4 -

\ f y# SOCIÉTÉ D ES NATIO,

|99<1 nvuNeai.-'F^ijj— — : LEAGUE OP NATIONS.

/ REFUGEES FROM ASIA MINOR

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Ekpéditeu r.

vlU'CiutA»

REGISTRY.

Classement! r-4'lW|mcjit^Tn_ Oobhior No.

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réservé au Registry .

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Prière d’inscrire les commentaires sur la feuille blanche à l’intérieur. Voir, pour Distribution (éventuelle), la feuille bleue à l’intérieur.

L

U . C . t û i f

I ̂ I L

4 t h . A p r i l 1 9 2 3 . -

S i r ,i have th e honour to r e p o r t t h a t 1 ha v e j u s t c o n c l u d e d an

i n s p e c t i o n o Ï the l e a g u e o f N a t i o n s r e c o n s t r u c t i o n e n t e r p r i s e i n ; v o s t o rn ih r a c e . 1

The a r e a i n w h ic h t h i s e n t e r p r i s e i s s i t u a t e d c o m p r i s e s 500 s q u a r e m i l e s . 1

Tho c e n t r e and itciid ^ n a t t e r s a r c a t ( n i m l d i l n a , w h i l s t o a t l v i n r y i l . a g e s ar e a s f a r away a s Ke.iar and P o r t o Lagh os on t h e s h o r e s o f h Lake f io ro u. t h e m a j o r i t y o f the v i l l a g e s a r c to th e - o a t h - l a s t and . « u t h - i . e s t o f l iu m u l d j i n a , b e t w e e n t h a t town and th e s e a c o a s t .

P r o p e r l y t o i n s p e c t t l ie f a r r e a c h i n g a c t i v i t i e s c a r r i e d on hy t h e m i s s i o n un de r t h e command o f C o l o n e l G.fi . I r e 1 o a r , wo u ld r e q u i r e i l l f i n e w e a t h e r a t l e a s t a f o r t n i g h t . 4« Inc t im e a t ,ay d i s p o s a l v'as l i m i t e d and t h e w e a t h e r e x c e e d i n g l y bad, 1 was c o m p e l l e d t o v i s i t t y p i c a l v i l l a g e s and r e c o n s t r u c t i o n e n t e r p r i s e s i n ea c h sub a r e a .

h a t 1 saw s p e e d i l y c o n v i n c e d me, n o t o n l y o f the c o r r e c t n e s s o f t he th e o r y o f t h i s .work, b u t a l s o o f t h e r e a ia r k a b l e manner i n wh ich e x e c u t i o n had tr i um phe d o v e r a j f e l l i n g d i f f i c u l t i e s due p a r t l y to n a t u r a l c a u s e s , but c h i e f l y t o i n s u f f i c i e n t p r o v i s i o n o f money and t e n t s .

1 t h i n k t h e V i l l a g e t ha t s t r u c k me m o s t was h i r l i - k i r i iNo.l wh ic h >, i t h i t s n e i g h b o u r i . i r l i - h i r i h o . 2 ha ve boon named by th e Greek Government: I r o c t e r i a and I r e l o a r i a , r e s p e c t i v e l y a s a mark o f r e c o g n i ­t i o n o f wh at t h e G o v ern o r G en er a l o f Thra ce i n a r e c e n t t e l e g r a m d e s c r i b e d a s lh o p i o n e e r e f f o r t to h e l p G re e c e by tho s o l u t i o n o f the :<efuLre e P r o bl e m on e c o n o m i c l i n e s . H

L t h e n th e R e f u ge e s i t u a t i o n i n G r e e c e f f r s t a t t r a c t e d a t t e n t i o n • L J r i E , i 'Overimient ba v e what was somewhat e r r o n e o u s l y d e s c r i b e d a s11 l lJ l ) LCMl T S - i&in*3n w n i * A ^ i t n l 4 { n n / f l * n i k n . » » 4 » 'I11 _ i •

I * , . I , V, l U u » K l U t V I.Jgrou nd s h e e t to be worn a s a m a c k in t o s h capo and s l e e p i n g ba r | ,v an i n f a n t r y s o l d i e r . 1 ** h 3

Hi. i10? U "K ?K0r,d ? i u t ° p l o u g h s h a r e s was a s i m p l e t a s k c o mp are #w i t h t h e la lrour o f ma kin g from t h o s e s h e e t s a t e n t . I n wh ich a f a m i l y , the f i f t h member o f wh ic h i s u s u a l l y a b u l l o c k , c o u l d l i v e u n t i l th e v i l l a g e h o u s e s , which tho G reek Government h a s un de r c o n s t r u c ­t i o n 111 the- v i c i n i t y , c o u l d be c o m p l e t e d .

