Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-04
CREDIT AND DISCREDiT

CREDIT AND DIscREDiT
Because this country has not en-
tered into political compact with the
League of Nations, because it is ir-
sisting that those countries which
borrowed our money on business
basis should settle on business basis
there has been much criticism. Amer
leans have been held up as mercen-
airy, as wishing to dwell apart in
selfish isolation. Yet we may say that
which it is impossible for any other
country to say; that the American
Relief Administration distributed to
starving Russians a million tons of
food, that eleven million people were
fed at $4,000 stations and two million
children were nursed, that medical
aid was given to $4,000 hospitals and
over seven million people, that sixty
million dollars were expended in this
undertaking to help a great people in
their direst stress. No other people
did Or could do this but they should
the efficiency with which it was done
or deny recognition of the splendid
services of Colonial William n. Has
kell and his 300 devoted workers.
At least there should be recogni-
ton of a remarkable achievement, of
an unparalleled generosity, but it
would be unfortunate indeed, if the
American people should take undue
satisfaction unto themselves for this.
They were blessed with the means to
do this without serious inconvenience
to themselves, and to their credit
they did it. They so established a
precedent, a record which it should be
their pride to maintain, if such &C.
casion should again arise, as it de-
voutly is hoped may not. 1t was a
work, moreover, unhampered by in
ternational restrictions or jealousies.
Could as much be said of relief in
which all might be joined under COM
plexity of national views and regula-
lions, whether or not functioning I'M
der the League of Natios? This
might be questioned. Where the red
tape Of government interferes the eff
feet is deadening. Where there is di-
vided responsibility the situation is
aggravated.
A report of a Near East Relief
nurse in September McClure's, who
claims to have been an eyewitness of
conditions existing at the burning of
Smyrna. Is a revelation of incom-
potency on the part of representatives
of England, France, Italy and Ameri-
ca there present. Her story is not
pleasant reading. 1t nowise contri-
butes to SNUG satisfaction on our
part. Here is some of it: .
while flames and smoke and ter
ror tortured the maddened throngs on
the quay, destroyers and cruisers OF
Italy. France, England and America
stood by, watching them. A few row
boats were filled with refugees, row.
ing around and around these ships
They were not permitted to get or
board.
THE water between the quay and
the ships was full of bodies of men
and women. drowned while swimming
The destroyerS were warshipS; il
was against regulations for them to
take on board any one save citizens
Of the countries they represented.
yet in the case of the Italian and
French destroyers, those citizenships
could be bought. Refugees who had
been able to reach the quay with
some money, and who had not yet
been robbed by the Turks. paid five
hundred and thousand lras each
for these so-called citizenships, which
meant life. The destroyers carried
them as far as Mytilene and dumped
them on that island, penniless,
I'm writing thus of the Smyrna
13, 1922. after the rout of the Greeks
by the Turks, Miss Evon gives the
first really complete eyewitness ac-
COW, of the entire disaster.
myrna was more than Turkish
afnfty: it was. rather failure of
huNkhity,' she concludes. Smyrna
shakes the fundamental faith that
seeps us alive. The concerted greed
! cruelty of nations and of thou
Ads of individuals created the hor
rt on the quay of Smyrna.
But If our faith in life survives,
then there is a value in knowing the
things that were done at Smyrna.
They are scientific data showing what
humanity is. The atrocity of Smyrna
was the crime of the organized poll
lies of the world. and the cruelty and
.upidity of individual Turks were
matched by the cupidity and indiffer-
snce of Western men,.
Who of us reading this should not
be glad of the record of the Ameri-
can Relief in Russia, unhampered as
1t was, and representative Of the best
inonnlse IF tho American peopleo