Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-05-10
RED CROSS HAS
BIC JOB AMONG
CREEK ISLANDS
Refugees Who Fled From Asia
Minor Five Years Ago Are in
PitabIe Condition. Navy Is
Proving Big Help,


Athens, March 29.-In its already
extensive and growing work in the
Greek Islands, the American Red
Cross has the cooperation of the
United States navy. Six submarine
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 condi-
tons of the Greek refugees who fled
there from Asia Minor five years ago
has become desperate. Red Cross
workers are regularly visiting all the
towns on the island and clothing has
been made to about 5000 OF the 81
900 refugees.
At the outbreak of the war in 1914
the Greeks were driven out of Asia
Minor. There We're about 100000
of them there before the war More
than 500 coo escaped to the islands in
the Aegean. Thousands were mas
sacred The others, driven out of
their homes by the Turks and sent
inland, are now returning, only to
find their homes either destroyed or
occupied by Turks who refuse to
move, Prior to the allied occupation
armed bands of Turks roamed the
country side plundering and murder
ing Greeks wherever found.
The refugees in the Aegean islands
intend to return to Asia Minor as soon
IS 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
consequent unsanitary conditions
which enable epidemics to gain head
wav.
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
s tuation is the worst, for after buNing'
food the purchase of clothes is out of
the questions for the refugees. Nearly
all of these persons are in rags. The
hospitals are short of medicines ana
other supplies and have been crowded
on account of the prevalence of in
fluenza
Clothing blankets and medicine are
meat for broth is wanted In the hos
pitfalls. The American Red Cross is
supplying clothing to the refugees.
American women run the work
shops where cloth ng is made up into
garments on the three islands of NY
tilene, Chios and Samos. American
Red Cross men field workers often
..travel on donkey-back up into the viii
lagos on the mountains and distri-
butte food and clothing. American
doctors and nurses provide medicine
and attend the sick
OF the $1,000 refugees on Mvtilene
$4,000 are in the town of Mytilene
and its suburbs; the others ar3 scat
tered about in SO villages. OF the
10000 refugees on Crios part are
sheltered in old houses and the rest
! in wooden barracks, divided with bag
ging and old carpets and subdfvide
| with carpets into rooms" each ac-
commodating family of from five to
ten persons. The islands of Lemnos
| lmbros, Tenedos and Samothrace also
are being served with Red Cross sup
| pies from Mytilene; Oinousa is
served from Chios, and Ilcaria from
| Samos.
i When the American Red Cross of.
ficers arrived at Mytilene with theil
cargo of supplies scenes of the great.
est enthusiasm took place. The party
was escorted to a carriage, the horse,
were unhitched and the carriag,
drawn by a cheering crowd to tn,
residence of the Governor general
who commandment private HON,
and placed it at the disposal of the ar
rivals. All living expenses were pait
by the Greek government.