H. C. Jaquith relays reports of the forced transport of Armenians from Mesopotamia and an epidemic among Greek refugees, Constantinople, 9 January 1922.
Jaquith's cable carries two reports from the field. Ernest Yarrow asks whether the transport of ten thousand Armenians out of Mesopotamia can be delayed: the first three thousand were already in Batoum harbor, no one was assuming responsibility, and deaths were daily. Thurber reports measles, diphtheria, and typhus raging among Greek refugees, and warns that without an appropriation beyond the orphanage budget the registration service "must open graves." Zimmerman, at Harpoot, was recovering from typhus.
Context
Through the winter of 1921–22, Near East Relief faced a compounding crisis across Anatolia, the Caucasus, and the Levant: deportations of Armenians, typhus and mass death among refugees, and orphanages filling past capacity at Beirut, Tripoli, and Sidon. American donations were flagging and federal appropriations were being cut, forcing NER’s leaders to plead for funds even as they buried the dead.
Rights status varies by item. Some materials may be protected by U.S. copyright law. Items are presented for non-commercial research and educational use where applicable. Users are responsible for determining rights status and securing permissions for uses beyond fair use.
