The New York herald., 1922-09-17
100000 DESTITUTE
in SMYRNA'S ruins
Six Lone American Relief
Workers Seek to Aid Wound
ed and Dying Survivors.
TURKS SLAY HELPLESS
Thousand, Unable to Leave
Beds, Perish When Hospitals
Go Up in Flames.
TURKS SLAY HELPLESS

sMYnNA, Sept. is ASSOCIATED Press).
Smyrna no longer exists. The FIRE,
which has been raging for three days
with unabated fury, has swept the city
and is extending to the suburbs. Only
blackening masonry and a small ves-
tige Of the Turkish quarter remains.
Death and indescribable misery rule
among 100000 in the crazcd popula-
lion. six lone American relief workers
are attempting the superhuman task
Of administering to the dead and dying.
No other country has as yet come for
ward to relieve the suffering.
All the patients crowded in hos
pitals. numbering not less than 1000.
have been burned to death.
Relief Supplies Burn.
All relief supplies sent from Con-
stantinople by the American relief or
ganizations were destroyed by the fire.
Major Clahin Davis Of the American
Red Cross and II. c. Jaquith OF the
Near East Relief are bending all their
efforts TO evacuate the Christians as
the only means Of saving them. but
are handicapped by lack OF vessels
Bands of Turks are heartlessly kill
ing the helpless Christians and the
whole city is in the throes Of terror
Rescue work among the ruins is pro-
ceeding slowly, the Kemalists leaving
the fire victims to their fate.
The catastrophe is so vast that only
the collective efforts Of the allied ma
tions can cope with it. When the fire
was at its worst the American de-
stroyers Lawrence and Litchfield were
almost swamped by thousands of mad
dened survivors who plunged into the
water in the darkness of night and
swan out to the vessels. imploring
piteously to be saved. The American
bluejackets rescued hundreds from
drowning.
Keen on Crowds with Bnyonets.
The American sailors ashore were
obliged TO hold off great crowds at the
point of bayonets to keep them from
the frail destroyers. The flag was
hoisted on the quay and the blue
Jackets went among the panic stricken
people. picking out those with Ameri-
can citizenship papers. The American
flag was like a beacon of hope; hun
dreds that could speak only a few
words OF English claimed TO have been
in the United States. but could show
no satisfactory proof.
Others said they had relatives IN
New York, Chicago. San Francisco and
other American cities. The Americans,
however. wers forced 20 turn deaf
ear TO these appeals. The big hearted
bluejacksts were overcome with emo
ton at the distressing scenes and did
their best 20 comfort the terrorized
women and children, even giving up
their own bed rolls. clothing and ra-
tions.
Commander Merrill Of New York, aid
10 Rear Admiral Bristol, is hailed as a
hero. men. women and children falling
on their knees and kissing his gar
ments as he passes through the refu-
gee concentration areas.
LONDON, sept Is (Associated Press)
Estimates OF the number killed In
Smyrna vary greatly. and the latest
Athens dispatch quotes an American re
lief worker as declaring that up 70
THURSDAY morning there had been l2o,-
900 victims II Is thought this hgure
may include the wounded also. as pre-
vious reports placed the number OF dead
at from 1000 to 2.ooo
CoHsrANrfNorr.E, Sept. is Associated
Press).-Tre near East relief to-day
sent $4,000 to Smyrna aboard the
steamer Asia for the purpose OF charter
ing all available shipping TO evacuate
the refugees there, whose plight has
been intensified by the destruction Of re-
lief supplies IN the Smyrna fire.
In response 70 urgent appeals from
80, 900 Christian refugees In Rodosto,
the American relief organisation has
despatched the steamer Daphne with
further supplies for them. The Greek
patriarch has entreated all Greeks 70
subscribe generously for the relief OF the
half million refugees, declaring the en-
tire Greek popularity Of Asia Minor Is
threatened with ext tminstion.
GREESDRiET- wi sulphur spTins,; y
L.. <.----...-y 81 II ~. n