friends to the amount contributed by the _Christian Herald_ for this
fund. Our readers will remember the large amounts contributed by this
paper in the past to various Red Cross Relief Funds, especially the
following: Japanese Famine Fund, $200,000; Chinese Famine Fund, $250,000
in money and a Government transport load of food supplies, and to the
Italian Earthquake Fund, $55,000.—_Editor._
ITALIAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF
From Mr. Lloyd Griscom and Lieutenant-Commander Belknap final reports
have been received of the American Red Cross Relief work in Italy. A
printed report of Mr. Griscom’s American Relief Committee in Rome,
together with all the vouchers and correspondence of this Committee, have
been sent to the American Red Cross at Washington for permanent filing
in its archives. The vouchers for all expenditures have been revised and
certified to by the Banca Commerciale Italiana at Rome. The vouchers for
all the expenditures connected with the American Red Cross Relief Ship
_Bayern_ are already on file at Washington.
SUMMARY OF CONSTRUCTIVE WORK TO JUNE 11.
_Messina._
Cottages of standard type, built 16×20×9 feet 1,039
Grand Hotel Regina Elena, 75 bedrooms, two stories and partial
third story; 100 feet central part with two wings, each 132
feet long, all finished except plaster, plumbing, lighting,
Eternit roofing, and inside paint; material used equivalent to 178
Building suitable for church, material used equivalent to 24
Building attached to church, material used equivalent to 15
Laboratorio, material used equivalent to 12
Two school buildings, together equivalent in material to 12
------
Total buildings at Messina, equivalent in material to 1,280
Material remaining at Messina for continuing construction of
houses 350
_Reggio-Calabria._
Cottages of standard type 500
_Villagio Regina Elena._
Cottages of semidetached type, each 16×20 75
Hospital Elizabeth Griscom, equivalent in material used to
30 houses; plumbing, lighting, and furnishing done by Her
Majesty’s staff 30
_Palmi and District._
Cottage of special smaller type built, 13×16×10, as a model,
complete, and frame for a second built 1
Material sent to this district for other such houses 500
_Ali and Surrounding District._
Portable houses erected 49
Houses of Palmi type built as models 5
Roccalumera 3, Santa Teresa Riva 2, Nizza-Sicilia 2 (models
of Palmi type built) 7
Material sent to this district for houses of this type 300
------
Total built by American construction party 1,898
Total number of houses furnished 3,097
[Illustration: VITTORIO EMANUELE, KING OF ITALY.]
[Illustration: ELENA, QUEEN OF ITALY.]
Captain Belknap, on the 10th instant, consigned the completed work at
Messina to the Ministry of Public Works, who then assumed charge.
Ensign Robert W. Spofford, U. S. N., remained to direct the work in
general until it had become well organized under the new direction. He
will also supervise the completion of certain work being done by contract
not yet completed.
_Commander Belknap’s Work._
Mr. Griscom says: “The report of Captain Belknap is worthy of careful
study. Its only fault is that it does not do justice to his work. I feel
that it is incumbent upon me to endeavor to express to you the admiration
I have for the manner in which Lieutenant-Commander Belknap has performed
his duty. The magnitude of the task could only be appreciated by one
who has been on the spot and seen the difficulties as they arose and
witnessed the courageous and adroit manner in which he overcame all
obstacles and carried to successful conclusion a work which is truly
remarkable. The departure of Lieutenant-Commander Belknap from Messina
was a veritable personal triumph. All the highest military and civil
authorities were present at the steamship landing, together with a
military band, and he was given full military honors and received a
remarkable and spontaneous public demonstration of admiration. He and
several of his assistants were formally made citizens of Messina. To-day
he has been formally received by their majesties, the King and Queen of
Italy, and had extended to him their majesties’ personal expressions of
gratitude.”
_Commander Belknap’s Tributes to His Assistants._
Before closing this report, I beg to mention those who have labored so
energetically and faithfully to bring about results which have been
kindly commended by all who have visited the camps.
