state. also thread and needles. The
lot Of clothes sent from Rome has ar
rived: the blankets. not yet. The con
sui has written today to the manu-
facturer. He will have 500 of them.
The pregnant women, whom I count
ed up to 40. will be in Tue time taken
care Of by the maternity. Layettee
needed. the maternity giving only
and insect powder needed"
The Second Report.
The second is from the consul, six
days later, on November %:
Yesterday we distributed over 100
packages to men and women at
Borgo C%apuccini. When the distribu-
ton was over a shout went up from
all the refugees. 1t was like applause
IN a theater after an excellent rendi-
ton of mlsic--a lull for a minute, and
then the Vutburst. It came after each
woman had received her package and
examined the contents. She realized
that great care had been taken to give
her just what suited her. There was
no confusion. The number on each
package corresponded to the plumber
~ e"S III lIe pdChdS0S LOT
women were two undershirts, an I'M
derskirt, a blouse, a small shawl, a
bandana for the head, an apron, WOOL
len yarn and needles for making
stockings.
1.-THE ideal way would be to have a
package contain a complete outfit and
then send the refugees in groups of
20 to the baths. Have them take a
not bath using plenty Of soap, put on
the new clothes and leave the old to
be distntected and washed and return
ca t them. 1 have arranged with
the hospital here for baths, disinfect-
ing and washing. I could not wait to
do this with the refugees at the Borgo
'Clapuccini. However, when I shall
have completed their outfits, I will
send them for a bath as above stated.
I have cards ready for c.antiere
Galinare (now about 500 refugees, ex-
pect 300 more there), Miss Re-.
tEnglish) and Miss S........ (Ameri-
CAM are there nov examining each
woman and child and making notes
as to the size of each woman etc, so
that in connection with the card sys-
tenn. a complete outfit may be pack
ed suitable for each person and dis
tributed without confusion. Have
supplied large and small combs to
all women and also 900 cloths, six to
each. They were in great need Of
same. Just received invoice for l.
600 shirts. Will go to Pisa tomor-
row."
The Red Cross committee which
traversed the belt through which this
stream of refugees was vet in process
saw the varying provisions for them
and carried their enquiries into points
of destination in the south, recorded
first of all their ''deep and lasting
impression of the magnitude, the seri-
BUSINESS and the heart-rending tragedy
of the refugee problem with which
Italy has had to heal" From the
refugees themselves they heard the
story after story Of what befel them
after they left their homes in the
FriuH and these they summed Up as
follows:
Tales Of Terror.
Women with young children and
the sick, like others came away sud
denly, families often separated, usu-