davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Weeping for Dead
And Captive Daughters

That terrible siege was prolonged
for five months, and followed by an
ether flight from the city. What
seemed unendurable for week had to
be lived with for more than twenty
weeks. and six months passed before
the last groups of the terror stricken
people would believe that the Russians
had come to stay, and so take their
departure to the scene of their former
homes. Practically all of them re-
turned to find their homes in ruins
and all their possessions carried off by
the Moslems. Families were broken
beyond repair, and there are many
mothers who weep less for their dead
than for the daughters who have gone
into captivity which they deem worse
than death.
Naturally. the experience has put a
rev Interpretation upon christianity
in region where doctrinal and histori-
cal questions and bitter sectarianism
took precedence of Unselfish ministry
to friend and foe alike. 1t is one vivid
instance Of how the war is changing
religious conditions arou1d the world.
lcopyrlsht 1918. by the I'LL Scrylce)
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
1000 Died During
Siege; 4S a Day

Of course, there were many deaths,
the total reaching forty-eight in one
day The entire number of deaths dur
ing the siege on the American prem
iscs was four thousand. The disposal
of the corpses, as Of the other wastage
of that unspeakable scene, was a prob
lem of large dimensions, taxing Ameri-
can rcsourcefulness. Two thousand
persons were i'll at one time with the
various epidcmics that raged-typhus,
typhoid, dysentery and measles. The
mortality which followed the dry bread
diet for little children was heart
breaking. Yet through it all moved
those serene, efficient American men
and women, who were thus fulfilling in
unexpected form the mission of SER
vice upon which they had come to this
remote corner of the earth. Their
work has proved to be religious con-
tributlon OF first magnitude. in its in
i'uence upon Christian and Moslem
alike.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
The Memory Of
Noble Deeds

But a great and impershable mem
ory of good deeds nobly done attaches
to Messines, and thousands of men
VIII recall them as long as they live.
But for them, indeed, many Of the
men might never have had the chance
OF ever recalling anything again.
Before this the Canadians, in their
magnificent fight at Vimy Ridge, and
the Australians, at Polygon Wood and
Glencourse and the Menin Road and
the New Zealanders, before Passchen-
daele, had received the prompt assist
ance of their Y. NJ. C. AS as they came
out of their fights, and the value of
that assistance had been SO obvious and
had received such grateful recognition
from headquarters that when the great
advance al Mcssincs was planned the
British Y. M. c. A. was taken into con
sultation, and arrangements were made
Tor succoring the wounded on a scale
never before attempted.
The Director of Medical Service had
1t all most carefully planned out be-
torehand with their leaders. The ad
sahSc was 70 DE alOnS Such and such
lines. The wounded who could walk
would come down from the advance
dressing stations, about one hundred
yards behind the front, by such and
such tracks to the Cors collecting posts
halfway down, and SO, by other clearly
indicated tracks to the rear, where, at
the railway evacuating stations, the
ambulance trains awaited them.
Every road at the rear would be
packed and jammed with the where
wlthal to consolidate the advance, the
success of which was never for one mo-
ment doubted-ammunition wagons,
service motors crammed with food,
guns, limbers, field kitchens, men,
horses, mules. No room for wounded
men in such a maelstrom SO they
were to keep to their own marked
tracks. where at all events they could
take their time and walk unhindered
and unhindering.
And so, behind the nine-milo battle
front. the night before the advance, in
four-and-thirty different places little
mushroom shacks of timber, corrugat-
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Responsibility in War
Brings New Trial to Negro
Black Troops With Britain and France Play
Important Part in ConAict-Loyalty Of Race
Here Will Win Greater Social and Economic
Freedom, Leaders of the Race Believe