The special prominence of the services rendered by Tonente di Vascello
Alfredo Brofferio stand apart from all else. He worked unremittingly in
the closest association with us, his duties touching every feature of
the work, and it would be impossible to place too high a value upon his
far-seeing, conscientious, and self-sacrificing devotion to our success.
The Italian authorities’ cordial attitude toward us and hospitable care
made away with innumerable difficulties. To their magnanimity and their
earnest devotion to their own duties was due their sincere appreciation
of our efforts and their frank and grateful acknowledgment of our gift to
their cities.
Commander Harry P. Huse, U. S. N., commanding the U. S. S. _Celtic_,
established us on a living and working basis in our camp at Messina,
the _Celtic_ serving as our base until the first group of houses were
ready for us, and he was most felicitous in all that he did to promote a
genuine feeling of cordiality in our relations with the authorities.
Lieutenant-Commander George Wood Logan, commanding the U. S. S.
_Scorpion_, gave his most cordial support and interest in the undertaking
from the first, and placed every facility at our disposal.
Lieutenant Allen Buchanan, U. S. N., was the mainstay in the executive
work, and I was always able to rely on his good judgment on the frequent
occasions when taking counsel was necessary. He discharged his duty
with unremitting industry and exemplary zeal, and he left behind him in
Messina and among the members of our organization a feeling of the most
uniform good will and admiration for his character and ability as an
officer.
Ensign John W. Wilcox was in charge of the Reggio division of the work,
which he managed with exceptional skill. He had many difficulties to
contend against, but solved them with an ease and discernment that an
officer of long experience might envy.
[Illustration: THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION, MESSINA.]
Ensign Robert W. Spofford, U. S. N., had charge of the unloading of
steamers. He has done excellent work and is left in charge of the work
being completed at Messina. To Assistant Surgeon Donelson, U. S. N., for
medical supervision of the camp, and to Pay Inspector J. A. Mudd, U. S.
N., for the care taken in the shipment of the building materials from
America, Captain Belknap gives high praise. The enlisted men of the Navy
performed their work most faithfully, and Captain Belknap mentions many
of them by name. This country may well be proud of the splendid work of
the officers and men of our Navy so far outside their regular duties.
Captain Belknap says also that thanks are due to Mr. John Elliott, who
was a most devoted worker, and left his beautifying touch on every part
of the work. Mr. H. W. C. Bowdoin and Mr. Charles King Wood were among
the other tireless and efficient volunteer workers to whom our thanks are
due. And finally, many of the master carpenters sent from America gave
most satisfactory and valuable service under difficult conditions.
_Committee on American Offerings._
Of this committee Mr. Griscom says: “As you already know, after
consultation with his excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Signor
Tittoni, I placed the sum of 256,250 lire (the equivalent of $50,000) in
the hands of a committee appointed by Mr. Tittoni, of which his wife,
Donna Bice Tittoni, was Chairman. This committee has to-day handed to
me its report and accompanying vouchers, which are transmitted to you
herewith under separate cover. I am satisfied that this committee carried
out some of the best rehabilitation work which has been done since the
earthquake. It was done in a rapid and businesslike way.”
_The American Red Cross Orphanage._
Signor Bruno Chimirri, Chairman of the Committee on Orphans, called the
“Patronato Regina Elena,” reports: “Being desirous of expediting the
plant of the colony before the departure of the Ambassador from Rome,
and not wishing to touch one single lire of the American capital, the
Patronato voted 200,000 lire (about $40,000) for the building of the
colony. This depended upon us, and it has been done. As to the choice of
a site upon which it will be erected, it is not a question of choosing
any piece of land, but a ground within the jurisdiction of the Itinerant
Chair of Agriculture, in order to secure not only gratuitous teaching but
also the very best obtainable. With this end in view, two months ago I
addressed myself to the Minister of Agriculture, upon whom depends the
Itinerant Chair that has to choose a suitable locality. I have finally
brought the matter before the House of Deputies. Nor is this all. In
order to facilitate the negotiations for the purchase of the land,
since the Ministry would not consider the price of the proprietor, I
have induced the municipality of Nicastro to contribute to the expense
by paying the difference, as you will see by a copy of their decision
appended hereto. As soon as we receive an answer we shall send the
Professor of the Itinerant Chair to visit the proffered land, and, if his
report is favorable, we shall hasten to secure possession and lay the
cornerstone before Mr. Griscom’s departure.”