- 2 -

However t l ic t a s k was a c c o m p l i s h e d , l h e r e l i v e th e v i l l a g e r s ill u e a t rows of t o u t s , fro.u which th e y s a l l y f o r t h to I o n s l a b o r i o u s days o f v.ork i n th e f i e l d s , w i th llio p r i m i t i v e t o o l s , t h a t t h e i r n a t i v e c r a f t s m a n s h i p and th e i n g e n u i t y and s l e n d e r r e s o u r c e s o f th e M is s io n have been a b l e to im pro v is e* j

to c h o f th e s i x v i l l a g e s - t h e r e a r e i e g h t e e n e s t a b l i s h e d - w nicn i v i s i t e d , t o l d a s i m i l a r s t o r y of s u c c e s s f u l i<;iprovisi/6* j i n s p i t e o ï enormous d i f f i c u l t i e s , xound each v i l l a g e a r e ex t r e m o l y l a r g e a r e a s of p lo ughed l a n d . : omu o f t h i s h a s been tu r n e d up by motor t r a c t o r s , * s u p p l i e d by the Government, b u t i n v e r y many c a s e s th e y i l l a g - (rcrs have ilone a l l the t iork t h u i u t e l v c s . i.eod b e d s , f o r th e p l a n t i n g o u t of l a r g e a r e a s , have been s t a r t e d a s a l s o have v e g e t a b l e ga rden s f o r th e p r o d u c t i o n o f o n i o n s , p o t a t o e s e t c » .

In th e t e n t s th e m s e I v e s v i l l a g e i n d u s t r i e s , c h i e f l y t h o s e c o n n e c t e d w i t h th e v a r i o u s s t a g e s o f th e p r o d u c t i o n of c l o t h e s , from t h e w oo l ,- c l i p , to th e rou-rh and baggy p a i r of t r o u s e r s , «are m f u l l s w in g . So«*e of th e m a c h in e s , rough hewn from th e J o c n l t i m b e r , used i n th e c o n n e c t i o n , a p p e a r to th e l a y mind to r i v a l t h e w i l d e s t î n v e n t i e i o f .'-ir. l i ea th U obinson ; t h e y a r c n e v e r t h e l e s s s u r p r i s i n g l y e f f i c i e n t . O u t s i d e th e t e n t s t h e men a n d boys a r e busy c o n s t r u c t i n g rough t o o l s and p lo u g h s , i t sh ou ld be remembered t h a t t h e s e p eo p le a r e fed on a r a t i o n , which f o r economy's s ak e i s n e c e s s a r i l y m e ag re , i t mus t b e t be s upposed t h a t the r e f u g e e s wore a lw a ys so w e l l d i s o o s e u , t h e r e was a b i t t e r s t r u g g l e b e f o r e th e y co u ld be induced to t a k e a l o n g s i g h t e d view and l e a v e t h e i r s h e l t e r i n th e town and th e e a s i l y o b t a i n e d American r a t i o n , f o r th e h a z a r d s o f an e x p e r im e n t on th e l a n d .

A l s o , a l t h o u g h the o f f i c i a l view h a s a lw a y s been f a v o u r a b l e and i s now th o r o u g h l y c o n v i n c e d , y e t t h e r e were a lw a y s p e r s o n s who s h o r t s i g h t e d l y a d v o c a t e d t h a t the o n ly s o l u t i o n o f th e p rob le m was a new w ar , which would e n a b le G reece to r e c o n q u e r i - a s t e r n I h r a c e and r e ­e s t a b l i s h many o i th e r e f u g e e s i n t h e i r own fa rm s , i .owever, e n e r g y and w i l l p o w e r t r i um phed a g a i n s t a i l t h e s e o b s t a c l e s and t h e r e th e v i l l a g e s s t a n d to - d a y w i th th e p lo ughed la n d a l l round them, h u e the w hea t c ro p h a s been l o s t by the i n e v i t a b l e d e l a y , b u t maize sowing h a s begun and bf t h e end of th e month more than enough w i l l be sown, to e n a b l e r a t i o n i n g to be s to p p e d , when the cmqp i s s u f f i c i e n t l y f a r 011 to e n a b le adva nces to be made on i t .

lhe t i i i s s io n e n j o y s th e u n t i r i n g s u p p o r t o l t h e Greek Oovernmoni and l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s , who h e l p i t i n o v e r y way p o s s i b l e .

There is another brnnch oi the mission, which is worthy of the highest praise; this is the industries Department. • visited Carpet weaving, laundry and embroidery work. In these three industries alone 200 widows and orphans are working.

