The Monroe journal., 1922-09-19
When Fire Was Worst American
Destroyer Swamped by Vic
Tins Begging to be Saved
GREAT CROWDS HELD OFF
AT POINT OF BAYONETs


American Flag Like a Beacon of Hope
Hundreds Claimed to Have Been
in United States. But Could Give
No Satisfactory Proof-Big Heart.
ed Blue Jackets Overcome With
Emotions and Gave up Own Bed
Rolls. Clothing ard Rations-Smyr-
IA Vast Sepulchre of Ashes
Cn.on county boys who wen. to
France ard witnessed the vast de-
struction il the late world war can
better than anybody else picture in
their minds the awful devastation now
going or in Smyrna, where the
Americans are looked upon as angels
of mercy, and mothers of those boys
can sympathize with the victims of
this terrible catastrophe as no others
can. Here is the horrible story as
told by dispatches from that far away
land:
Smyrna, Sept. l7.-Smyrna no
longer exists The fire, which has
been raging for three days with un-
abated fur, has swept the city and
is extending 10 the suburbs. Only
blackened masonary and a small
vestige of the Turkish quarter re-
main.
All the patients crowded in hospi-
tails, numbering not less than a thou
sand, have been burned to death.
All relief supplies sent from Con-
stantinople by the American relief
organizations were destroyed by the
fire. Major Claftin Davis, of the
American Red Cross, and H. C.
Jaquith, Of the near east relief, are
bending ali their efforts to evacuate
the Christians as the only means of
saving them, but are handicapped by
lack of vessels.
Band 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 catastronhe is so vast that
only TIE collective efforts Of the allied
nations can cope with it. When the
fire was at its worst the American
destroyers Lawrence and Litchfiald
were almost swamped by thousands
of maddened survivors who plunged
into the water in the darkness of
night and swan out to the vessels,
imploring vlteously to be saved. The
American blue jackets rescued hun
dreds from drowning.
The American sailors ashore were
obliged to hold off great crowds at
the po mt of bayonets in order to
keep them from the frail destroyers.
The flag was osted on the quay
and the blue Jackets went among the
panic stricken people, picking out
those with American citizenship pap
ers. The American flag was like
beacon of hope, hundreds 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 rela-
tives in New York, Chicago, San
Francisco and other American cities.
The Americans, however, were forced
to turn deaf ear to these appeals.
The big hearted blue jackets were
overcome with emotions at the dis
tressing scenes and did their best to
comfort the terrorized women and
children, even giving up their own
bed rolls, clothing and rations.
Commander Merrill, of New York,
aide to Rear Admiral Bristol. is hail
ed sa hero, men, women and chill
dren falling their knees and kissing
his garments as he passed through
the refugee concentration areas.
A Sepulchre of Ashes
Smyrna, Sept. 18.-Smyrna, which
the Turks have called the eye of
Asia, is the vast sepulchre of ashes.
Only the shattered walls of $4,000
homes and the charred bodies of
countless victims remain to tell the
story of death and destruction un-
exampled in modern history.
The ruins are still smouldering
like a volcano which has spent its
fury. No effort has been made by
the Turks to remove the dead and
dying. The streets are full of the
bodies Of those who sought to es-
cape, for the most part women and
children.
Every building in the Armenian
quarter has been burnt, with the
dead lying about. The bay, which
covers an area of so acres, still
carries on its surface the poor rem
nants of those who were massacred
or. sought to escape the ruthlessness
of the fire One water front holds
thousands of survivors who fear death
at the hands of soldiery; there are
no boats to take them off.
One ship captain declined to take
any of the wretched sufferers, but
in contrast to his indifference Can
tain Walters, of the American steam
er Winona, rescued 1900 and took
them to Biraeus. American sailors
Of the destroyer Litchfield snatched
450 orphaned boys from the pier and
carried them safely to Constanti-
nople. The Jack Tars slept on the
iron decks or under torpedo tubes
while the youngsters occupied their
hunks. In all the acts of gallantry
by the Americans at Smyrna there
was none more inspiring than this.
Allied Preparations
The latest edvices from Cons.an.
iEnnkinuad ou naUa atnht