Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-09-20
u. S. consul. AT
SMYRNA TELLS
OF RESCUE WORK

Athens. Sept. 20.( (By Associ-
ated Press. During my consul
ship at Saloniki was bombed by
Bulgars and Germans and during
my official career have had many
rough experiences with sub
marines and fire, but never in my
life have seen anything like tho
smyrna catastrophe, is the man
ner in which George Horton. the
American consul general at Smyr~
ma, in his first remarks Of the dis
aster, summed up to the Associate
ed Press his experiences In Asia
Minor.
Consul General Horton EXPLAIN
ed that his official position pres
vented his commenting on the in-
cidents in Smyrna.
1T Is my duty TO speak Of the
splendid heroism and self-sacrifice
of the American colony In Smyr-
na," he said.
Safety Of Americans.
When Inc situation became
dangerous, |, in collaboration with
captain Arthur ]. Hepburn, chief
Of staff to Admiral Bristol, ar
ranged for the safety OF the Amer
acan colony. took over theater
in Smyrna and had it guarded by
marines. / told members OF the
colony to come TO the theater
.wice daily to receive the latest
bulletins on the situation. / sum-
moned the principal members OF
.he colony to discuss the general
situation.
Thousands Of refugees In the
despairing city were absolutely
hungry and destitute. Rufus w.
Lane. an American. spoke upon
one occasion and said they had
not come to the meeting to look out
Tor their own safety but to look out
Tor those Of the starving people.
francis w. Biackley, another
American, agreed in this and gave
200 Turkish pounds to start sub
scription list for the refugees.
stanley w. Smith. of the Standard
Oil company in smyrna, gave 500
turkish pounds.
Relief Work Started.
I'VE started the work OF relief
Immediately. The American firms
contributed the use OF their auto
mobiles and trucks. They never
saw them again, because they
were completely burned up, Rep
resentative Americans, members
OF the X. M. G. A., and prolva4vrs
OF the American college, organized
a central committee. Within an
nour, while the automobiles were
still In their possession with the
Star and Stripes flying on their
machines, they were all over the
city administering relief. Their
first effort was amongst Ameri-s
cans. The conduct was generous
and heroic, even under the great
est difficulties. We urged Amer
ican women teachers in the girls
school OF the X. w. Q. A. to leave
smyrna but they refused until
driven by the flames.
These brave women laboredi
INCREASINGLY without food and
sleep. Some are still there"
U. s. Consulate Burned.
Mrs. Horton remained with her
husband at the consulate until II
vas finally burned. The consul
general and his wife embarked on
The y. s. s. Simpson, destroyer,
with SIS other Americans and came
20 Athens. Vice Consul Maynard
B. Barnes remained in the de-
sastated city with twelve other
americans who were chiefly en-
gagged in relief work. Consul Gem
eral Horton now is suffering a
mental strain.
A Japanese merchant man
brought succor to the refugees en-
route to Greece and gave them the
kindest treatment. American OBJ
servers say Turks fired on refu-
gees who tried to swim TO safety.
Their experiences were related
Dy other American refugees who
arrived here. Among them were
Mr.. and Mrs. w. Fl. Boyd OF New
FORK and Mr.. and Mrs. J. II. Archi-
oald OF Washington and North
Carolina. Mr.. Achibald and Mrs.
Boyd procured launch In the
smyrna harbor and saved so refu-
gees by taking them to the Amer
lean steamer Winona. The for
mer gave refuge to 1000 Greeks
and Armenians in his home just
outside Smyrna.