refugees numbered about 11,000, of whom about 900 were in the hospitals.
Nearly all of the remainder were in refuges, very few having been taken
into private houses. All the barracks, the prison, half the schools,
several convents, several theaters, and even a number of churches had
been turned into refuges, of which the largest held as many as a thousand
inmates. The city is larger than Catania, with more wealthy residents;
it was therefore better off in many respects. But it suffered, like
Catania, from the want of money from the outside, from the scarcity of
intelligent workers, and from the particular dangers connected with the
refuges.
I have already described the refuge system. If work is necessary for
all the refugees, it is particularly necessary for those who live in
these large communities. At Palermo their idleness had already turned to
dangerous discontent. They complained constantly of their treatment, but
refused to leave the refuges. No work for them had been organized when we
arrived at Palermo. Enlightened by Miss Davis’ example, we immediately
offered money for the institution of workshops on the same model as
hers. The idea met with general approval. A beginning was made at once
in one of the barracks and in the prison. Mr. Bishop, the American
Consul, to whom we handed over the money for the enterprise, labored
energetically to broaden the basis and extend the scope of the work. In
a few days a ladies’ committee, of which the president was Mrs. Bishop
and the vice-president Countess Mazza, wife of the General in Command
at Messina, had founded workshops in five of the principal refuges, and
another refuge, the Caserna Garibaldi, was organized on the same system
by a parish priest, Father Trupiano, with the approval of the Archbishop
of Palermo. According to the latest reports the Palermo workshops have
been a success, like those of Syracuse. Some concessions had to be made
to the inferior moral condition of the workers at the time when they were
first employed. For instance, they had to be paid by the piece instead of
by the day. But they have not proved idle on the whole, and such work as
they have done has contributed directly to a most important object—the
increase of the supply of clothing. Even if the _Bayern_ committee had
not been able to distribute 1,200 mattresses and 15 tons of food at
Palermo, or to assist the municipal charities, their short visit of eight
hours to the city would have been amply justified by the foundation
of these workshops. With the cruise of the _Bayern_ ended my direct
participation in the work of relief. I have only a second-hand knowledge
of the many other undertakings of the American Red Cross in Italy. But I
have seen enough to have formed a few general opinions which may have a
certain interest for Americans who have contributed to the various relief
funds.
PROBLEMS OF RELIEF.
The Italian government and the Italian Red Cross found themselves, within
a few days of the earthquake, in possession of enormous sums of money.
As the government had the sole access to the afflicted districts and the
sole authentic information about their needs, it was to the government
that all contributions, Italian and foreign, were naturally sent. But
there were several reasons why the government could not immediately turn
that money over to the persons who most needed it or who could use it
best.
In the first place, every consideration had to give place during the
early days before the imperative necessity of transporting troops
to the scene of disaster and of supplying them with the necessary
food and equipment. In the second place, government funds are always
particularly hard to protect from the suspicion of maladministration.
The Italian government may have remembered criticisms of the way in
which former funds had been distributed: at any rate, it determined on
this occasion to exercise all possible vigilance to prevent the waste or
misappropriation of a penny. The distrust of the Sicilians, traditional
in upper Italy, may have increased the tendency to send supplies rather
than money, and to give all orders from a single central source. In
the third place, the temporary feeding and clothing of the destitute
was a very small part of the total relief problem. The end which the
contributions must ultimately subserve was to restore the refugee
population to some kind of normal life, not merely to keep them alive
for a few months. But how to effect their rehabilitation was a question
which could not be answered until many things were known; their numbers,
for instance, the possibility of rebuilding the ruined towns, the amount
of property recoverable, the condition of the harbors, channels, docks—a
hundred facts which only time could reveal. Whenever a general scheme
should be devised, vast sums would be required for its effectuation: till
then it was important not to disperse the accumulating contributions.
