Evening star., 1922-09-17
French and Italian
Soldiers Rushed
Z to Dardanelles.
THOUSANDS KILLED
IN BURNING SMYRNA
Turk Marauders Patrol
City Staying and Rob.
ing Refugees.
Tie Associated Press.

-
LONDON, September i6.- With
British troops entrenching at stra-
tegic points on the Dardanelles'
French and Italian battalions rush.
i.lg 10 join them, and from far New
Zealand word that an Anzac contin-
gent will be dispatched to the scenes
of their heroic sacrifices in the late
war TO assist in dealing with the
Turkish natonalists, there has been a
SWIFT carrying into effect of the al
Led announcements regarding firm
Termination to preserve the free
com of the Dardanelles and the
.;osphorous.
The British troops are supported by
heavy artillery and backed by ths
Iicet. and officials here are confident
that the combined allied land and sea
.'orces. which are declared to be pre-
pared for any eventuality, can hold
ronstantinople against all odds.
The Turks, having bombarded the
last departing Greek transports from
tae'Chesme peninsula despite the Brit
ism appeal for mercy on the ground
nat the Greeks were helpless, and no
ionger combatants. Mustapha Kemal
;'asha is now supreme over all of
-luatolia, but has yet made no direct
move toward Constantinople of the
straits, and the warnings which the
allies have voiced throughout Europe
and the near east may have served
their purpose.
Smyrna a Shambles.
Smyrna. which last month was the
center of Greek rule. is a shambles.
with FIRE raging for three days and
still continuing. Only the Mosiem
quarter has escaped.
Thousands have suffered death and
outrages at the hands of the Turks
and hundreds OF helpless victims in
hospitals have been horribly tortured.
The half crazed population and
refugees are suffering untold misery.
attempting the superhuman task of
ministering to the dead and dying.
All relief supplies sent from Con-
stantinople by the American relief
organizations were destroyed by the
fire. Maj. Clafiin Davis of the Amer
lean Red Cross and NJ. c. Jaquith of
the Near East Relief are bending all
their efforts to evacuate the Chris
tians as the only means of saving
them, but are handicapped by lack of
vessels.
Bands of Turks are heartlessly
killing the helpless Christians and
the whole city is in the throes of
terror. Rescue work among the ruins
is proceeding slowly. the Kemalists
leaving the fire victims to their fate.
The catastrophe is SO vast that
only the collective efforts of the allied
nations can cope with it, When the
fire was at its worst the American
destroyers Lawrence and Litchfield
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 piteously to be saved. The
american blue jackets rescued hun
dreds from drowning.
U. s. Sailors Aid Victims.
The American SdllOTS dSHOTc were
obliged to hold off great crowds at
the point of bayonets in order to keep
them from the frail destroyers. The
dag was hoisted on the quay and the
bluejackets went among the panic
stricken people, picking out those
with American citizenship papers.
The American flag was like a beacon
of hope; hundreds who 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, were forced to
turn a deaf ear to these appeals. The
big-hearted bluejackets were over
come with emotion at the distressing q
scenes and did their best to comfort
the terrorized women and children,
.ven giving up their own bee -olls,
clothing and ratione..
Commander Merrill Of New York,
aide to Rear Admiral Bristol. is hailed
as a hero; men, women and children
falling on their knees and kissing his
garments as he passes through the
refugee concentration areas.