and his economic value as food pro-
ducer, laborer and mechanic. The coun-
try now recalls the negros loyalty In
the past and the fact that now there
are no negro slackers.
The negro's worth as a soldier ha.
been emphasized. The negro'a ready
response in the enlistment has won
general approval. The ncgro's physical
showing made during the enlistment
refutes many old charges. OF the
thirteen hundred negroes, for ex-
amalc, who we're examined by army
surgeons for the officers training
camp at Des Moines, only FIVE showcd
any traces Of venereal infection.
The negro, while realizing the great
seriousness of war, has gone OF to
training and to the front with joyous-
ness in the midst Of general gloom.
The common cause and the common
danger have awakened feelings Of
brothe rh ood.
Georgia towns have given dinner,
to the black selected men as they have
to the whites. The Mayor of Athens.
Ca. publicly thanked negroes for
their loyal response. He also thanked
the negro registrars. The country is
slowly overcoming its prejudice.
against the negro.
A Race on Trial
Negro soldiers carry a great rc.pon-
sibility. "If they prove themselves
equals Of the white race" says The
Chicago Tribune" 'in point Of dis.
clpline, self-restraint and courage.
they will do a lot toward diminish
ing race prejudice"
The negro race is on trial. All must
stand behind the black soldiers, to
hearten and encourage them. Through
loyalty and the "last full measure OF
devotion" the negro hopes to win not
only freedom for America but full and
unquestioncd citizenship for himself.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
E. St. Louis Wipes Out
Disgrace of Race Riots
And Plans Better Cit,
Especial Correspondence

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill.,, Feb. East
St. Louis, disgraced by the horrible
negro race riot which occurred on July
=, 1917, claims to have made greater
progress since that date, period of
seven months, than it achieved in the
whole course Of its existence prior to
that tragedy.
The most important achievements, as
outlined By Joseph N. Filming, aecretary
and general manager OF the Chanber
OF Commerce, are the substitution OF
the mmission form for the aldermauic
system of city government; the pun
ishment Of the guilty participant in
the riot; the inauguration Of the city
beautiful movement by the organiza-
tion of a City Plan Committee, and de
ilberate, systematic work, upon the in
itiative OF the Chamber OF Commerce.
Tor better governmental, civic and liv-
ing conditions, for establishment OF
higher civic ideals and standards, and
for the inculcation Of live civic pa
triotism
1T was generally recognized" said
MIR. Filming, that there could have been
40 riot had the government commanded
respect. Business men and citizens
were nearly unanimous that the source
Of the trouble was political. The gov
ernment's arm was weak, and this
weakness invited disorder and disturb
ance. All the Deficiencies of East St
Louis were traceable TO political con-
dltlons and governmental incapacity.
lin strenuous attempt to prevent
the tragedy, the Chamber of Commerce
graphically described it in advance and
p1ado II, rroDar re, n, ,r,
ing to avert it.
These precautionary efforts failing
the Chamber of Commerce promptly
and voluntarily took charge Of the dis
astrous situation and restored order
One OF the very first steps taken was
the creation of a prosecutions COM
Inlttee to cause the punishment of tho
rioters, and it was this committee which
began securing evidence and which i'm
mediately enlisted the active support
of the state officers. This committee,
therefore, deserves the credit for re-
storing respect for the law.
The next step would have to be. Of
course, to rectify political conditions
and produce efficient government. The
aspect was civic and political, and the
Chamber of Commerce then organized
the Committee of One Hundred, COM
posed OF leading manufacturers and
merchants, as a permanent civic asso-
citation.
Through a subcommittee this gen.
eral committee completed the work be-
gun by the Chamber of Commerce OF
reorsanizins the Police Department,
raised a fund of $l20,00O and installed
strong police force.
Next, the Rotary Club launched the
movement for the commission form Of
government, and this change was &C.
complished, through the cooperation OF
practically all associations, by II vote
of two to one
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
A Hero Tale
OF Modern America