This policy of prudence and circumspection, admirable as regards an
ultimate settlement, was defective as a means of relieving immediately
the wants of scattered localities spread over two large and more or
less inaccessible regions. What was wanted in order to supply so many
needs in so many places was a system of extreme decentralization, with
large funds at the unfettered discretion of individual agents. Such
a system was incompatible with the rigid supervision of expenditure
which the government felt to be necessary. It could not be adopted by
the government. But precisely for that reason it could be adopted with
advantage by independent and especially by foreign relief societies. By
giving all their contributions to the Italian central committee they
would indeed be helping in the general plan of rehabilitation which the
central committee was evolving, but they would not be doing the task for
which they were especially fitted and from which the central committee
was to a large extent excluded. If, on the other hand, they entrusted
their funds to agents in Sicily or Calabria, whose duty it should be to
investigate every town and every institution and to help quickly the most
useful and the most needy organizations, they would be doing what no one
else could do so well, and what no one else had done at all.
The objection to such a policy was the risk of giving just offense to the
Italian government and people by interfering in what was essentially an
Italian concern—a problem of internal administration. Such an objection
appears to me to rest as a misconception. The Italians might well resent,
and would very likely have resented, any interference which took the form
of independent relief organizations, with direct pecuniary assistance
of individuals. As a matter of fact, the German Red Cross hospital at
Syracuse was an organization of this kind and it aroused nothing but
enthusiasm. A hospital, however, is not like a distributing agency. What
the Italians would have objected to, and rightly, would have been any
attempt on the part of foreigners to decide Italian questions; how a
given body of men should be employed, where certain orphans should be
sent, what families should first be assisted; or to set up independent
relief bureaus to which individuals might apply, thus duplicating or
confusing the work of the Italians and opening an easy way to imposters.
But there could be no objection, and there was none, to selective
gifts by foreigners to Italian institutions. Such distributions could
not possibly conflict with the official scheme of relief, for all the
charitable institutions of every city were under the control of the
prefect or of the mayor. Certainly during my experience in Sicily no
hint was ever given that gifts to the hospitals, refuges or volunteer
committees were less acceptable than gifts to the prefect or the
mayor. I think it is safe to assert that neither the _Bayern_ nor any
other American relief expedition in Sicily or Calabria has at any time
given umbrage to any local authority. The central authorities at Rome,
meanwhile, have done everything to assist and encourage the independent
American expeditions. The _Bayern_ was organized according to the
advice of the government and with its approbation. Mr. Billings, before
starting for Sicily to distribute the Massachusetts funds, consulted
with several of the Italian ministers, with the head of the Central
Committee, and with the President of the Red Cross. Mr. Gay and Mr. Dodge
were accompanied on their trip to Calabria by an officer of the General
Staff, and were recommended directly by the Ministers of War and of the
Navy to the commanding officers of the different stations. The aim of the
Americans has never been to act independently of the Italians, but simply
to put at the service of the Italians their eyes and brains as well as
their money.
AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS.
Americans who have contributed to the relief funds of the American Red
Cross or directly to Italian funds can be satisfied that such part of
their donations as went to the Italian central authorities will be spent
with scrupulous probity in furtherance of a carefully considered and
well matured plan of permanent rehabilitation, and that such part as was
given by American agents has gone quickly and efficiently to the places
where it was most needed, without any interference with the management
by Italians of their own internal affairs. The problem is still in its
early stages. The populations of the destroyed cities are not yet housed;
the refugees are still living idly in the great towns. But that is an
Italian, not an American question. We can be satisfied, it appears to me,
with the system by which our money has been distributed hitherto, and be
content to apply it to the future contingencies. That system has been for
the American Red Cross to find out, through the American Ambassador at
Rome, the exact needs of the Italians, as expressed by the government,
and then to assign its needs for the enumerated purposes, giving a part
to the central Italian authorities and a part to the Ambassador. What the
Ambassador has received he has divided between central institutions and
the relief of local needs. He has kept in touch directly with all the
afflicted regions, through the consular corps, through special agents
and through the reports of workers, and he has at the same time been
in daily communication with the heads of all the official distributing
committees. In this way he has been able to gauge accurately the needs
of the situation. Certain American gifts, like the shipment of the three
thousand houses, and the foundation of an agricultural school for one
hundred children as a part of the Queen Elena Patronato, have produced a
profound impression throughout the length and breadth of Italy because
they have corresponded exactly to the necessities of the moment.
