The Washington herald., 1921-01-24
American Woman's Letter
Home Describes Pitiful
Conditions of Refugees
On Ships and on Land.
Special Correspondence to
The Washington Herald.

4he washington herald.
CONSTANTINoPLE. Dec. (by
mafD.-I have hardly a moment to
myself. As you know, WrangeTs
hOrdes descended upon a peaceful
city and everyone has been working
increasingly to prevent any more
death, disease, and. starvation than
necessary among them. The French
are really in charge as their gov
ernment recognized him and acted
as sponsor for the evacuation but
the English and Americans have
fallen as well .7'
Our Red Cross and relief organi-
cation came up to the scratch as
usual with great speed. and eff
cheney, and had the thankless lob
OF acting as the admiral's represent
atlVe or 'liasOn between the French
and Americans with relief commit
Tee lie has been working day nd
night and runs the whole show. so
people tell me.
Ihere were 100000 people jammed
on shlps so tightly that no one could
SIT down They arrived after hay-
ing Deen five and six days at sea
wlthout food or water. Naturally
Ihey were not allowed to land, so
the ships anchored out in the bay
whlle everyone tried to get the
SICK and wounded off and to helm
the remainder. The. Americans and
English each took Sc MANY. sbiDs
and We are landing our peopIa On
the, island OF Proti, where they get
tUou S ana water, While disinfecting
the ships. Their the rest are ajs.
'liouted SO that no one ship is over
crowded No one knows what ON
earth TO do with them for there is
not enough food for them in the
city OF .Constantinople.
"rangel himself has never landed
put Is on the Russian destrs,,a,-
horntlOf and he wished to keen his
army together to help defefd Con
stanunople when the RoIsbayil,s
come here, which they say is highly
probable. Some have been sant To
bulgaria Serbia and RumaRia bnt
most are placed in two en0rmous
camps at Gallipoh and San Stepba-
no. The latter is a perfect death
trap without a stick of wood a
9Fop OF water or a blade OF grass.
and naturally conditions are pretty
bad. pie''S
hesteTday- q thousand strong
nlarched to the Russian embassy in
Fera and demanded bread.
mere are great many women.
some hghters, others wives of sol
oiers- one woman captain who
commanded a company Of sturdy
Cossacks refused to leave the shin
oe1ore her men, saying that If they
could not have food or drink sbs
would not take It. AS a matter Of
TACT the spirit amsng them is quite
wonderful They represent after all
the last Of the old type Of Russians
ana nave sort of mediaevaI. and
picturesque, qualities. -
SOME horrible ira gedies are tall
ing place daily. however. Men are.
blowing their brains out on The
oecks OF ships and women and chill
aren are dying and lying for DAYS
IN tine holds before being discovered
Eamiiles are, separated . and lost
Children are taken OFF. the -shIns
hrst and distributed to the Yarloi,s
orphapages, then the ship IA sud
denly ordered to Constantinople or
Bulgaria and dfs their families 90, a.,
Our relief -organizations are
cabling to sAmerica for appronrJa- :
tions. but America Is so far away
and those who are not here have no
conception of the: horror, and the
world sin general now is deaf to
Russian appeals, anyway, YET thev
are such a fine type-thIs particular
bunch OF sofdiers--and would make
fine bwer class citizens in any
country. D.. - - 9
Our admiral's wife started an in
teresttng 7csnteen~ on the docks. of
sirladzi.' in StambotIlJ' when the
army landed to entrain for that
ity All week Il. worked d in there
helping her every day, until eight
o'clock or later at night II was
exheustfng. but one 7pty the most
thrilling experiences I have ever