The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-06-06
RELIEF THROUGH THE
AMERICAN RED CROSS

headquarters Italian Army, May
15.-( Correspondence of the Asso-
ciated ss)-Arrival of relief from
America through the Red Cross
Agents behind the Italian front
along the Piave river, which section
is filled with refugees from the re-
gions invaded by Teutonic troops, is
greeted with evidences of fervent
gratitude and jubilation. This is true
not only because of the actual gifts
in money, food and clothing but be-
cause it signifies to the Italians the
fact that America is standing behind
time in their long conflict with the
Austrian invaders.
The aged priests at Castello-di-
Godega was so overcome by the unex-
pected donations from America that
he threw up his arms, knelt in prayer
and exclaimed, cit is a gift direct
from heaven"
Wherevere the Red Cross workers
have distributed their relief the
mayor and local committee directed
the succored families of that COM
mune to write to the soldiers at the
front and tell them what America has
done. The work of the Americans
was extolled and the people were told
that the United States was thus CO.
operating in close and practical ac-
cord with Italy.
In some cases huge posters have
appeared on the town walls with proc
lamation by the mayor announcing
what America was doing.
The misery which prevails among
the refugees in the provinces of Ire
viso, Venetia and Padua is most dis
tressing. Stopping at the little town
of Riesi, in a tour of this section,
there was chance to see one of these
communities of refugees in all it's
misery. 1t is strange community,
which has migrated as a whole from
its former home at Vidor, now held
by the enemy, to its present habita
tion of Riesi. Vidor is the village on
the cas- bank of the Piave which was
occupied by General Won Below and
his German troops, and when they
came these townspeople, with only
the clothes on their backs and few
household belongings, fled across the
Piave and settled down here. Most of
the refugees have scattered all over
Italy, but this is one of the few towns
that has held together in it's flight.
The parish priest led the way as
the Red Cross workers went on a
round of inspection to see just how
these people were living. The mayor
and the parish priest are usually con-
suited on this work, the latter be-
cause he is in touch with all the trou-
bles. Most of the people are reli-
,gious, but even those who are not to
get religious when they are in trou-
BILE, and everyone is in trouble here
They all knew him, and he made his
way through crowds of ragged chill
dren and the choked alleys of what
would have been a concentration
camp if it had been organized but be-
ing unorganized was only vast hive
VI ISluScSS III
In one room about Is feet square
I25 people were sleeping on straw
strewn over the earthen floor. The
place was stuffed with soiled ga--
ments, the pitiful remnants of what
these occupants possessed, and
reeked with vileness. Across the
court there was smaller room where
13 were sleeping, and in another
eight all huddled together on the
straw, women, children, babies and
their rags. All the outhouses, barns,
grain lofts, were utilized for sleep
ing quarters. There were few men,
for all the men have gone to the war,
4except the very old and very young.
/ Many of the women were very old.
with wizened hungry faces like
witches. A number of the women
carried babies. and all of them were
trailed by large broods of children
All these people had lost everything
Their clothes were in rags. Under
clothes and stockings had long ago
disappeared. Even the consolation of
work was denied to these people. for
there was nothing for them to do here,
and they stood about with their crowds
of children and babies. fighting to
keep off hunger and typhoid, and help
less in their misery.
AS a. result of the inspection the
Red Cross has started the work Of
ameliorating this condition, provid-
ing suitable sleeping quarters, with
sanitation and the nucleus of a hos
pital for the growing sick list.