Americans, then, need have no misgivings about the administration of
their donations. Italy cannot repair in a day the effects of so vast, so
overwhelming a calamity as the Messina earthquake; the wound is too deep
to heal quickly. Those only who have seen the misery which bows down the
inhabitants of Sicily and Calabria can realize the tragic helplessness of
all human succor. We must have patience till a way is found. Our nation
can rest satisfied meanwhile that their generous offerings have directly
and sensibly alleviated sufferings and kept hope alive, and they can
rejoice in the opportunity which has been given to them to repay in part
America’s and the world’s immeasurable debt to the land and people of
Italy.
Milan, Italy, February 20, 1909.
RED CROSS RELIEF SHIP “BAYERN”
BY LIEUTENANT-COMMANDER REGINALD R. BELKNAP
United States Navy
ROME, January 19, 1909.
_Directly after the news reached Rome of the magnitude of the
disaster in Southern Italy our American Ambassador, Mr. Lloyd
C. Griscom, organised a committee of prominent American men in
that city for the purpose of assisting the Italian Government,
Red Cross and National Committees in the immense work of relief
that required all the aid human sympathy at home and abroad
could provide. The fact that Messina was in Sicily; that the
railroad service had been seriously disorganised, and that the
necessity of moving troops to the scene of the disaster would
largely employ what trains and what lines were still available,
led to the prompt conclusion that aid must be sent mainly by
sea. Acting under this conviction, the American Committee
chartered and equipped the steamer Bayern—a few of the members
guaranteeing the necessary amount so as to lose no time, while
waiting to hear from Washington if the American Red Cross
would provide the $100,000 necessary for this purpose. This
our Red Cross, on receipt of Mr. Griscom’s cable, immediately
consented to do. Just sixty hours after this ship was chartered
it entered the harbor of Messina, under the command of the
American Naval Attachè at Rome, Lieutenant-Commander R. R.
Belknap, U. S. N._
_Fifty-eight thousand dollars in a few hours’ time had been
expended for the medical outfit, provisions and clothing,
particular attention having been paid to the selection of food
for little children._
_Before leaving on the Bayern Mr. Griscom was received by King
Victor Emmanuel, and notified His Majesty and the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Signor Tittoni, who was present, that the
steamer would fly the Red Cross emblem. Both the King and the
Minister remarked that his was an admirable example to the
world of international fraternity for the Geneva Flag to fly
over a ship carrying aid from one country to another in a
period of disaster._
_The following interesting report, somewhat abbreviated as to
details, has been received from Lieutenant-Commander Belknap,
to whose ability, conscientious work, deep interest and
constant energy the American Red Cross is greatly indebted for
the success of this expedition._—EDITOR.
I have the honor to submit the following report of the cruise of the
North German Lloyd Steamship _Bayern_, which was chartered and fitted
out at Genoa by the American Red Cross, through the American Relief
Committee in Rome, and sailed from Civita Vecchia on January 7, with the
Committee’s expedition on board, to render aid at Messina, Catania and
other places in Sicily and Calabria to sufferers by the earthquake of
December 28, 1908:
PURCHASE OF SUPPLIES
On Monday, January 4, about 6 P. M., the _Bayern_ was engaged, to sail in
36 hours (afterwards changed to 4 P. M., Wednesday, without actual loss
of time to the expedition), provisioned for 50 first-class passengers
for 15 days and 1,000 steerage for 10 days; she was to carry a steam or
motor launch, and every effort was to be made to expedite her loading and
sailing on time. To the American Consul-General in Genoa, Mr. James A.
Smith, the Committee sent the following telegram at midnight, Monday:
AMERICAN CONSUL, Genoa:
American Committee for relief work, Calabrian Coast, has
chartered German Lloyd steamer, _Bayern_, now in Genoa. You
personally urge agent make every effort get steamer off
Tuesday night, fifth instant, and arrive Civita Vecchia early
Wednesday afternoon; also arrange with steamer agent to
purchase at Committee’s expense and load on _Bayern_ for relief
distribution large quantity pasta flour, stockfish, tinned milk
and also especially all available sterilized milk, biscuits,
olive oil, hams, onions, sausages, beans, potatoes, salted
pork, cheese, lard, chocolate, beef extract in jars or tins,
macaroni, sugar, also 500 each blankets, trousers, coats. To
cover these purchases draw on American Relief Committee Fund
Banca Commerciale Italiana, Rome, up to 25,000 lire for food
and 10,000 for clothing. Absolutely necessary that steamer
have a motor or steam launch on board and other boats suitable
for landing along the coast, as this is the main purpose of
the expedition. Committee depends upon your active interest to
forestall any delay of ship. Report progress Tuesday noon.
