The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-31
ANDERSON MISSION
IS READY TO SAIL
Prominent Richmondcrs Leave for
Balkan States As Red Cross
Emissaries


Colonel Henry w. Anderson, of this
city. who has organized a commission
to carry Red Cross relief to the Bal
kan states. was in Washington yester-
day perfccting plans for the TRIP
Three, and probably four other Rich
mond men will accompany him, They
are Captain Alexander Forward, oil
the state corporation commission, DR..
W r. -TheH4n sap4 stnr-nf- lark Lace
church. who will be given the rank
OF captain in the service; and Claude
r, Davenport, who will have the rank
Of first lieutenant in the service.
Jonathan Bryan will in all probab ility
Join the mission. His application for
membership has been accepted.
Colonel Anderson received the APP
pointment of commissioner to the
Balkans from the American Red
Cross His work. 1t Is said, will be
similar to that done by him on his
recent Red Cross mission to
Roumania-
Prior to his departure for Wash
ington yesterday, Colonel Anderson
made public the following statement:
II have been fortunate in securing
rs members of this staff Captain
Alexander Forward, DR.. w. Il.
Thompson. and Claude r. Davenport,
all from Richmond. in addition to
medical. sanitary and health experts
and experts In civil and military relief
who will be appointed from other
places. whose appointments will be
announced from Washington.
IT regret to have 30 leave home go
soon after my return from Roumania
and take up the work again in this
devasted area. 1t is proba BILE, how
ever, that the suffering in the Balkan
states will be greater in the next few
months than in any section OF the
world. with the possible exception OF
Russia. and the need of constructive
help is greater among these people
than elsewhere.
Should the war continue and the
activities be resumed on the Eastern
front in the spring. /, will he neces-
sary to provide hospital and other
facilities for the armies of our allies
operating in that area. for which
adequate provision should be made
II the war terminates. the critical
period Of reconstruction begins.
The seat OF the trouble out OF
which this war grew has been the
Balkans and the proper adjustment Of
the future Of those states - Of i'm
mense Importance in it's effect upon
permanent peace. The measure Of
our success In the war will he our
ability to meet the demands for CON
struciive work following the return
of peace. To do this we must now
meet the calls Of these people upon
our resources and Efforts and demon
strate to them that the era OF "A new
civilization and new ideals in interna
ttonal relations has in fact arrived
It would seenl therefore. that these
conditions present a call for puhiic
service and impose personal and
national obligation second only TO that
Of the soldiers in the breaches.
The American Ped Cross is one Of
the greatest constructive agencies in
this war. If IT'S obligations can he
fully met IN all sections Of the world
then we will be able, through this
agency. to Law deep in the hearts Of
the peoples OF alt nations the founda-
ton for JUST and lasting peace. This
work will not be concluded with the
termination NJ hos'iIiiies, in fact its
most important .tase viii then he
begun.
Conditions in the Balkan states.
consisting Of Greece, Ssrvia. Albania.
Montenegro Bulgaria and Roumania,
are very bad. owing 10 the fact that
these states have been involved in
war for nearly seven years. the Bal-
kan wars OF tafe and 1918 having
preceded the present world war
- Nearly an ~ Z h e, terrSfors,ss,f these
states has recently heen- evacuated
by the armies OF the central powers
The central powers have withdraw
their armies and Red Cross organiza-
tons from bulgaria leaving that
country destitute, and the territory
formerly occupied in Serria Monte
negro, Albania and Northern Greece
il in a similar situation. The enemy
still occupy Rouma MIA, hu, tn, con-
ditions in that state are very bad
and II Is anticipated that IT may soon
be evacuated. when it will he In
urgent need OF assistance
Under these conditions. the de-
naand for the services and assistance
of the American Red Cross liz most
urgent and imperative Missions have
already been sent to Servia and
Greece. but these are local. and 1, IL
desirable that the work he extended
throughout the entire territory of the
Balkans and the activities OF these
missions. rs well as other personal
which may be sent out. be co-ordinat-
ed so AS TO produce the best results"
With this object IN view, the Amer
lean Red Cross requested Colonel
Henry w. Anderson. to accept APP
pointment as comm issioner to the
Balkan states and 10 go out with
an adequate staff and take charge Of,
organize and coordinate this work