The Italian government consented to pay $4,800 for the land, and the
District of Nicastro voted to contribute the balance of the $6,000 which
was asked.
In regard to this Orphanage there is given an open letter to the American
Red Cross from Mr. Anthony Matre, Secretary of the American Federation of
Catholic Societies. This letter was published in some of the prominent
Roman Catholic papers before it even reached the hands of the officers of
the American Red Cross, an act that can hardly be considered courteous.
It was referred by the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the
American Red Cross to our Ambassador at Rome, and his reply is embodied
in an answer to Mr. Matre. As the Roman Catholic Church made appeals
for the Italian sufferers, and the offerings it received in reply were
sent to the Pope, it is probable that but a very small percentage of
the contributions received by the Red Cross, possibly 5 or 10 per cent,
came from members of the Roman Catholic Church. The receipts show many
contributions from Protestant Churches and Sunday Schools, but none
from any Roman Catholic institution, and yet, according to Mr. Matre’s
figures, some 97 per cent, and, according to Mr. Griscom’s letter,
99 per cent, of these contributions must have been expended in Italy
for the people of this faith. Of the funds sent to our Ambassador, a
generous contribution was made to the Pope for the relief work in which
he was interested, and other moneys were placed in the hands of bishops
and priests in the stricken district to aid them in their work for the
earthquake sufferers. The Red Cross considers neither race nor creed; its
mission is to mitigate, as far as lies within its power, the sufferings
of the sick and wounded in the misfortune of war or of the victims of
fire, flood, famine, earthquake, pestilence, and other great disasters.
The following copies of correspondence will be of interest:
ST. LOUIS, MO., March 22, 1909.
_To the President, Secretary, and Officers of the American Red Cross
Association_:
GENTLEMEN: The American Federation of Catholic Societies, representing
millions of American Catholics, desire official information regarding
the dispatch published in the papers of the United States on February
8th, and referring to an appropriation made by your society. The dispatch
reads:
“ROME, Feb. 7.—It is officially declared that the American Red
Cross, through Ambassador Griscom, has put $250,000 at the
disposal of the committee organized by Queen Helena, which has
undertaken the establishment of an orphanage to be devoted to
the care of children left homeless and without parents by the
earthquake disaster.”
[Illustration: THE ENLISTED MEN OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY, MESSINA.]
Under date of February 6, 1909, the _Civilta Cattolica_, published at
Rome, states that a national patronage of orphans, under the name of
“Queen Helena,” has been erected by decree of the 14th of January, and
to it has been granted all legal rights for the protection of orphans
who have suffered by the recent calamity or who will need protection on
account of any future disaster; that the direct administration of this
orphanage is committed to a council, half of whose membership shall be
appointed by royal authority and the other half by election or choice of
those contributing annually to its support.
In the same paper, the _Civilta Cattolica_, of February 20, 1909, appears
the following: “There has been appointed to the Presidency of the
National Committee the Mayor of the first city of Italy, Erneste Nathan,
a Hebrew, a very bitter enemy of Catholicism.” The same issue states
that the National Committee has appointed three women to take charge
of “Patronato Nazionale Regina Elene,” namely, Turin, an unknown woman,
a Socialist and Freemason; Labriola, a Protestant woman (a Valdensian
Protestant), and Levi, a Jewess. To them was confided the care of all
orphans brought to Naples from the scene of the disaster. This charge was
taken from the Nepolitan authorities because they were good Catholics.
The _Civilta Cattolica_ states: “It is evident from the entire policy
of the National Committee that the Pope was refused all voice in the
disposition of the orphans. He never entered into the committee’s
consideration, except that it is trying and succeeding in hampering his
efforts everywhere, for instance:
1. The government, _i. e._, the National Committee, refused to
send any of the wounded to the hospital of Santa Marta in Rome,
so that the Knights of Malta have to make up a train themselves
to go to Naples in order to get the wounded.
