Roumanian Peasants waiting the distribution of clothes. Next to food and medical attention clothing for men, women, and children was one of the principal needs of the people of Roumania. One of the first things that the American Red Cross did upon its arrival in Roumania was to supply this need. In the Ilfov, where this photograph was taken, the American Red Cross found a particularly distressing situation and speeding set about distributing clothes to the needy

With the American Red Cross in Roumania. "The need of clothing is urgent in all the villages and we have given out the entire supply". This is from the official report of the American Red Cross Commissioner to Roumania. It describes conditions found in hundreds of Roumanian villages and also notes that the big stock of clothing the Red Cross shipped to Roumania, from France last winter, has been exhausted

Clothed children who lived in rags. One of the measures imposed by the Germans on the civil population of Roumania was an order compelling them to turn over practically all the cloth in the country that was being held for the manufacturing of garments. As a result a large percentage of the population was left in rags when the war finally ended. Children suffered especially in this respect. The group of youngsters shown in this picture are an example of the condition to which the country has been reduced. A large part of the American Red Cross mission's work in Roumania has been to clothe children such as these. Distribution stations have been established in all parts of the country, and many trainloads of supplies have been given out to the needy people

Volunteer Workers in Roumania. A group of Roumanian peasants who volunteered their services to the American Red Cross at Bucharest in making garments for the poor in the devastated areas. One of the most admirable traits of these simple couuntry folk is a disposition to help their less fortunate sisters in the devastated countryside. The only return they sought was a little kerosene oil, so that they could work nights, and this the Red Cross was able to furnish them without difficulty

Much of the effort made by relief workers to take the population of Roumania out of the shadow of epidemics and starvation has necessarily been devoted to the children of the country. Everywhere they go in Roumania representatives of the American Red Cross have been impressed with the sad plight of the children. Schools were closed for months and in many districts because the children were too weak from lack of food to attend classes. A Red Cross photographer snapped a picture of this little girl, who had been left by her mother to sleep on the hard sidewalk while she endeavored to find food. Special hospitals have been established at many points to take care of the children

Peasant Villages in Roumania that were not absolutely stripped by the Germans, Bulgars and Turks, during the enemy occupation of the country during the last two years of War, to-day have a population that is able to dress respectably on holidays or when occasion demands. These youngsters, who were photographed by a Red Cross man in Roumania, represent the most prosperous element of the peasantry

Roumanian Peasants waiting the distribution of clothes. Next to food and medical attention clothing for men, women, and children was one of the principal needs of the people of Roumania. One of the first things that the American Red Cross did upon its arrival in Roumania was to supply this need. In the Ilfov, where this photograph was taken, the American Red Cross found a particularly distressing situation and speeding set about distributing clothes to the needy

description

Summary

Title, date and notes from Red Cross caption card.
Photographer name or source of original from caption card or negative sleeve: ARC. Paris Office.
Group title: Roumania. Supplies.
On caption card: (Y-41)
Used in: Roumanian Relief Comm. Sept. 1919.
Gift; American National Red Cross 1944 and 1952.
General information about the American National Red Cross photograph collection is available at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.anrc
Temp note: Batch 9

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