867.48/1444: Telegram
The Acting High Commissioner at Constantinople (Dolbeare) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:15 p.m.]
368. Department’s 268 [275] November 29, 2 p.m. [6 p.m.]24 Continuing my 361 November 29, 11 a.m.24
In eastern Thrace complete evacuation of non-Moslem population has ended relief work. In Constantinople Greek and Armenian committee are caring for their nationals. In Anatolia Near East is furnishing emergency relief to refugees assembling in Black Sea ports and has offered to provision any Greek vessels which may go to take them off. Similar situation at Mersine. At Smyrna, Disaster Relief Committee of Constantinople chapter, American Red Cross, has been issuing rations at the rate of 100 sacks of flour per diem to Turkish and Jewish refugees. League of Nations has sent 200 tons flour and International Red Cross one shipment of supplies, but neither one is maintaining relief work there. The Turkish Red Crescent is at work in the devastated regions but no statistics are available. The Constantinople chapter is endeavoring in cooperation with the relief agencies in Greece to arrange for the assistance of prisoners of war. I understand that this work is well organized among the Turkish prisoners in Greece but little has yet been done for the Greek prisoners in Anatolia.
Relief for the non-Moslem population of Anatolia is at present on an unorganized and emergency basis and it is as yet difficult to predict what proportions the movement of this population will assume. The organizations now at work here are without funds adequately to meet the situation which would arise should this migration become general.
[Page 448]Little has yet been done for the assistance of Moslem population in the devastated regions of western Anatolia. The committee at Smyrna with the assistance of the Near East is endeavoring to find homes among the local population 50,000 Moslem orphans. That committee composed of local American business men and educators feels that the constructive form of relief for the use of people would be the establishment of loan bank with American capital which would enable them to reestablish themselves on the land and get in a crop next season. A plan for this is now being developed.
In this report I have confined myself to refugee situation which has arisen as a result of the Greco-Turkish war and have not included the question of Russian refugees in Constantinople or of the Near East orphanages.
Repeated to Lausanne.