Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-17
OFFICIAL EXPLAINS
NEAR EAST RELIEF
| ACTIVITIES IN FULL
Vast Work Accomplished.
/ Recent Charges Are
Given Airing.

QIVen Airing.
Contrast of the achievements Of
the Near East Relief and the reports
of actions of minor employees in Con-
stantinople is made by c. V. Vickrey.
general secretary, in a full report
made to all Near East Relief state
directors and workers
Outlining first the charges, Secre-
tary Vickrey declares:
Il was in Constantinople at the
time the arrests were being made,
and as general secretary am person.
ally familiar with the entire situa-
ton.
There were thefts from our ware
houses.
These thefts were discovered by
our own bookkeeper as a result of
thoroughly businesslike methods of
keeping warehouse accounting rec
ords
The detective work and arrests
were effected under the personal SUI
pervision of Col Coombs our man
aging director, and hal we not
prosecuted the guilty parties the
newspapers and general public would
never have heard of the thieving.
Not one of the more than five hun
dred officially accredited representa-
tiveS of the Near East Relief sent
from New York is in any way in
volved.
THE charges are confined exclu-
sively to employees who were engaged
locally for distinctively warehouse
and kindred work. and who did not
. pass the usual tests of the New York
personnel committee.
Every appointee Of Near East Re-
lief sent from New York is obliged to
appear before our personnel commit
tee and meet certain rather rigid re-
quirements, both with reference to
technical qualifications and as to
moral character and altruiStic mo-
tives in applying for appointment.
Among the more than thirty Ques-
tionS which every applicant must an
swer in writing is the following: Are
YOU a total abStainer from alcoholic
beverages and narcotic drugs" Since
the passage of the eighteenth amend
ment no candidate is appointed who
does not answer this question in the
affirmative.
Prisoners Ex-Army Men.
by a more recent action of the adj
miniStrative committee in Constanti-
nople. confirmed by our executive
committee and board of trustees. any
employe, as well as official repre-
sentative of the Near East Relief. who
uses intoxican%s is subject to imme-
diate dismissal from the service.
THE men who are now under ar
rest in ConStantinople did use intoxi-
cants. but they were ex-Army men
who went from France to Constanti-
nople and were employed locally in
the warehouse, without the appoint
ment. approval or knowledge of the
New York committee.
"As general secretary of Near East
Relief, intimately associated with the
organization for nearly five years, do
not know of a single penny of Near
East Relief funds that has ever been
spent, in any place or in any form, for
wine or other alcoholic beverages. and
no considerable expenditure of this kind
could have been made without my
knowledge. / grant the possibility of
the employees above referred to having,
without my knowledge purchased drinks
for Turkish officials or others. but any
such action brought to our knowledge
would have subjected them to instant
dismissal.
1.-The warehouse thievery is relatively
small by latest official reports less than
100000. More than $4,000 Of the stolen
goods have already been recovered and
the remainder probably will be, for
stolen goods are dishonest, they are
financially responsible and can be made
to restore most, if not all, Of the loss.
: Administration of Relief.
II have not seen any glazing headlines
IN the daily papers about:
1.-THE more than 100000 of cash
and supplies which, by our auditors re-
ports. have been administered, without
the known loss of dollar from dis
honesty on the part of any of our Off
cally accredited representatives.
THE more than 500 heroic American
men and women, who at great personal
sacrifice have administered this relief
some Of them literally becoming mar
tyrs. laying down their lives as victims
of typhus or other contagious diseases
contracted while ministering to the
needy.
''of the 22s orphanages in connection
with which 10000 children are cared
for.
THE sixty-three hospitals. caring daily
for approximately 1000 patients, nor =.
THE 100000 persons who. by the tes-
tin1ony of competent Armenian authori-
ties. are living today who would have
persisted during the past year had it not
been for American relief.
The alleged breaking Of a bottle
of champagne, of which I as general
secretary of the organization have
absolutely no knowledge. is apparent
ly of greater Importance so far as
news value is concerned than the
service that the American people have
rendered and are continuing to render
in the salvaging of a nation
Statement of Trustees.
The board of trustees has just made
the following announcement.
The board of trustees. having
heard the report concerning the
charges of dishonesty among minor
employees of the Near East Relief in
Constantinople. and involving small
amount of Near East Relief property.
thoroughly and heartily approves of
the action of the administrative COM
mittee in Constantinopie in prosecut-
ing the offenders in an effort to Sc
cure justice and restitution of Near
East Relief property. and reaffirns its
confidence in the administration of the
effairs Of Near East Relief both at
home and in the field
Board Takes Action.
The board also voted that 1.-The ac-
ton Of the Turkish commission of
August, 1919. as published in the
'Acorne' of September 4, 1919, enjoin-
ing total abstinence on the part. of
the eNar East Relief personnel. and the
action of the personnel committee of
April, 1920. in making total abstinence
from alcoholic beverages a requisite
for favorable consideration for APP
pointment to Near East Relief work.
and the action of the administrative
committee in Constantinople of Sep
TENDER 4. 1920. demanding a strict
hereby are approved, and that the
quest the executive committee, the
personnel committee. the administra-
tive committee and all subcommittee
having to do with the appointment of
personnel or the administration of re-
1lef to REQUIRE strict compliance with