The American Red Cross Magazine (Vol. 8, No. 2, April 1913)

by American National Red Cross

Situation in Salonica

Letter from Mr. E. O. Jacob.

Salonica, Jan. 3, 1913.

I trust you will forgive me for not writing you earlier. My trip unfortunately lasted 13 days. I had 5 days’ quarantine in Pireus and then had to wait 5 days for a steamer, so that I did not reach here till December 30. I found, as I had feared, that the most urgent need was over, and the work of relief in Salonica itself was already pretty well organized. It seems, however, that my services will meet a real need at least for some weeks. Some one is urgently needed to visit the towns and villages of the provinces and Mr. Haskell is certainly the best man for that.

I am writing this letter also as a sort of report, any material of which you are at liberty to use. You have already received, I understand, a copy of the “Independent,” describing the work of the “Societe de Secours aux Refugies.” This is a quite modest and impersonal description of the work of Mr. Haskell, Mme. Christo Hajji Lazaro and the association whom they have gathered, namely, Pastor Brunau, Mme. Yenny, the wife of a Swiss merchant; Sister Augustine of the Catholic Mission, and lately Mr. van Bommel. They began at once the collection of funds, the investigation of the condition of the refugees and the giving of bread. It must have been a terrible task to locate 50,000 refugees, scattered as they were all over the city, and still more so to inaugurate a system of distribution, for the imams of mosques and the former Mouhtars of different districts tried in every way to turn the funds into their own pockets. But by frequent and tiresome inspections a fair degree of efficiency is now maintained. The committee has now the aid of three native pastors, who are proving very effective in tracing irregularities, removals and other changes.

HOSPITAL IN CONSTANTINOPLE IN CHARGE OF GERMAN OFFICERS.

TASH-KESHLA HOSPITAL, CONSTANTINOPLE.

FRONT ROW (BEGINNING FIFTH FROM LEFT)—MAJOR FORD C. S. A.; TURKISH DOCTOR; MADAME DEPAGE IN NURSING COSTUME; UNKNOWN LADY; MARCHIONESS PALLAVACINI, WIFE OF AUSTRIAN AMBASSADOR; MRS ROCKHILL, WIFE OF AMERICAN AMBASSADOR; DR. DEPAGE.

This group of people has thus far had to confine its activities to the giving of bread, the most immediate necessity of the unfortunate “muhajjirs.” For a long time they gave at the rate of 9 ounces per person per day, surely a minimum ration. Since this week it has fortunately been possible to raise the rate to 12 ounces a day. Four distribution centers are operated, the people coming to these places for their allowances. At the one where I am working we are now distributing 2,700 loaves a day. The total daily distribution is 8,000 loaves and costs a little over 100 Lt. a day.

In certain directions the financial support has been very encouraging. The largest giver, unofficial, of course, is the Greek government, which has put into the hands of this society about 180,000 francs. Queen Olga has in addition given the good sum of 40,000 francs out of her own purse. From Holland came, as the result of an unsolicited appeal from the Dutch Red Cross Mission here, 25,000 francs. The American Red Cross is credited with about Lt. 350 and about 7,300 francs have come to Mr. Haskell from friends in Switzerland. So up to the present the work has been maintained without a deficit.

It seems clear, however, that as the harder part of the winter comes, aid will, in many instances, have to be given in other ways than the one I have mentioned, as 12 ounces of bread a day will not indefinitely keep the body and soul together. Thus far, in fact, most of those who have received aid have enough money for a little salt and a few olives, for a few candles and a bit of charcoal. But lately we get the complaint more and more frequently that these resources are exhausted and that the bread ration no longer suffices alone. Once in two weeks, in fact, each person gets a half bowl of soup. This is made possible by a very efficient little soup kitchen which the Catholic sisters have opened. But this, too, is certainly only a trifle. Again, as wintry weather comes, we get calls for clothing, bed quilts, etc. Practically nothing has yet been given in this line.

I have thus far been speaking exclusively of the people under the care of the “Societe de Secours.” There is also in the city an “International Committee,” which has been taking up other sides of the same work. It has, for example, in operation an observation camp for those who have been exposed to smallpox. It also charters steamers to convey to Asia Minor free of charge those who wish to seek employment there. I had a long interview with Mr. Forbes in Smyrna and brought to the committee details about his offer to employ several thousand men in licorice digging. They are therefore now sending him a first load of 1,100 persons by the steamship Assouan. It strikes us all that to give them like this an opportunity for steady work is about the best service that can be rendered. The largest enterprise of this committee is the maintenance of a concentration camp, which houses 6,000 refugees. Though they have to live in tents they are otherwise under the best of care. The government is military, the sanitary conditions are excellent and everyone directly under the eye of the workers. Unfortunately the operating cost of this camp (about Lt. 80 a day) is so great that the scheme cannot be extended to the others. This committee, moreover, finds itself in a less encouraging financial condition than the “Societe,” and with a deficit already on hand, is not venturing beyond its present range of work.

Then, finally, the needs of the towns in the provinces are begging to be brought to our attention. In many respects they are more sadly in want than Salonica itself. Naturally the armies have absorbed all the available foodstuffs. Moreover, dozens of villages have been burned to the ground and many towns have been quite thoroughly looted. The same sort of story comes from all the surrounding regions, Monastir, Uskub, Strumitza, Brama, etc.

The British Balkan Committee has begun to help in several places. Mrs. Lazaro has gone with a member of the Macedonian Relief Committee to Gumendje, and Mr. Haskell expects to start next week on a two weeks’ tour in the region of Strumitza. Those trips should make clear just what the most urgent needs are.