Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-05
RED CROSS IN GREECE.
Cares For $1,000 Refugees From But
uaria and Asia Minor.

u OtrpSppnutnCt Ol HsNtNltNsu u ''sS'J
Nanthi, Greece March SQ--Greece is
indebted to the United States for many
things, but she probably Will longest
remember the aid given by the Ameri-
can Red Cross to the $4,000 or more
refugees who have been coming back
from Bulgaria and Asia Minor over
every road and mountain pass. Cn-
able thru its own agencies to care for
this immense number Of homeless and
destitute people, the Greek government
left the task to Americas big reiiet
organization. King Alexander, Premier
Venizelos and the Greek government
have already testified their gratitude
for this assistance which was made
possible thru the generosity OF the
American people.
Twenty four hours after the signing
of the armistice. the Red Cross estab-
lished relief stations at every point IN
Bulgaria, Turkey and Macedonia over
which these innocent victims of the
war were likely to come. 1t dispatched
trainload after trainload of supplies
to the areas in which suffering was
known to be worst.
The stream Of refugees has not yet
ceased. and the work of the Red Cross
continues There has been a serious
development of typhus among the re-
fugees quartercd in Kavalla. Drama
and this city.
Edward Walker. of Luray. Va.
young officer in the American Red
Cross. gave his life in fighting the
disease. Three American nurses also
have been stricken but are recovering
in Greek hospitals.
Some Of the experiences Of the
Americans in relieving the great mis-
cry among the refugees have been
tragic. ANwoman Red Cross worker
thus describes a typical day spent by
Lieutenant Abner Cobb, OF Denver.
Colo at his lonely Red Cross relief
station at Xanthi.
with the assistance OF two Greek
bows he fed from 500 to 1000 people.
administered to the sick. and gave out
rations of bread and soup and rice,
and that day had been able to auo
bully beef to his rations.
There were forty-eight cars on the
side tracks loaded to the limit. forty TO
sixty persons to the car. These refu-
gees carried with them III the cars
their donkeys. pigs, chickens, sheep'
goats and personal effects. From
few of the cars. COWS poked their
heads. In this environment one baby
has been born.
Lieutenant Cobb numbers the cars
when they come in and counts the IN
mates. chalking their number on the
outside of the cars. His kitchen Is
on the tracks. He selects four per-
sons FROM each car to come alter the
food. bringing with them their own re-
ceptacles. In that way they are cared
for swiftly and without confusion.
After everything is served, he goes
thru the train to see that no one has
been overlooked.
ION this train was the Governor of
Zichni and his wife, both pitifully
wasted He had been deported
eighteen months before to Bulgaria.
together with ninety-seven others
from his town. Thirty-seven OF his
party died of i'll treatment in Bull
saria." The same observer writing
regarding a visit to the American Red
Cross station at Kavalla, says:
To-day there are fewer than 10000
inhabitants in Kavalla. When the
Rulgars evacuated the town they
looted it Systematically. stripped the
stores and banks, took all the food and
swept the homes bare. taking not only
all the furnishings but all the window
glass. door and window fixtures, cleo
trio light wires door knobs, etc.
IN the Struma valley. noted for
more than 1000 years as the home OF
a peculiarly deadly form of malarial
fever. the road runs to Drama where
the American Red Cross has another
relief station. The plague is raging
thruout the valley. There has oeen
an unusual number of deaths as there
is a lack not only OF doctors but or
medicines