OF incidents there were enough to
fill several books; but perhaps the
palm goes to the experience of DR.. II.
P. Packard, the missionary physician,
which has all the flavor of the chivalry
and derring-do of the Middle Ages.
Personal courage, will-power, resource
fulness and statecraft all came into
play in capital fashion.
Word came to the Americans that
off in the village of Geogtapa, six miles
away, the Christians were besieged
by the Kurds and that there was fight
ing under way. Straightway DR.. Pack
ard, whose medical work had brought
him into touch with many Kurds,
went forth to the scene, carrying an
American and Turkish flag. The
firing was incessant, both in the vii
lage and on all the roads leading to
it. The sheiks of the Kurdish tribes
who had come down from the noun
tains for the festival of loot and ra-
pine and slaughter were gathered
under cluster of trees about a mile
from tho village. To this group DR..
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Plans Laid for
City Beautiful

The Chamber OF Commerce then
took up again the plans that it had
formulated early in the year, but had
set aside on account Of the abnormal
situation which followed the riot. 1t
created City Plan Committee, and
opened the city beautiful campaign
with the City Planning Exhibition OF
the American Institute of Architects.
already plans are being developed ior
major traffic thoroughfares, more play
grounds and coming and housing ar
rangements.
"lhe reforms are fundamental First,
the political and governmental wrongs
are radically rectilied. Second, dehnite
plans arc made for improving the
physical condition Of the city and bet
tering working and living conditions.
Third, with these changes has come
new and aggressive civic pride.
mo doubt the world at large has
wondered why Il community permitted
politics to become so debasing. Inc
answer is obvious-that nearly aii
cities have had equally nefarious po-
lltical and governmental conditions
but this state prevailed in East 81;
LOUIS colncident with critical genera
circumstances. Disreputable politics
III East st. Louis was, in fact. the I'M
mediate consequence Of the city's pros
perity.
East ST. Louis is natural indus
trial centre, and it doubles its popu..
iatlon every ten years. 1t is located
virtually in the coal fields, and at the
city limits are practically all the raw
materials and adjuncts of manutac'-
ure. East ST Louis combines the low
est cost of manufacture with cen
trail geographical situation, and its
marvellously rapid growth is wholly
natural and logical.
we arc working Systematically 70
make East st. Louis the ideal manu-.
featuring centre, the best governed and
most beautiful and attractive indus
trial centre. We have laid the founds-
tionS IN the past few months for thess
results, and wo arc rapidly realizing
our desires"
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
SO Shot for
Being Christians

Other work, like that of Mr.. Allen
and DR.. Packard and MIR. Mcdowell
was the visiting of villages to rescue
besieged Christians or individual
girls, or to bury the bodies of the
massacred. There was none of the
American men who did not in those
days look upon the dead and marred
faces Of his friends. At one time fifty
men, including HISTORIAN bishop and
some priests, were taken out from the
city and shot in cold blood because
they we're Christians. The missionaries
buried these. In one village the Kurds
stood the men in rows to see how
many they could kill with one shot.
Syrian notables were held by the Turks
for ransom at the hands of the Amer
leans.
All the while there continued the cf
fort to communicate with the outside
world, and 1t was eleven weeks before
any message from America got
through. Once, in response to diplo
matte pressure through Constantinople,
the Turks agreed to forward tele-
gram, in which the bcsieged tried to
tell, as discreetly as possible, their
plight and need. When it reached
America it was an assurance that all
the missionaries we're we'll and that
they needed nothing.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
By William T. Eli.
U.iy2lmi7, Persiu