(Signed) GRISCOM, Chairman Committee.
Next day, Tuesday forenoon, the amount allotted to Consul-General Smith
for purchases in Genoa was increased to 85,000 lire. A very satisfactory
report came from him that afternoon, saying that the _Bayern_ would
surely be ready for us at Civita Vecchia by eight o’clock Thursday
morning.
Definite arrangements were now made for the transportation of the
expedition and the Rome purchases to Civita Vecchia. This matter was
placed entirely in the hands of Mr. Stein, the well-known Spediteur.
The Italian Government placed every facility at the service of the
expedition, both on the railway and at the port of Civita Vecchia; and
the Navigazione Generale Italiana also instructed its agents there and at
all other ports to afford us every assistance, at the same time giving me
a letter of the same purport to present to their agents, if necessary.
With the way thus cleared, Mr. Stein was able to carry out his part with
entire satisfaction and in good time, notwithstanding that Wednesday, the
day when innumerable packages and cases had to be collected from shops
scattered all over Rome, was a fiesta. Much credit is due Mr. Stein for
his success in this.
During the final meeting of the Committee, before the departure of the
expedition, about six o’clock Wednesday evening, word was received from
Mr. Anniser that the _Bayern_ had sailed from Genoa at 4 P. M. Thursday
morning, at 9.30 the expedition left Rome by special train, reaching
Civita Vecchia at 10.55. The Sub-Prefect, the Sindaco and the captain
of the port met the party and conveyed them on board the _Bayern_. Mr.
Anniser, the steamer agent, had come down by earlier train, and with the
local agent of the Navigazione Generale Italiana was attending to all
remaining to be done before departure of the steamer; the loading was
progressing satisfactorily, and expected to be completed in time for
sailing at 4 P. M.
Dr. Bastinelli was not to accompany the expedition, but he had come
down to the ship to advise with Dr. Scelba, chief medical officer of
the expedition, and the ship’s doctor as to the best disposition of the
space available for hospital arrangements. It was decided by them to
keep the medical departments of the expedition and of the ship entirely
separate, with the exception of taking the two rooms allotted as ship’s
hospital for use as isolation rooms for any infectious cases that might
develop. The necessary work of arrangement recommended by the doctors was
immediately undertaken.
[Illustration: OFFICERS AND PASSENGERS ABOARD THE “BAYERN.”]
Directly on coming on board I conferred with Mr. Anniser, the agent, and
Captain Max Mitzlaff, commanding the _Bayern_, coming to the necessary
understanding as to the control and management of the vessel and work
of various kinds. Captain Mitzlaff promptly grasped the situation, and
from the first moment did all in his power to forward the work of the
expedition. He never made an objection; often suggested improvements that
I was glad to adopt; and what was most important of all, he communicated
his own zeal and interest throughout his entire ship’s company. Our
relations throughout were most cordial, and I feel that we were most
fortunate in having Captain Mitzlaff in command of the ship.
All guests were started ashore at 2.30 P. M., and loading was completed
at 4. The captain of the port very kindly procured for us three small
boats against the need of landing on an open beach, for which the ship’s
boats were less suitable, and at 4.07 the _Bayern_ sailed.
PERSONNEL OF THE EXPEDITION.
_Representatives of the American Committee on board_—Mr. Griscom,
American Ambassador and chairman of the Committee; Lieutenant-Commander
Belknap, U. S. Navy, Naval Attachè at Rome; Mr. William Hooper, of
Boston; Mr. H. Nelson Gay, of Boston and Rome.
_Executive Organization on board_—Lieutenant-Commander Belknap, in
charge of the expedition; Mr. Gay, in general charge of arrangement
and distribution of supplies; Mr. Hooper, recorder, treasurer of the
expedition and in charge of the afterholds.