2. The Catholic officers of the Spanish ship _Cataluna_ were
hampered in the gathering of the wounded and orphans at Messina
to take them to Rome for disposition of the Pope. This ship has
been placed under direct control of the Pope by the Count of
Comillas, the owner.
3. The Pope was interfered with in placing orphans in the care
of the French priest, Santol. (The Pope has offered to care for
2,000 earthquake orphans, one-half of whom were to be put in
charge of Father Santol.)”
From the above it appears that part of the money contributed by our
fellow-citizens, irrespective of creed and nationality, is being used
by missionary societies and others against Catholicity. Some of our
Catholic fellow-citizens feared that such would likely be the case, but
they nevertheless contributed liberally, thinking that in such a crisis
and such distress haste was necessary and bigotry would not be allowed
to have part. But from the above statements it is evident that their
fears were well founded, and if it turns out that the statements are
true, the Red Cross Society, though splendid in its aims, will never be
trusted again by the 15,000,000 of Catholics in this country, nor by the
270,000,000 Catholics the world over.
Your organization is no doubt aware that all civilized countries now
acknowledge the right of the child to be educated in the religion of
its parents, and though the Red Cross Society of America may not have
anything to do with the education of these children without religion, it
has the right and duty to protest against funds sent from America being
used in such a way as to outrage justice.
It will not be amiss to show you how few Protestants there are in Italy:
Last summer at the International Congress of Religious Liberals, held
in Boston, Rev. Tony Andre, of Italy, gave these statistics: “Italy
is essentially a Catholic country. Out of the 32,475,253 inhabitants
enumerated in the census of 1901, 31,539,863 declared themselves
Catholics; that is, 97.12 per cent of the population. All told there were
65,595 Protestants, 20,538 of whom were foreigners. At the same time,
795,276 were unwilling to say to what religion they belonged, and 36,092
declared they were of no religion.” This will show that practically all
the children to be cared for are Catholics.
We address this open letter to your society and expect that you will give
the matter referred to therein immediate investigation and consideration.
Very respectfully, yours,
THE AMERICAN FED. OF CATH. SOCIETIES.
ANTHONY MATRE, _National Secretary_.
JULY 9, 1909.
Mr. ANTHONY MATRE, _Secretary, American Federation of Catholic Societies,
St. Louis, Mo._
DEAR SIR: The American Red Cross is in receipt of the expected reply from
the American Ambassador at Rome to an inquiry of the Embassy adverted to
in my letter to you dated April 12, 1909.
Mr. Griscom states that there was no true basis for the statement
published in the _Catholic Transcript_ in Rome and quoted by you in the
open letter, whereby you charged the American Red Cross with grave wrong
to the Italian children made orphans by the earthquake of December 28,
1908, the offense consisting in the assignment of the control of the
American Red Cross Italian Orphanage, and the instruction and rearing of
these orphans to non-Catholics, such as Hebrews, Masons, and Socialists.
[Illustration: AFTER WORKING HOURS, MESSINA.]
Mr. Griscom, to whom I sent a copy of your attack upon the Red Cross,
brought the matter to the attention of Countess Spalletti Rasponi, the
President of the Queen’s Orphanage, who, as such, has general supervision
over the branch of the same known as the American Red Cross Orphanage,
and for which latter Mr. Bruno Chimerri is Chairman of the Executive
Committee.
The following is a translation of a quotation from a letter from the
Countess Spalletti to Mr. Griscom, the American Ambassador, dated Rome,
April 19, 1909:
“After reading the article published in the _Catholic Transcript_ of
March 25, 1909, I consider myself, as the President of the Queen’s
Orphanage, bound to reassure your excellency, and send you some
information regarding the system pursued by those placed in control of
the orphans in choosing a place for the orphans and abandoned minors,
with the tutelage of whom we have been charged by the royal decree, dated
January 14, 1909.
“The number of wretched creatures left destitute of any support and
guidance being considerable, we have undertaken to take the place, as far
as possible, of the parents in their education and start in life. We have
proceeded in accordance with this principle, and have decided that the
minors should be, as far as possible, brought up in the religion of their
parents, and educated in conformity with the conditions in which their
families were, with the only tendency to ameliorate those conditions. We
consider it to be our duty to bring up these children in the religion of
their parents.
