The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-07-29
RUSSIAN REFUGEES FACE
. DEATH: SITUATION BAD
By Col. Robert E. Odds
Of ST Paul Mimi.

l., VI ~. uul, hihAa
American Red Cross Ccmm'r of Eu-
rope. Written for the United Press.
| Paris. (By iMaiD ---For some time
the Russian refugee situation In
Eastern Europe has been going from
bad to worse. 1T in far and away
the most battling and stubborn p~o'b-
lem of the kind which the war has
left behind. Every hope of solution
has failed and every plan. has gone
wrong. 5sc
The Russian refugee crisis, grows
more terrible as the days and weeks
nays. The Russian r. nsee is unique
in this, that he is literally a man
without a country. There is no state
to which he owes allegiance, no gov
lernment to- which he can lock FOR
favor or protection. Fi- legal s'atus
| is not merely undefired--f'E is nnllity.
THE degree CT he'Teulne-3 to which
he has been reduced is. for all pra"-
tical purposes, zero, Nothing quite
like it has ever been known before.
During more than two years ex-
perience with these people, l have
been deeply impressed by their sim
cere and heroic efforts to help them
selves, and by the absolutely intoler-
able conditions which have defeated
them at every turn.
| We have thought that the solution
of the problem might be brought
about through the process Of gradual
absorption. To a very slight extent
only has this happened. The reason
is that European nations, under ex-
listing circumstances, have taken up
extraneous elements everywhere: to
| the point of saturation. -.-.
The case is quite evidently one for
bold and exceptional treatment on
large scale. All measures which have
been confessedly temporary; their
justification has been the belief that
in some unexplained way the sit
uation would. solve itself. 1t has
| been like having faith in miracles.
American relief has played a large
part. Our presence as an active fac
tor in the situation during the past
winter held these things together
and prevented a disaster oe capital
proportions. l should say that Amer
! lean aid saved at the very lowest
estimate, 100000 lives. It is hard to
convey m adequate conception OF the
state of chaos which has prevailed
in Europe in regard to this Russian
refugee problem. Because OF the Pc
culiar lack of status CT the RUSSIAN
refugee. nobody accepts a primary
responsibility for him. Appeals ny
about from one relief organization 10
another and each does its bit. put
nothing important happens that the
unfortunate refugee keeps rlght on
diving. This sort Of thing has been
going on for more than two years
AMI it will go on for another two
years or until the refugees are all
dead unless the world comes to re-
alization of the magnitude OF the
task and takes it up in earnest.
1t is now four years since these
successive waves of refugees began
to roll cut from European Russia.
They came first after the revolution
of May, 1917, then after the second.
revolution in November Of that year,
and the have kept coming at r.:
regular intervals ever since.
Nobody knows with certainty how
nanv men, women and children nave
left Russia in fear and panic and are
now living in want and dest1tutlon'
without friends CIR country. Inc
figures compiled by the state depart
meut in January, 1921, gave an, ag-
gregate Of more than two million.
Since then there have been the Kron-
gtadt migration into Finland, ana
there is always a steady hltratlon
across the borders Of Soviet Russia
adding an unknown number. Twenty
Eeieht European countries, have
groups of these refugees within their
Dor ders. T.
The situation, as it exists today Is
,,nf o,,htedd1y an international re-
sponsibility for governments to meet.
Public opinion can help by demand,
inc that they meet it promptly and
adequately. All that we can hope TO
do is simply to convey an adequate
idea Of the imminent seriousness OF
tho situation., There is a great ca
tastrcphe impending.
Two winters ago, three numbered
thousand prisoners of war died IN