4 T EVERY turn in this old city,
~ where Zoroaster was born TWEEN
ty-hvc centuries ago, I have
hecn running up against one event as
the all-dominadng landmark-the siege
OF the American mission. From it the
people, especially the Christians, seem
TO date everything, as the citizens Of
Johnstowu cite the food or Sen Fran
eiseans the earthquake and the fire.
Over and over have been solemn1y as
sured that had it not been for the
Americans there to-day would be no
Assyrian people left Men who have
spoken SO are the dignitarics of their
nation; and, allowing for the usual
Oriental hyperbole, the declaration is
true
Moro impressive to mo than any
spoken words concerning tho great
siege Of Eve months, which. although
generally unknown in America, is one
Of the most brilliant episodes In the
nations history, was the demonstra-
tion given me one Sunday at the neigh
boring village Of Geogtspa, which is
built on q huge mound Of ashes from
the days of the FIRE worshippers, for
tho cult which he founded long -four
ished In the birthplace Of Zoroaster.
had attended service in the village
church, which is an outgrowth of the
Presbyterian mission, and DR.. Shedd
asked all those who were present who
had stayed in the American compound
during the siege to arise. There
were between four and five hundred
persons in the congregation. the women
all neatly clad in white kerchiefs and
simple but clean dresses (only one who
has seen these Assyrians can under
stand the force Of that Yemark), and
ALL looking we'll fed and prosperous At
tho word almost the entire congrega-
ton stood up.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
TNHE long, rolling sweep Of slightly
elevated land on which stood

elevated lallQ on Wnlcn $1,000
Wytschaete and Messines was
once prosperous and smiling country
side. Now, Wytschaetc and Messines are
only handfuls Of rubble. 1t is all al
abomination of dcsolation and death: q
cratered, crevassed land, pitted and
pockmarked with shell holes. It's only
harvest is mud. barbed wire, the rem
nants and refuse of the great battle
and many never-to- be- e-forgotten men,
ories.
Now, indeed, 1t is buster than ever
it was before, but now with death as
once with life. For from somewh ere
back there the camouhaged big guns
are hurling death and destruction into
the drivenback German lines, night
and day without ceasng, and the
enemy does not always take his haying
quietly. The ground we now occupy,
after driving him out, has suffered
fiery torment from both sides and
bears the tragic marks of it.
1t is arduous walking there even
for fit and healthy man in full pos
session Of all his limbs and his wind.
10 the broken men coming down from
the fight it must have been q veritable
purgatory, Via Dolorosa from which
the imagination shrinks. I was wad-
ing through its mud and dodging its
pitfalls but few days ago. So T
know.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Epic of TheWalkingWou
BY John Oxenharn

ed iron. sods, anything that would
afford scmblance of shelter, were
hastily erected, and, with the help of
ilmbers, service wagons and motors.
were amply supplied with all neces-
saries, and above all with the choicest
spirits among those men who carry
their lives in their hands and their
hearts on their sleeves in the device
of the Red Triangle.
At $3.50 a. M, on June 7. the curtain
went up to the tune Of the explosion
of the great mines, and the roar and
crash of the barrage began. All night
long the Red Triangles had been toll
ing like busy ants and--do permit
it! - genialfaced uncles! The fires
were burning brightly, kettles galore
were steamng, chocolate cakes and
other comforts were all laid out
handy, and the eager-faced workers
waited, tight-strung, for the event
and their own work to begin.
When the First
Wounded Arrived
The men went over the top follow
ing tho travelling line of fire, and q
few minutes later the front posts
were receiving their first guests, well
coming them with CHEEKY words, hand
ing out hot drinks, coffee, cocoa, lem
onade, beef broth, chocolates and
cakes, and speeding them on their way
down the slippery tracks to the next
house of call, where just the same
attentions awaited them-and so to
the next, and the next, till they ar
rived at last at the railway evscuat-
ing post. And how some of them would
ever have reached there without the
assistance of the Red Triangle it is
hard to say. Some could barely
stumble along. faint with loss Of blood
and dazed with the horrors of that
rush through tho hell-fres Of No
Mans Land. Some had to sit down
every hundred yards. They helped
And no matter what their injuries,
the Red Triangle put bit of new life
into them at each stopping place.
One irrepressible joker, indeed, ex-
pressed the belief that if he died on
the road zone of you blooming fellows
would be waiting at the gate of heaven
with another cup Of cocoa for me-
Every man whose wounds permitted
of his walking kalked that day. The
stretcher bearers had their hands full
to overfowing Of the too badly broken.
But as they came down all were sue
cored, the German wounded exactly as
our own. To the Red Triangle wound
ed man is man in need. and they are
there to supply the need of every
wounded man, even though this one
may have blown off half the face of
that one alongside him minute or two
before. Our man would have done the
same for his enemy if he could, and
without doubt the German casualties S
We're Of our making
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Ver1nin and Typhus
Among the Horrors

