The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-19
MISERY IN FLIGHT
Thousands of Greek Refugees
Flee From Turks.
Are Without Food, Clothing,
Shelter or Funds.
ROUNDED UP LIKE CATTLE
Greek Commanders Warn Thai
No Time Be Lost.
Plight of Refugees Is Terrible
to Contemplate.

Constantinople, Oct. 19.-The Bull
garian frontier was closed today to
prevent panic-stricken hordes of
Greek Christian refugees from swarm
ing into that country from Thrace.
Nearly half a million Greek ana
Armenian fugitives have taken refuge
in Macedonia. All are without FOOD
clothing, shelter or funds.
A quarter of a million refugees are
still to be deported from eastern
Thrace. They are being rounded up
and "herded" by Greek cavalry. The
scenes remind one of a cattle roundup
in Texas or some other American
western state.
Owing to the cold weather and the
shortage of railway cars and steam
ships. the work of evacuating the
Christians is proceeding more slowly
than the allies wish. Some of the
concentration camps have been turned
into mudholes by the rain.
Is Tragic Picture.
The flight of the Greeks from their
farms in eastern Thrace presents
tragic picture. For twenty miles the
fugitives are spread over the country
side. The roads are cluttered with
carts drawn by builocks, donkeys and
horses. Even cows have been utilized
to assist in carrying off what house
hold effects could be saved
The roads have been turned into
falling continuously for three days
and three nights.
Stretching south and west of
Adrianople for many miles are long
lines of fugitives-men, women and
children Many of the residents of
the northern part of Thrace were
headed for the Bulgarian boundary
when they learned that the border
had been closed. Then began a mad
race for the Martha river-the west
ern frontier of that part of Thrace to
be taken over by Turkey.
At times the shout would go up:
1.-THE Turks are coming!"
Cries of panic would fill the air.
The oxen and horses drawing the
ancient and heavy carts would be
their children in their arms. The men
would struggle forward with what
speed they could make against the
thick, glue-like mud.
No Time to be Lost.
The Greek commanders warned the
Christian fugitives that there was no
time to be lost.
refugees would listen alphabetically
and nod assent, then would shamb1e
forward with heads bent forward,
apparently in a daze until the shout
would go up again: THE Turks are
coming!"
out, only to die down in the general
gloom that pervades the exodus.
All the roads leading to the Mari
tia are clogged by thousands OF
Greeks and Armenians. Every class
of people is represented, but most of
them are peasants. They do not know
what their ultimate destination is to
be. All they know is that once they
cross the Martha river they will be
safe behind the Greek frontier and
the Turks will ont be able to cut them
down.
The plight of those refugees is ter
rible to contemplate. They are with
out homes, without funds and most
of them have only what they could
carry in their arms. Greece, especially
Macedonia, is already overrun with
hundreds of thousands of refugees
The country is suffering from lack of
food and the Athens government is
without funds to care for the home
less. The only remedy seems to
and public cahrity in goreign coun-
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