The Cordova daily times., 1919-03-27
HOW REDCR0SS GAVE RELIEF
 BEYOND PIAVE


 the provinces of the North with tear filled eyes and heavy hearts, for they were under the domination of the enemy From time to time reports the misery and suffering of the in- habitants. The information was mea- ger, but sufficient to stir the imagina- tion, and everyone south of the Piave carried distressing picture of the plight of the unfortunate people who had been unable to flee-old men, women girls and children, left behind in the great hegira which followed upon Caporetto.
 When at last the hour of deliver ance came for these occupied prov inces the advancing victorious troops of Italy found conditions worse than even imagination had pictured. For rule, and had been systematically de- spoiled of everything of value they possessed. In many places German troops had been succeeded by Hun garians, and these in turn by the Aus trians, separate periods of tyranny by three alien races, and all reports agree most cruel. For one long year the invaders had been gradually taking away from these people their crops, their money and their household arti- cles, leaving them barely enough coarse flour to live on, flour mixed with chestnuts or acorns, bran and straw.
 When the retreat of the enemy be- gan this systematic sequestration de- generated into an organized loot. There was little left for the common soldiers in the way of plumber, but such little as there was they took clothing from the women, shoes, linen and bed clothing, small keepsakes, and all the remaining food supplies.
 During the year of privation many died of slow starvation. As an in- stance, in the city of Oderzo, where 2,500 people had remained, the village priest told the writer that in the course of the year past he had buried the last weeks, and especially in the last few days, the rate of mortality be- came higher. In one village the writer was informed that fifty persons. had died within a fortnight of starvation, and in another village one hundred and fifty had been the reckoning. It was in this condition that the people were found by their returning compatriots. The advance of the Italian army was rapid. All stores were needed for the troops who were pursuing the enemy, and there was neither opportunity nor means for caring for the civilian popu- iation.
 A strange story was told by priest in one of these towns. He said that when the Austrians left and the people had absolutely nothing to live on they still refused to abandon hope. In some mysterious way the word reach them, prisoners though they were, that Amer ica was coming to their help, and they repeated among themselves patiently, with, starvation facing them, Tt will be all right now; the Americans will soon be here." And so it was that when into this town there came two men in the uniform of the American Red Cross with the supplies of condensed milk and condensed soups, and dried vegetables, and sugar and coffee, these people justified their faith by saying, Did we not tell you so? You see, the Americans are here"
 Within few hours after the enemy had left, Red Cross stores and kitch- ems had been established in ten of the principal centers of the devastated district. In some of the places the Red Cross men occupied, in the even ing, houses that the Austrians had quilted in the morning. These Ameri- cans followed the advancing troops as far as they could go, and even while the armistice was under discussion, before it was known to be a fact to the soldiers generally, one rolling kitchen of the American Red Cross, in charge of two Red Cross lieuten- ants, pushed on through the Austrian lines and did not stop until 1t had reached Trieste, on the other side of the Adriatic, the goal of Italy's ambi- tion for five centuries.
 The armistice and all that followed came so quickly that 1t was beyond human power to avoid confusion The Austrians immediately released the Al AL |. . -L