Norwich bulletin., 1922-03-18

memory about US in your hearts and tell
to everybody, that little Russian chIl-
dren shall thank and remember always
their good American Friends"
But by all odds the most significant
feature of these testimonials is the par
ticrular time which the Russians in Con-
stantinople chose for presenting them. !
During q number of months, consider |
able funds had been supplied for the re-
lief of the civilian refugees in Constantl- |
nople by the national authorities OF the |
American Red Cross. And then, one
day. word came that the source OF sup |
Ply could no longer be continued. (Mean- |
while, in Russia itself. for the aid of
the population which had driven the Con-
stantinople group into exile. the vast
campaign Of American governmental re-
lief was being lannchedl. 1t was sure
ly a moment when petty spirits, angry
over what must have seemed to them an
ineNplfcable favoritism, would have for
gotten. with grunlbling. their grateful
ness for past help received In Constanti-
nople Not so the Russians therel This
was the very moment which they chose
for bringing in their written expressions
of gratitude.
rs it any wonder" MRS. Stearns asks.
that the Constantinorae chapter of the
American Red Cross decided to go on
supplying such people as these with
whatever scant assistance our local re-
sources could muster? Hundreds of the
Russians there are the very flower Of
their nation not of the sort which has
the charm of culture and only the charm
but people whose very ability to survive
, the terrible ordeaGs through which they
have passed proves their Inward
strength. their moral force and their
great powers of achievement under nor
NAL circumstances
prom the very beginning Of the boil
shevik revolution, many Of the best fam
lies OF all Russia found their way across
the Turkish border driven merciessly
from their homes. But the situation did
not become acute until November, 1890,
when Wrangers defensive campaign col
appeared in the Bosphorus, bearing
thousands of refugees into Constantine
pie.
Thanks to the leadership Of General
; Wrangel, unfiRchingly faithful to his
: troops, and thanks to the ration of one
SAINT mea> a Gay generously provided
ny the French. It was possible to provide
sf1er 2 fashion far the men of the army,
Taay have not only been kept alive but
also pr arreHTaents with various Sal
Kan ereat majority of them
have ncomoraded into special
border outside of Turkey.
'Also IS been possible to arrange
TRANSPORT for a good many civilian refu-
gees to homes in Europe where with the
aid of relatives or through some definite
employment which has been found for
ehsm in advance, they can again IN
dertake something like a normal eco
nornic existence. But still $4,000 Rus
slams remain in Constantinople. OF these,
perhaps 5000 have found employment,
rys least 1000 have been unable to work
IN the Stagnant city, and 10000 are eth
u too sick to work or too yOung, for
among these refugees, according to fig
tres very recently compiled by General
7Frangel, there are at least $500 chill
Iren.
and practically all Of the $4,000
even those who have found some definite
gn ans of gaining 4 livelihood-are with
out proper shelter. Many Russians have
taa.en uD quarters in the ricltety and
siana-charred ruins of that part Of the
city which has been so wrecked by fire
that even the Turks have abandoned It.
Others are living in subterranean dug
outs. Fourteen hundred men find their
only shelter in an Of disable, with never
a window in its walls to let in the light
OF day. And yet what plucky attempts
at good order and cleanliness I have
seen there! The men elected an Officer
whom they called d commandment One
day he took me to inspect the improve
ments' which he had orga nized. He ha6
caused each man to mark off q LITTLE
rectangular plot on the plot on the bart
ground of the stable-set off by pebble:
which had been pounded into the eartt
, SO that this much space, at least
should be known as each mans owl
private property where he could slesl
at night and where he could keep, dur
ing the day his few stray possessions.
But despite all the suffering, the Sc
we're ana protracted under-nourishment
amounting to slow starvation, whicl
these people have been forced to under
J go, photographs in the exhibit whicl
Mrs. Stearns placed on view gave wilt
ness of many brave efforts made b.
these Russians to maintain. their goo
spirits and to keep life flowing along Il
as natural manner as possible. Fo
/ one thing, they have improvtsed a chan
: ell where chuhch services may be held
= bed-sheeting from the Red Cross store
r having been utilized Ny the refugees q
background for the painting of picture
I ! which beautify the church. Again, the
= have constructed a rude theatre wher
sometimes they give little plays. usual
| remembered from years in Moscow an
e Petrograd, but sometimes newly write
: for the occasion.
s Again, many Of the paintings done b
young artists in the refugee colony an
. shown in yesterdays exhibition NANTES
e the courage, the sense of humor mair
. tanned in the midst Of great TRAGEDY
. which are go characteristic of these Rus
+ SANS There were amusing caricature
r for example, of THE Turkish Dentist
a and Of "An American Sailor on Leave
the latter driving horse at furiou
. rate through the tortuous streets Of Cor
stantineple.
But above all the Tonsta ntinorle char
' ter of the American Red Cross. Of whic
Mrs. Stearns is executive secretary.
concentrating It's efforts for the welfal
II of the children OF the refugee colony
II and it is for this purpose that the chat
l, ter Is now most urgently in need I
y funds Outside the walls Of the old eli
e school has been on9anized for the Ru
a sian children. called the Neratov Schor
n and there il the Nttie pupils can on
e be saved from starvation. the training
a heing sunnliad which some dav NAV {
e far toward the salvation of bolshevil
= ruined Russia Manv Of the examines
children's work. in the exhibit, disois
e the most ingenious design and skill
a workmanship.
q Mrs Stearns win set san once mo-
" for Consta ntinople on March %.