Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-29
ROUMANlANS IN.
need OF CLOTHES,
CONSUL. RELATES
Diplomat Urges Americans to
Send Discarded Clothing
Through Red Cross to
Destitute People.

Old clothes have found their day
and spring purchases need not be
censured as an extreme extrava-
gance this year, since every cast-off
garment and piece of worn wearing
apparel will find a welcome from the
American Red Gross which is col
Letting clothing for the helpless
refugees of allied countries.
Nearly every American has found
sympathetic interest in the peoples
of at least one of the war-torn coun-
tries. The new campaign inaugur-
ated by the American Red Cross Of
fers an opportunity for help impair
TALLY to all allied nationalities, those
existing before the war and those
, newly treated.
Roumania in Rags.
One of the countries sending an
urgent appeal to the United States,
and which will be relieved by the
Red Cross campaign, is Roumania.
country in which even the upper
classes, always, accustomed to luxur
les of life are suffering with the
poorer people for lack of the essen
tials Of decent living.
"Women and children of once
wealthy families" said Il. Tileston
Wells, the Roumanian consul in
New York, ARE in tatters. Some
people are proud if they possess one
garment only
"Roumania before the war had a
population of 100000. The greater
part of this population, of which
100000 were lost in battle, has been
driven into about one-third of their
former territory. The people have
been nearly isolated for year, and
ire now without food, clothing and
shelter. Starvation and disease have
taken thousands of victims"
A call has come to DR.. Wells d.
rect from Queen Marie of Rou-
mania, telling of the needs. of her
people. Undergarments especially
are wanted and about 100000
chemises for women and children
are needed. An old dress, warm
wooden stockings that you do not
want to wear darned, winter over
coat of which you have tired, sweat
ers whose colors have faded-all are
essential and will be put to good use.
Even bedclothes and linens are
needed, for many of the. families
have been routed out of their homes
md have watched the Turks and
Bulgars~ raze their homes with the
entire household contents.
Live in Crowded Huts.
"The fact that Roumanians have
lived with all the rehnements Of ed
ucation and culture similar to ours"
continued the consul, Should make
the tragedy of the impoverished peo-
pie, now living in crowded huts,
sometimes without themost meagre
necessities, more poignant to the
Americans. We need only contem-
plate what we ourselves would suf-
fer without clothes and food and
homes to realize the horror in which
Roumanians OF our own type are
living"
Death in all forms has swept over
Roumania, says Katherine Ohm
stead, Red Cross worker who has
spent six months in Jassy up to the
time the country was compelled to
make peace, and who corroborates
the statement of the, Roumanian
consul.
Everything was 1acking-drugs,
food and shelter, and above all,
Clothes" she said. II saw the in
habitants of the invaded regions,
thousands of families, the old, the
helpless, the crippled and the ILL
The European relief commission is
sending food to satisfy their needs.
We must also send clothing and
household materials to protect them
from storms and cold and to permit
them to recreate their sense of self
respect.
Orphans Cry for Bread.
Thousands of orphans were
rambling about, nearly naked, cry
ing for bread. I saw them lying in
the street, soaked to the skin. Roads
were churned into deep mud and
they were dying of sickness due to
lack of food and the scant clothing
they had
The nearest drug store is collec-
ton agency.
TT n, "