Many oi these support not only themselves but a whole list of dependents as well, in addition to the above named, charcoal burning wood cutting, brick making and the production of lime are all flouri­

shing.

The cost of installation of the charcoal burners has already been repayed from the profit and other industries arc in a fair way to achieve the saa.e desirable result.

Considering the slender resources at the co:«t»and of the mission 1 consider that the result* as the whole is an extremely fine one, reflecting the greatest credit upon those, who conceived and carried out the scheme.

The medical needs of the refugees in the area are admirable attended to by the hospital at Palasli, started as a part of the Mission by Lady xui.bold's Fund and afterwards take# over by the Uritisli Ked Cross.

it is impossible not to deduce from this successful miniature the ultimate solution of the whole Greek Refugee problem.

it is possible that not all of the refugees in Greece can be successfully absorbed by an,extension o i this plan. Three quarters of them however, could be. ( The other quarter would probably die or migrate in any case.j x

If the refugee loan to Greece materialises, it^should bo spentin conjunction itith the Greek Government, under League Control andhandling in exactly the same measure as is the rule in estorn Ihrace. undue prominence shoudl not be given to the comparative!* easy success, which may be obtained in the establishment of industries, lirst things- shouÂâ be first - and the first thing to do with agricultural refugees is torml them on the land and make them become producers, industries will tfien arise of their own accord, as a result of the increased wealth and pMchasing power of the peasant.

-\s has been done in western Thrace, industries should bereserved for refugees, who arc natural Iy townsmen, village craftsmen, and for widows and orphans.

The f i r s t o p p o r t u n i t y h a s be un l o s t . R e c o n s t r u c t i o n c o u ld h a v e bee n s t a r t e d i n o t h e r a r e a s w h i l s t t h e A m e r i c a n r a t i o n s w e re a v a i l a b l e . The A m e r i c a n k e d C ro s s h a s a p p ro a c h e d t h e A l l i e d G o v e rn m e n ts and h as i n t i m a t e d t h a t f e e d i n g w i l l c e a s e on th e 1 s t . o l J u l y . The A l l i e s a n s w e r w i l l , l e t u s h o p e , be a s u b s t a n t i a l l o a n t h r o u e h th e i - e a g u e .

I n o r d e r t o p r e v e n t a n y p a r t o f t h i s I o a n r a t i o n i n g ; #w h ic h w i l l o n l y p u t o f f t h e e v i l d a y , i t i s a b s o i ü t e l y n e c e s s a r y t h a t th e A m e r i c a n s c o n t i n u e to r a t i o n f o r a f u r t h e r l i m i t e d p e r i o d , t i l l c r o p s come i n , a n d th e n a t u r a l moment a r r i v e s f o r w i t h d r a w a l w i t h o u t d i s o r d e r a n d c o n s e q u e n t l o s s o f p r e s t i g e .

l do n o t v e n t u r e h e r e to make a n y ^ s u g g e s t i o n s a s to th e m a n n e r i n w h ic h th e l o a n when n e g o t i a t e d s h o u ld be c o n t r o l l e d a nd e x p e n d e d . T h a t c a n o n l y be d on e i n V th e n s . The b ro a d l i n e s o f t h e new a c t i v i t y m u s t c o n t a i n h o w e v e r :

1 / D i v i s i o n o f G re e c e i n t o 3 o r m ore a ia i n a r e a s ,

2 / Rough c e n s u s o f r e f u g e e s a c c e p t e d f o r l i q u i d a t i o n ,

3 / C o n t i n u a t i o n o f A m e r i c a n r a t i o n s f o r r e f u g e e s a c c e p t e d f o r I i q u i d a t i o n .

4 / le a g u e A d m i n i s t r a t i o n scheme f o r e ac h a r e a .

5 / .M e d ic a l p r o v i s i o n f o r e ac h a r e a .

o / i n d u s t r i e s scheme f o r each a r e a .

7 / «-and s e t t l e m e n t scheme f o r each a r e a .

lN p te . - ^ T h i s i n c l u d e s p r o v i s i o n o f t e n t s a n d h o u s e s .

1 h a v e th e h o n o u r to b e ,Sir,

Y ou r o b e d i e n t S e r v a n t ,

( S i g n e d ) S . l . CUiJ,i )S

i)r . 1*'. INansen,H ig h C o i iB ' i is s io n e r f o r r e f u g e e s

i. e ag ue o f i \ a t i e n s ,G e n e v a .

L\

•— ,,-y

COPY ;Copy of Telegram

governor general Thrace

League of Rations Jeneva.

