The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1919-02-21
RUSSIAN PRISONERS
IN GERMANY AIDED
Through Efforts of American Red
Cross.-Death Rate Unusually
High.

High.
The following statement, authoriz-
ed by the American Red Cross COM
mission for Europe, was issued by ma
tional headquarters recently:
"At the request of General Pershing
the American Red Cross has appointed
a commission to cooperate with inter-
allied commissions for the feeding,
care and repatriation Of Russian pris-
oners of a in Germany
The inter-allied body was provided
for by the governments participating
in the armistice conference and is
now established in Berlin. The Amer
lean Red Cross has already formu-
lated plans for placing at the dispos-
al of the commission a personnel ex-
perienced in relief work and large
stores of clothing, medical and sur
gical supplies and food for the sick
and convalescent prisoners. The Red
Cross will concern itself chiefly with
the supplying of articles of the ma
ture mentioned and an organization
which, added to that furnished by the
British Red Cross and other Red Cross
societies, car inspect prison camps and
superintend the distribution of sup
plies.
"The commission will give particu-
lar attention to the care and relief OF
sick prisoners, numbering more than
100000.
"Major Carl Taylor Of the United
States army, who has been released
from the army to head the American
Red Cross mission, will have charge
of an organization of about 35 men.
The organization, with headquarters
in Berlin, will begin work this week.
GAS there are more than 200 camps
in Germany at which Russian prison.
ers are held, the American Red Cross
plans to send representatives on tours
of investigation after which workers
will be assigned to various parts Of
Germany where they are most need
ed. At one time Germany reported
loo, 900 prisoners in it's camps but
by deaths and releases this number
is now supposed to have been reduced
to about 800 1000.
lowing to the lack of medical at
tention and the fact that Russians
are receiving hardly fifty per cent OF
the nutriment necessary to keep an
unemployed person alive, the death
rate among them has been very high.
"The death rate among these pris-
oners has also been increased by the
bad sanitary conditions. The Russian
government, unable to supply tood or
care for it's people, has made no pro-
visions for their repatriation. Besides
medical and surgical supplies. cloth
/, ing and food for convalescents, the
t American Red Cross will furnish hos
pital equipment and doctors. The
. staff which will accompany Major
Taylor includes eight doctors exper-
| fenced in relief work.
"The American Red Cross, which 1t
is expected will have largest repre-
. sentation of any auxiliary relief or
ganization, plans to ship its supplies
from three points. It's s~torehouses II
England will send some of the mater
ial already on hand, replenishing these
resources with supplies from Amer
h lea for trans-shipment to Germany b.
way of Copenhagen, where the Rec
d Cross has a depot which will be head
+ quarters for it's supply service INT
d shipment for Copenhagen has gone OF
9 the steamship Nero. 1t is expected
: that a second steamer, which has bee1
e furnished to the American Red eros
e by the United States navy, will sal
from England in two weeks loaoe<
: with clothing, medicines and surglca
supplies.
+ "supplies will also be sent over lane
from Red Cross depots In Swltzerian
e where large quantities OF materla
have been assembled for the relief O
American prisoners in Germany.
The sufferings of Russians, who a
e least for a time fought for the caus'
t of the allies, are so acute and the cal
| for assistance so pathetically tragic
that aid of the American Red eros
| cou)d MT ~nroner)v ha denied"