The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-26
PROTEST AGAINST
 DISCONTINUANCE OF RED GROSS

COnSIanClnODle, OcI- Z0-t6edr- Au- 1niral Mark L. BristoPs protest to the American Red Cross at Washing ton against the discontinuance of it's work here, the substance of which was forwarded by cable at the time when it was made public, sets forth in an authoritative way the actual sit uation of the Russian and Turkish refugees who have found asylum in this city.
 It shows that there are about 5o,- 900 Russians here besides 10000 Turks who have fled from Anatol1a- Many of these are homeless. have lit tie clothing and, the American High Commissioner says, are in danger or starvation if the Red Cross be with drawn. Rear Admiral Bristors mes sage follows:
 At the present moment a real dis aster exists in Constantinople with possibilities of becoming indescriba- bly worse if not adequately met. Dur ing the last Gve years over one-quar- ter of the houses of the city have been baRned and not rebuilt.
 "The result is homeless people in 1 frightful conditions in mosques, in | dugouts and in novels in the burnt 1 district. A few days ago 2,OOO houses were burned in Scutari and several thousand persons were added to the list of homeless.
 Recently 10000 Turkish refugees from Anatolia have arrived. Before the big evacuation of the Crimea ten months ago there were 5000 Rus ] sian refugees and there are now about 50.000 in Constantinople and | the immediate suburbs.
 l '"The Turkish government is | bankrupt and, therefore, powerless to adequately assist its own people or any other refugees. The Near East Relief Committee gives the majority 1 of assistance to the Greek and Ar l menian races.
 With this frightful situation comes
 the report that the executive commit- 1 tee intends to discontinue the work
 of the Constinople unit (of the Red | CroSS). With no source of aid in
 sight the immediate result of such
 action would be that the 17,00O Rus sian refugees now being fed would | have nothing between them and star | vation- All Russians generally have disposed of their personal effects, in- cluding clothing so that their condi- 1 tion will get worse instead of better and, with winter coming on, there
 will be added suffering from cold and | exposure.
 Tn addition to the suffering from
 starvation and privation it is impos-
 sible to predict what the results will
 public order and danger to Ameri-
 can lives and property. As a final appeal for relief for these refugees
 as well as because of this public | danger I am at once putting the sit
 uation before all foreign representa- | tiveS here.
 1 '"The Disaster Relief Committee of
 the local chapter is obtaining a little | money and clothing from the Gen. | tral Committe for Russian Relief in l New York and has contributed to the | extent of it's power to meet the pres 1 ent disaster. The committee is now | practically without funds.
 "I must urge most emphatica11y
 that the splendid reputation of Amer | ica and the work of the Am erican | Red Cross here must not be be- 1 Smirched by withdrawal in a precipi- | tate and ill-considered manner. There 1 is a real disaster that we must meet q most earnestly request that this 1 chapter be given necessary funds and l personnel to continue the work of the | Disaster Relief Committee and take over the work of the Constantinople unit and continue it until this dis aSter is overcome. The General Com | mittee for Russian Relief should bt | urged to continue their assistance anC | especially obtain aid of Russians il
 the United States. The Allies in mil
 should be induced to assist in thi 1 work.
 'The policy of all Red Cross work
 here has been to close it our proper ly as soon as possible by distribution
 of refugees and assistance to them il
 becoming Self-uSupporting. l fee
 that you can trust your representa- | tiveS here to carry out this policy. F'Ol
 the sake of American prestige, fol the sake of humanity and for the sak' of the good name of our Red Cross IT cannot sufficiently emphasize the 1 importance your final decision"