4 . 4 . 23.

G-reeoe unable express otherwise gratitude baptised first rural

village built •• Prooteria" remembrance pioneer eoonomioal help

Greece solve Refugee problem.

Sgd. KASSIOS

Governor General Thrace.

gopy of 1'elegram

tlovernor üeneral Macedonia

to

0o.lone 1 fop. THELOAR.

Kindly aBk col. ïre'loar, if he would come here and establish a labour

bureau similar to that he established in Gumuldjina, and which, I understand,

lorking with very satisfactory results.-

Establishment of such office in oalonica would greatly relieve class of

unemployed artisans, who are out of work mainly on account of lack of a syste­

matic labour bureau stop please v/ire,

(Sgd) Uovernor General Macedonia

6 .4.23

governor General western Thrace.

to

j'oreign Office London

League of Nations Geneva

10.4.23.League of hâtions Mission under colonel Treloar in ,/e stern Thrace is

carrying out with admirable energy entrusted work of settling on the

land destitute refugees from Asia Minor, pontos, Caucasus and Eastern Thrace.

Humanitarian Program of the Mission proceeds satisfactorily, j^ight new Tillages

created others extended, ploughing and sowing also. Meantime they are sheltered

definitely with help Ureek ‘government. Industries Department of Mission comprising

carpet embroidery laundry wood cutting charcoal etc. continuusly increasing

its activities. Greece grateful untiring systematic philanthropic work.

Earnestly beg Col. Treloar be given further authorities to extend activities

which very necessary throughout the country. In Thrace alone there are fifty

thousand destitute families needing help and organising#

tigd. Tasios

uovernor General western Thrace.

Copy of Telegram

Mr, L^frros Governor Ueneral Macedonia

to

Ool. j r . D. THSLOAR.

21.4.23.

This is to remind my telegram lio. 12204/2204 of the 3rd inst. please

let me know if Ool. Treloar will arrive to establish a labour bureau I repeat

that a threat number of unemployed artisans will be relieved and as I know the

kind willingness of Ool. Treloar on behalf of our destitute refugees please

ask him whether he would please make an effort to call here to the aTbove end.

tigd. Lambros

Governor General Macedonia.

rr*

30P.V of Tele.-jam

Governor General western Ihraoe

dreelc Legation London.

28th. April 1923.

please viait Procter thank for Relief work rural establishment Refugees from pontos,

Asia liinor,Caucasus, Thrace, which is carried out hy kission in Thrace under Ool. Treloar.

atop. It also provides work through fllantropic workshops in KOmateni.etop. Please aak if

it would he possible to jrant Ool. Treloar further authority to extend his activities most

necessary troughout the whole country stop, only in Thrace area there fifty thousand fajni«

lies of Refugees.

(3gd. Ihasios

Governor General Thrace.

Reply from Greek Locution London

to

Governor ‘General ,/e3tern Thrace.

H&ve commmicated Procter your telegram Stop he informed me that he was departing this week

for Geneva where he will attend to the question* stop. * * added that the main difficulty was

lack of sufficient funds

Sgd- KOLLA3

I

Oopy o f l e t t e r from

G overnor G e n e ra l T hrace

t oQ u lo n e l Û.D. THELOAR «

II n r e p l y t o y o u r l e t t e r o f th e 2 3 r d . u i t o . , I have th e h o n o u r t o in fo rin

y o u t h a t i ap p ro v e w i t h g r e a t p l e a s u r e t h a t the v i l l a g e b u i l t a t K i r l i k - K i r i f o r

r e f u g e e s w i t h the h e l p o f th e M is s io n "be named p e o c t e r i a i n honour to C o lo n e l

i - r o o t e r . D epu ty High C om m iss ioner , who h a s w orked so h a r d f o r th e r e l i e f o f th e

p o o r r e f u g e e s .

ù y governm en t i i e n e r a l r e c o g n i z i n g th e many s e r v i c e s w h ic h y o u a l s o so

v o l u n t a r i l y o f f e r e d f o r r e f u g e e s s e t t l e d i n ,ye s t e r n 1‘h r a c e , r e s e r v e to i t s e l f th e

r i g h t to name th e im m e d ia te ly f o l l o w in g v i l l a g e w h ic h w i l l be b u i l t " I ' r e l o a r i a "

i n y o u r h o n o u r,

S p . ' i 'h a s s io s .

(S ig n ed J gov ern o r i j e n e r a l o f I’h r a c e .

2 . 5 . 2 3 .

