Jews Heavy Losers In Balkan States.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 11, 1913:
English and German Commissioners Visited Towns Devastated by the War.
THEIR COMMERCE RUINED
Emperor Ferdinand and Late King George Promised Aid In Work of Rehabilitation.
    A report has just been made by Dr. Paul Nathan, of Vienna, Elkan Adler of London, and Bernard Kahn of Brussels, as an international commission sent out by the Anglo-Jewish Association, and the German Hilfsverein to visit the chief cities and towns desolated by the recent war in the Balkan States, concerning the condition of Jewish subjects there and the best means of relieving the situation. Their visit lasted from Jan. 10 to Jan. 29, and included visits to Servia, Bulgaria, and the chief districts devastated by the war. The commissioners had interviews with the King and Queen of Bulgaria and the late King of Greece, and represented to both monarchs the special needs of the new Jewish subjects they would acquire by the probable terms of peace. Both King Ferdinand and King George, in return, assured the commissioners of their desire to co-operate in the plans of relief outlined by them.
    The situation of the Jews as found by the commission in the countries affected by the war is described in the American Hebrew. The account, based on the report of the commission, says:
    "In the towns conquered by the Servians Jews aid not appear to have suffered very much, certainly not more than might be expected in a state of war. Even in Uskub, where there are 2,000 Jews out of a population of 60,000, the commissioners found no call for their immediate work. Some fifty or sixty Turco-Jewish soldiers have, however, been captured by the Serbs, and arrangements were made for their comfort during their detention and for their speedy repatriation at the close of the war. In Bulgaria the commissioners established a central committee for the treating of the whole subject, and especially for the needful establishment of loan associations to help the persons dislodged by the war to re-establish themselves after its conclusion. This will be especially necessary for the 25,000 Jews who are reported to be shut up in Adrianople, and will be in a state of destitution on the fall of that city.

All Business Stopped.
    "When they arrived at the district disturbed by the recent war, the committee found the greatest trouble was in the complete disturbance of business, which affected Jews more than others because they were mainly engaged in the mercantile pursuits. The refugees who took refuge in Uskub and other places will have to be repatriated in their native villages, which will be expensive. As an instance, at Ichtip, all the Jews, over 700 in number, left the city when the Bulgarians attacked it, with the exception of eight, who were too old, or too young, or too sick to leave. Two of the aged persons were killed on the entry of the Bulgarian army. Most of the Jewish houses were plundered and two fires destroyed the synagogue and twenty-four Jewish houses and six stores. The 710 refugees from Ichtip are now in Salonika and need a minimum of twenty thousand francs for their support until the end of the war, or until they can be restored to Ichtip, which is now settling down under Bulgarian rule. Conditions in Salonika are such that any longer stay there would result in permanent pauperism.
    "At Strumitza, out of the 650 Jews of the town when it was attacked by the Bulgarians, two were murdered and many of the houses plundered of goods worth $100,000. One thousand was taken as blackmail from one Baruch A. Saltiel, under threats of death. At present the Jews of Strumitza are practically ruined.
    "In Salonika, among the 70,000 Jews, who form one-half of its inhabitants, great distress rules owing to the terrorizing after the first entry of the Greeks. About 5,200 persons are at present without any means of support, owing to the war. Fortunately, it has received few accessions from the refugees from other towns who do not consider Salonika as a specially good place of refuge.

Late King Sympathetic.
    "Here the Commissioners had a favorable audience with the late King of ' Greece, who assured them of his sympathetic attitude toward his Jewish subjects, including those of Salonika. The commissioners begged the King to see that the Jewish religious and economic requirements were regarded: for example, in the establishment of markets, which had been fixed in several cases for Saturdays. The King also promised that payment should be made for the goods commandeered by the Turks. He also agreed to look after the interests of the 3,000 Turkish Jews besieged in Janina.
    "When Serres was captured by the Bulgarians, the Mohammedan soldiers and inhabitants suffered much from the troops, but the 1,800 Jewish souls living there were protected by the Jewish soldiers in the Bulgarian army.
    "In Monastir, which, after Constantinople, Salonika and Adrianople, is the greatest Jewish city of Turkey in Europe, the Commissioners established a commission to look after the 6,000 Jews in that city who had suffered much during the war, mainly from requisitions made by the Turks on their goods, which have never been paid for. And many Jews in the neighboring villages suffered the loss of their whole stock by plunderers from both armies.
    "In Cavalla, which numbers 2,500 Jews among its 20,000 inhabitants, a peculiar condition of affairs has been of advantage to the whole population. The Khedive of Egypt took particular charge of Cavalla because his parents were born there, and he sent large supplies in relief of distress. Notwithstanding this, the commissioners had to expend a certain amount to assist the refugees who had come to Cavalla from Gallipoli and the Dardanelles.
    "Altogether, the commissioners, Dr. Nathan and Mr. Adler, have visited Servia and Bulgaria, gone through almost every town or village which had suffered during the war, and arranged for the needful assistance being given the sufferers. Their very presence was often of value since the fact that Western Jews were keeping an eye upon the fate of their Eastern brothers made the authorities more careful and helped in the distribution of funds. The favorable interviews with the Kings of Bulgaria and Greece naturally added to this impression."