Upon one man, Mr.. Mcdowell. de-
volved the herculean task of SANTA
ton, including the protection Of the
water supply. Personal cleanliness
was OF course, out of the question for
the refugees, and the conditions, par
tlcularly among the mountaineers.
grew such as may not be described
outside of a medical journal Nor is
1t good form to talk about vermin in
America, but in all their hideous vari-
ETY. they were talked about and seen
and felt by everybody on the premises.
lyphus, which wrought SO fatally
among Syrians and Americans, is car
rled by one particularly obnoxious
form Of vermin.
Then there was bread to be provided
DID ever housewife have such q task
as feH upon Miss Lewis, of the girls
school. the present Mrs. Shedd-the
feeding OF fifteen thousand with bread
alone: -Four to five tons, or fourteen
TO fifteen thousand of the native loaves
OF bread, were provided dailv. in as
systematic fashion as possible. The
money for the purchase of this from
Moslem bakers had to be raised; and
't was we'll that the American credit
was good with the money-lenders of
the city. 1t is pathetic to read in the
diaries Of the missionaries, such as the
notable one kept by Miss Lewis, their
concern about this money, lest America
would not be willing to repay 1t. There
was deal of trusting the good faith
and loyalty Of the homeland in those
days.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Is, 900 Refugees Saved
From Turk Massacre
Syrians and Armenians Besieged in Six-Acre
Missionary Compound for Five Months With
Single Guard and Old Glory at Gate. Typhus
Takes 1000 Victims Despite Heroic Efforts

force alone and by the prestige of the
flag that the place was kept inviolatc,
for the Turkish army could have forced
an entrance at any time. All the while,
though, the missionaries, especially
DR.. Shedd, who is the statesman Of the
mission, had been holding conferences
with the Turkish and Persian officials,
and their diplomatic Offices supple
mentcd tho walls.
asked Mr.. Allen, one of the heroes
Of the siege, what really would have
been done had the Turks and Kurds
broken through in force. He replied:
"Well, all we could have done would
have been to sell our lives as dearly
as possible; and had, on a convenient
shelf in my home, forty-five knives,
such as the Assyrian mountnineers
wear, which I had taken from refugees;
and had picked out the men to whom
l would give these, if The worst came
to pass I knew that every one of them
would give good account Of himself"
There are no native-born Americans
in Cru1nia except missionaries; and at
the time Of the siege these numbered
eighteen, Of whom thirteen came down
with tho dread typhus fever, though
happily not all at the same time. Three
Of the women died. With native fac
ulty for organization, the little force
was divided, so that there was always
an American on guard, and 80 that
each department. Of the tremendous
work was under one responsible head.
Imagine what it means to have fifteen
thousand destitute persons, frightened,
helpless and unused to organization
or to life in civilized environment, sud-
denly thNust upon the care of hand
ful Of Americans. All had to be fed,
housed and kept warm, if possible
though it was not possible to do the
last.
New-York tribune., 1918-02-03
Ready to Die Fighting
To Save Comrades

One day q crowd of Kurds said to
Mr.. Muller, the missionary who stood
on guard at the American gate: 1--WE
came down here to the plain with the
intention Of killing you all. Not one
Of YOU would have escaped, but (point-
my 10 the Stars and Stripes flying
o'cs the gate) We don't dare pass un-
Ger that flag" The missionaries had
turned the entire enlarged premises
into a walled inclosure. with only the
ono gate, which was guarded day and
niaht CT COURSE it was by moral