The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1919-05-07
Six Submarine Chasers
Placed Disposal Or
ganization.
FOOD is SCANTY
AND VERY COSTLY
Efforts Being Made.to
Improve Sanitary
Conditions.
Associated Press

ATHENS, May I'm it's already ex
tersive and growing work in tn
Greek Islands, the American Re-
Cross has the cooperation of the Un
tied States Navy. Six submarin
chasers have been placed at the dis
posal of the Red Cross for transport
ing personnel and supplies to the var
ious islands where refugees are con
centrated
On the Island of Mytilene the con
ditions of the Greek refugees who flee
there from Asia Minor five years age
has become desperate. Red Gross
workers are regularly visiting all the
towns on the island, and clothing has
been made to about $4,000 of the 52,-
600 refugees.
At the outbreak of the war in 1914
the Greeks were driven out Of Asia
Minor. There were about 3,O00,0OO of
them before the war. More than 5OO,-
900 escaped to the islands in the Aeg-
can. Thousands were massacred.
The others, driven out of their homes
returning, only to find their homes
either destroyed or occupied by Turks
who refuse to move. Prior the Allied
occupation armed bands off Turks
roamed the country side plundering
and numbering Greeks wherever
found.
The refugees in the Aegean Islands
intend to return to Asia Minor as soon
as conditions permit. At present the
Greek government gives each refugee
six cents a day.
The American Red Cross is devot-
ing much attention to the prevention
of further epidemics such as the ty-
plus scourge which took such heavy
toll at Mytilene. Efforts are being
made to relieve overcrowding and con-
sequent unsanitary conditions which
enable epidemics to gain headway.
Food is scanty and costly on the,
islands and most of the refugees are
underfed, even in the large towns
where conditions are better than in /
the outlying villages. The clothing
situation is the worst, for after buy /,
ing food the purchase of clothes is
out of the question for the refugees.
Nearly all of these persons are in
rags. The hospitals are short of med
icines and other supplies and have
been crowded on account of the pre-
valence of influenza.
Clothing, blankets and medicines
are needed on all the islands. Canned
meat for broth is wanted in the hos
pitals. The American Red Cross i
supplying clothing to the refugees.
American women run the work
shops where clothing is made up into
garments on three islands of Myti-
lene, Chios, and Samos. American
Red Cross men field workers often
travel on donkeybacks up into the viii
lagos on the mountains and distribute
food and clothing. American doctors
and nurses provide medicine and at
tend to the sick.
Of the $4,000 refugees on Mytilene
22 900 are in the town of Mytilene and
it's suburbs; the others are scattered
about in 81 villages. Of the 20,O00f
refugees on Chios part are sheltered
in old houses and the rest in wooden
barracks, divided with bagging and
Did carpets and subdivided with car
pets into "rooms," each accommodate
ing family of from five to ten per-
sons. The islands of Lemnos, Imbros,
and Samothrace also are bel
ing served with Red Cross supplies
from Mytilene; Oinousa is served
from Chios, and Icaria from Samos.
When the American Red Cross Off
GERS arrived at Mytilene with their
cargo of supplies scenes of the great
Est enthusiasm took place. The part.
was escorted to carriage, the hor7e
es were unhitched and the carriage
lrawn by q cheering crowd to the
residence of the Governor General
Who commandeered private home
and placed it at the disposal of the
arrivals. All living expenses were
bald by the Greek government.
Mrs.. N. P. Nelson and children Of !,