USVI Public Records

Document text

< in aid of a private reformatory for boys on the island of St. John, making music possible in the schools througzh an appropriation from the Juniors, sup- plyiag shoes for the Leper Asylum, etc. These Lepers needed shoes and the funds had been exhausted. “onsequent- ly the Red Cross came to the assisiance of the Health Departmenc¢, with a sug- gestion that a kind of leather sandal with woven top, manufactured in Vene- zuela and commonly used in the islands that lie further south, might fill the neel. These sandals called ‘‘alpagatas’ anda kind of ropesoled shoe which is locally used for work in the fields, were bought by the Red Cross in quantities sufficient to meet the immediate nceds 0° the patients, and witk the under- s‘~.ading that if either variety prove sat- isfactory upon train, the institution would find means to continue providing them for the patients. The cost of eith- er sort of foot-covering is about one fourth the cost of leather shoes. - A special appropriation was made to the Collector of Customs in St. Thomas to be used for the aid of distressed Amerlcan seamen in that port. With its excellent harbor and floating drydock St. Thomas forms a refuge for ships in distress, besides the many ships that call there for refuelling and re-victual- ling. Others laid up for long periods while legal titles to the ships and cargoes are haing settled, The United States Publie H=alth Service Ilprovides medical care for the many men who are put ashore sick: but it is unable to care for them after release from hospital and before they can be shipped away on some ves- sel in need of men. It ishere that the Red Cross steps in. In St. Croix, a very large proportion of the membership is made up of the country people who work in the fields on the sugar estates and live in the Vil- lages of one-room tenements, primitive in the extreme, which nestle humbly in the rear of the handsome ‘‘great hous- es’’ and the picturesque ruins of the old ‘“‘muscovado process’’ miils,formerly . operated by each estate, but now re- placed by two or thre modern ‘‘centrals’’ which serve the whole island. A se- ries of visits has been planned by the staff to these villages on Sunday after- noons ‘o meet the country membership and to explain the purposes of the Red Cross, and this is proving one of the most inspiring of the many interesiing experiences that have befallen the field staff. Sometimes an unexpected helper is discovered. In one village, a mem- ber was found who seemed to have an un- usually good knowledge of the general nature of the Red Cross undertakings. Questioned about this, he led us into his cotfage and showed one entire wall prepared with leaves from Division Bul- letins. ‘‘l reads and I studies dese tracts’’, he said, ‘‘and den I tells the. 51T ChoiX A Y rest of dem about de Red Cross.— The Emancipator, September 17th. s e e s e 'TELEGRAMS. ST. CROIX STATION. Rome, Sept. 19th. -Italy®s unknown l soidier wiii be buried on the morning of October fourth at the alter of the father- l land, which has been erected near the | monument to King Victor Emanuel. The burial will be preceded by a great pro- cession and the King and Government officials will participate in the ceremony. Miamia, Florida, Sept. 19th. - A wire- less message from Subm:rine R-47, say- | ing she was in distress at a point one hundied miles north-east of Nassau was received here today. The message had been sert broad cast. Loondon, Sept. 19th.—MVr. De Valera telegraphed to Mr. Lloyd George today in response to the Premier’s last message, as follows: ‘'We had no thought at any time of asking you to accept any con- ditions precedent to a con‘erence. We would have thought it as unreasonable to expect you, as a preliminary o recog- nize the Irish republic. formally orin- _ formally, as that you should expect us, formally or informally, to surrender ow national position. It is precisely be- cause neither side accepts the position of the order that there is a dispute at all and that a conference is necessary to search for and discuss such adjustments as mizht compose it. A treaty of accom- modation and association properly con- civdad between the peoples of these two islands and between Ireland and the greup of states in the British common- wealth, would, wve believe, end the dis- pute forever and &nable the rwo nations to setile down in peace, each pursuing its own individual development, and contributing its own quota to civiliza- tion, by worging together in free and | friendly co-operation in affairs of com- mon concern. To negotiate such a treaty, the respective representatives of the | two nations must meet, but if you seek to impose preliminary conditions which we must regard as involving the surren- ‘der of our whole position, they cannot meet. Your last telegram makes it clear that misunderstandings are more likely to increase than to diminish, and that the cause of peace is more | likely to be retarded, than advanced, | by a continua ce of the present cor- respondence. We request yon there- ‘ fore to state whether your letter of Sep | tember seventh is intended to be a de- : mand for surrender on our part, or an invitation to a conference, free on both ' sides and without prejudice should an | agreement not be reached. If the latter ' we readily confirm our acceptance of the invitation, and our appointed dele- l gates will meet your Government’s rep- resentatives at any time in the immedi- ate future that you may designate.”” . | London, Sept. 19th. —The nature of the message from Mr. De Valera necessitates a further exchange of telegrams unless some sort of ultimatum be forth coming. Many of the London papers have com- mented on the danger of the oven diplo- macy involved in this pubiic exchange of messages, which they point out makes it exceedingiy difficult for either to recede from the position adopted. Havre, Sept 19th. A cyclone struck the steamer ‘La 3voie’’ during the night of September fourteentt or fifteenth. causing considerzbie damage t 0 the up- per deck, arecking the wireless antennae, carrying away lifeboats and injuring two sailrs, the vessels officers reported today. The steamer which arrived here at noon today, was twelve hours overcue and was compelled to run beinre the wind for eighteen hours. New York, Sept. 19th.—A ecyelonie storm lasting more than six hours, withe the wind blowing eight miles ar. hour, was encountere¢ bty the steamship "‘Baltic’’in mid-Atlantic iast Wednesday and she was compelled to slow down. Weather Bureau officials said ‘he storm was the cyclonic disturbance which origirated in the West Indies early in the month and had moved north easterly. Gairioch, Scotland, Sept. 19th.—Mr. Lloyd George had consented tc reeceive the I.abourite Mayors™of various [ondon Borcughs to discuss with them the un- employment problem, but Lord Dawson, the Prime Minister’s physician, last night sent a telegram tc the Mayors, who are in Inverness, stating that Mr. Lloyd George regretted being unable to endure the fatigue their reception would have brought about, hut knowing the extreme importance of the mission of the Mayors, he would promise to give them permission to interview the Pre- mier at the earliest possible moment. Be'fast, Sept. 20th,—The Parliamen: of Northern Ireland opened its autumn session here today with a full aiten- dance of members, except that neither the Nationalists nor the Sinn Feiners who hold a total of twelve seats, were present. The session was held in the building which was formerly the Bel- fast College of the Presbyteriar Church The main business of the day was a motion te approve the purchase of Stormont Castle as the site of the new parliament buildings , and a select com mittee was also named to consider the question of Cabinet Ministers. Honolulu, Sept. 19th.—Mr. Massey, Premier of New Zealand, in a statement here declared that a tiipartite agreement between the United States, Great Brit- ain and Japan would be the best ar- rangement possible and he expressed the hope that it could be obtained at the forthcoming disarmament conference. He added that it was his belief such an agreement would settle the Pacific prob- lem for some time at least and would be a great step towards lasting peace.