“Referring to the article published in the _Catholic Transcript_, I have
to point out that the Mayor of Rome, Mr. Nathan, is not the President
of the Queen’s Orphanage. He has no connection with it whatever, but is
President of the Executive Board of the Central Relief Committee for the
earthquake sufferers, of which committee his royal highness, the Duke of
Aosta, is the President....
“It is, moreover, to be noted that the President of the Palmi
Subcommittee is the Bishop of Milito, Monsignor Morabito. Our
representative in Messina has been another most worthy Catholic Priest,
the Rev. Luigi Orione.
“I am confident that this summary will be sufficient to remove from the
souls of American Catholics all apprehensions.”
In forwarding this letter, Mr. Griscom, our Ambassador to Rome, remarks
in substance:
“You will observe that the governing body of the Queen’s Orphanage have
exercised the greatest care to place Protestant orphans in Protestant
hands and Catholic orphans in Catholic hands. I am satisfied that this
wise policy has been consistently carried out. American Protestant
Missions have received the tutelage of the children of the members of
their missions in cases where there were no surviving relatives to
assume the burden. I am satisfied the _Catholic Transcript_ would not
have published such an article had they been in possession of the full
facts....
“You will be interested in knowing that long before I heard from you
on this subject the head of one of our American Protestant Missions in
Rome stated to me that he understood our orphanage was to be governed
and managed by Catholic priests, and that the Protestant contributors of
money in America would never tolerate such a thing. When I explained to
him the policy of those in charge of the Queen’s Orphanage in regard to
orphans, he seemed thoroughly satisfied. It is interesting that we should
have received a protest from the Protestant Church that the Catholics
are being favored, and then that the leading Catholic papers in America
should publish an article implying that the Catholics are receiving
unfair treatment.
“The very nature of the organization and the legal status of the
orphanage work under the Queen’s patronage makes it impossible that it
should be governed in the interest of one denomination....
“In my opinion, the Queen’s Orphanage is entitled to our admiration and
respect for the very just and liberal policy adopted to solve the very
delicate questions raised by the different religious denominations of the
orphans. During the whole of this trying period I have not received a
single complaint from any of the American Protestant Missions with regard
to the disposition of the orphans belonging to their denomination; nor
has any complaint from a Catholic source been brought to my knowledge
until you forwarded me the clipping from the _Catholic Transcript_. I am
extremely disappointed that such a fair-minded paper should have failed
to do justice to the perfectly correct course of the Italian authorities
with regard to the religion of the earthquake orphans.
“It goes without saying that a great part of the moneys which came
from America through the American Red Cross and otherwise went to the
assistance of Catholics. The money received by Protestant Italians would
be a minute fraction of 1 per cent. It seems strange that there should be
any expression of discontent from any Catholic source.
[Illustration: MOVING-IN DAY. ONE OF THE FIRST FAMILIES TO OCCUPY AN
AMERICAN COTTAGE, MESSINA.]
“On the other hand, I am most happy to say that we have the most
gratifying expressions of appreciation from such persons as Archbishop
Ireland, the Archbishop of Messina, the Bishop of Milito, and other
distinguished prelates of the Catholic Church.”
The Red Cross has no method of knowing how much or what part of the
amounts received for Italian earthquake relief (about $1,000,000) was
contributed by Catholics. Assuming that the proportion this part bore to
the whole was the same as the ratio of the Catholic population of the
United States to the whole population, then the funds of Catholic origin,
so to speak, received by the Red Cross must have been one-seventh or
one-sixth of the whole.
It seems to be established as a fact that there was no sufficient basis
for your charge that the American Red Cross had adopted a course that
would or did result in the perversion of faith of the Catholic orphans.
Those appointed by the King to the solemn trust of rearing these orphans
are discharging their duty conscientiously. The prelates of the Catholic
Church on the spot are thoroughly familiar with what was ordered to be
done and with what is being done in this regard, and they will be careful
to note and call attention to any deviation from conditions imposed by
royal warrant and by justice.