_Assistants_—Mr. Weston R. Flint, cashier, and in charge of the
forwardhold; Mr. Wilfred Thompson, supplies accounts and records of
deliveries; Mr. John Elliott, interpreter, assistant in afterholds and
elsewhere; Mr. Robert Hale, assistant in forwardhold; Avvocato Girodana,
interpreter, clerical work and translation, assistant with handling
supplies, aide to Lieutenant-Commander Belknap.
_Medical Department_—Dr. Cesare Scelba, Chief Medical Officer, in general
charge; Dr. Guido Egidi, Dr. Paolo Alessandrini; Miss Mary H. Lawrence,
head nurse; Miss Amy Claxton, second nurse; Miss Helen M. Moir, Miss
Frances E. Nelson, Miss Emily A. Tory, Miss Mable W. Shingleton, duty
nurses; Emma Niccolucci, head of Italian women nurses; women nurses,
Schiarmi, Negri, Consolati, Manganelli, Antinori; Lanzi, head of Italian
men nurses; men nurses, Neuci, Perfetti, Tondinelli, Guardabassi,
Cascapera.
[Illustration: THE COMMITTEE OF THE “BAYERN.” COMDR. BELKNAP AND MESSRS.
HOOPER (OF BOSTON) AND GAY (OF BOSTON AND ROME).]
_Additional, not permanently with the expedition_—Mr. Earle Dodge, Jr.,
embarked at Civita Vecchia and worked industriously in the forehold
for the two days that he was on board. Mr. W. Bayard Cutting, Jr.,
American Vice-Consul at Milan, on special duty in Sicily, came on board
at Messina, and continued from that time in close co-operation with the
Committee to the great advantage of the prosecution of the work of the
expedition. Mr. Winthrop Chanler came on board at Messina and remained
until the second day at Catania, rendering very useful service for which
his experience and knowledge of general and immediate conditions in the
locality were valuable.
A few general orders were given, cautioning against the use of matches
and smoking below decks; to report when orders had been compiled with;
to apply for assistance from the ship only to the first officer or
Lieutenant-Commander Belknap and the like. Simple arrangements were drawn
up and posted also for stations for “Fire and Abandon Ship.”
Immediately on getting under way to Civita Vecchia, the work of arranging
our supplies began, so that we might know what, how much, and where to
lay our hands on everything. Fortunately, good weather favored us; the
work continued in the forehold until 10 P. M. on Thursday, and went on
all over the ship next day, so that by 4 P. M., when Messina was sighted,
we were in all respects ready.
Only a few hours from Civita Vecchia we narrowly missed a serious
handicap, Mr. Gay having a bad fall in the hold, breaking a rib. The
loss of one who combined the best knowledge of what was included in our
outfit, with tireless energy in getting it systematized, would have
imposed a delay very unpleasant to contemplate, but, happily, Mr. Gay was
the only sufferer by this accident, as he kept at work the same as before.
RELIEF FACILITIES.
Summarizing, the _Bayern’s_ relief facilities were:
1. Immediately available for sick or wounded, 105 berths; additional
berthing space available under proper shelter, 55 berths—total
accommodations suitable for sick with comfort, 160 berths.
2. Supplies, in considerable quantity, of clothing of all kinds, shoes,
blankets, sheeting, provisions, cooking and table utensils, picks,
shovels, tools, oil stoves and fuel, lanterns, candles, matches, cordage,
tenting canvas, chocolate, tobacco, and many other miscellaneous articles.
3. Money for relief distribution, amounting to 150,000 lire.
4. Accommodation for 1,000 steerage passengers.
MESSINA.
Sailing from Civita Vecchia at 4.07 P. M. Thursday, the _Bayern_ arrived
at Messina at 5 P. M. Friday, flying the American Ensign at the fore, the
Red Cross on the triatic stay between foremast and funnel, and the German
merchant flag aft. As we stood in, international signal was made “Have on
board American Ambassador.”
The ship was boarded by an officer from the captain of the port’s office,
to whom was given a detailed statement of supplies available.