L E A G U E O F N A T I O N S

H I G H C O M M I S S I O N F O R R E F U G E E S« I bf/P

Télégrammes: NATIONS Constantinople.

t * u s a q u ” i!> f n a t i o n s

H I G H C O M M I S S I O N F O a H . F U G E E S i ' •CONSTANTINOPLE 1 V...

ey, Tecf^kié DjaUeaal 62.

raver there a

My dear Johnson,

1 send you herewith a copy of my report to the nigh Gomnias loner on

the ,Vestern i'hrace scheme.1 have decided not to mice a detailed report on the work in each

village, seeing that i'reloar'a Historical report covers the ground.It is a moat interesting piece of relief work and I am sure that if

you could come here tu see not only the work itself tut the way in which the idea of it has impressed the Jreek government, you would be very pleased.

(jonfidentially) 1 may tell you that tne work oarrieu uut by Jolonel Jreloar in direct and close touch with the government unu the refugees themselves, nas nade a great impression locally and that this intimate aspect of his work shows up extremely favourably, (when compared with the sketchy and uncontrolled administration

of the American rations}I The governor General here, quite spontaneously told me that there

was absolutely no comparison between the League and American help, i'he Amer loan's is of course an enormous show, but he said that oura was infinitely more valuable.

,s far as interior administration and office routine are concerned,I have left a copy of your circular re accounts together with Lee’s comments on ùumuldjlna accounts, already rendered, which will, 1 hope, achieve the standardization

you require.The office is most economically conducted,

two recommendations i wiah to make.£ht enterprise is divided into four parts: ..dministration, Feeding,

Hed Gross and Industries. Feeding and Hed Gross are under the I.V/.H.j?. and the British Red Gross respectively, t’hese are both beinu done very well»

As far as administration is concerned, Golonel rreloar should have, unless the scheme ia to be greatly curtailed, the su® of 400 rounds sterling per month*for " dministration. !!e should have a Ford Gar put at his disposal, the runningexpenses of which should be met from the inceeaâed administration Fund. This latter item is absolutely essential, the distances to be traversed in order to link up the scheme are enormous, and it is quite impossible to adopt any other form of transport.For my visit and previously, the governor General placed a car at the disposal of the Mission - to my mind a most convincing proof of his recognition of the value of our enterprise - but this arrangement cannot continue indefinitely for many reasons.

From the increased administration,a typist and an accountant should be engaged. >reloar has none of these things at the moment, ioing throu ;h his files, a

l found a great deal of stuff, reports, invaluable material for you at ijeneva, both Jfrom the point of view of propaganda and of enabling you to estimate and keep in touchwith the work, had these been able to be copieu and sent to you in a file, ,s is oureus loin in Gonstantinople. However, Golonel ireloar lia a no staff for this, -is only secretary ana janeral Assistant Mr. Marcou, - ost energetic a„u admir bit person, performs the functiona of ..sssitant, x'ypist. Interpreter, Accountant and sub-^dministaa

Also a definite sum, not less than 600 rounds Sterling should be al­io ted to back up the industries Department, which at present has no definite sum allotted to it for starting enterprises, duins for the installation of enterprises are not

Ci fair V. charge upon ad -inistration. 1'his sun would be --.or-- In the nt ture of a loan.tha»

y-

iJ

j

.ctual expenditure.

J

<rv ' c >n ' C -

I r e a l l y cannot •understand what A doss id is i s g e t t i n g a t . I enclose a few cop ies o f teleg ram s, which speak fo r them selves in t h i s co n nec tion .

That b r in g s me to the q u es tio n o f , whether the m iss io n here should continue to send accoun ts etc* th rough us in C o n s tan tin o p le . I should l i k e the p o s i t io n to be c le a re d up. I do n o t lmow the Athens o f f ic e , so h e s i t a te to express an op in ion .Of course the whole th in g depends on P r o c t e r 's whereabouts; i f th ese a re to be in Athens, then I th in k th a t except fo r L ia iso n p urposes , the C onstan tinop le o f f ic e should cease to be the medium fo r f in an ce , in s t r u c t io n s , accounts e tc .

7 /ith k in d e s t reg a rd s ,

Yours s in c e re ly ,

i ia jo r T .y . JOHtidüNA s s is ta n t High Commissioner

League o f Hâtions*■Jr e n o v a .

A. ClilcL,DEPUTY A SSISTA N T C O H H I S S I O r i E R FOil REFUGEES

LE A C U " OF MAHONS CONSTANTINOPLE

Ij â c k e t TI E L - -SOCIÊTÉ DES NATIONS. | Q LEAGME 0F NATIf

tfy? vv*. A is ta. ÏVvvwo X~

REGISTRY.

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