January 22, 1945
Meeting No. 11
Following are minutes of a meeting of the Advisory Group concerning
relief held January 22, 1945 in the Office of Ambassador Myron C.
Taylor, Chairman of AMerican Relief for Italy Inc. Brig. G. S.
Parkinson, DSO , Diretor of Public Health Subcommission presided
over the meeting in the absence of Mr. Taylor. In attendence were:
Brig. Gen. Thoburn K. Brown, Commanding, Rome Area; Col. O.J.
Bizzozero, Public Health officer, Region IV, Allied Commision; Col.
John McSweeney, Public Health and Welfare Officer, Subcommision,
Allies Commission; Mgr. John P. Carroll-Abbing, Director of
Sanitary Services, Pontifical Commission for Aid to Refugees; Ing.
G. B. Vicentini, Executive Director of ENDSI; Prof. John A.
Canaperia, M.D. Inspector General of Public Health Department of
Ministry of the Interior; Ing. Enrico P. Galeazzi, Architect of
the Sacred Apostolic Palaces and Special Delegate to the Pontifical
Commission of the State of the Vatican City; Dr. L. Lappponi of the
Italian Red Cross; Mr. Joseph S. Silber, American Red Cross, Acting
Assistant to Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Thomas R. Ballantine, American Red
Cross.
Brig. Parkinson: Mr. Taylor has asked me to conduct the meeting
this morning in his absence. First I think it would be a good plan
if we could review the situation up to date. We appreciate the
presence of General Brown this morning, because we know he is a
busy man , and his time is valuable. Gerneral Brown, do you know
the situation up to date?
Gen. Brown: I only know what I saw when I went to visit some refugee
camps with Mr. Taylor on Saterday.
Mr. Silber: I might report briefly on the progress of distribution
in the provinces of Littoria and Frosinone. All the suppplies
allocated have already been delivered within the provinces. I am
advised as of today that all the clothing will be distributed from
the warehouses to the communes of Litteria. The distribution is
not so far advanced in Froninone. In Naples a determination has been
made as to what clothing should go there, including the ten
communes outside the city of Naples. Altogether 79,000 people will
be served, of whom 20,000live in the communes and 59,000 in the
city of Naples. We are making little different distribution in
Naples than ordinary in that we are giving first priority of
clothing to a group of people called "impiegati"-people who are
earning less than 2,500 lire a month. They have been caught in the
vice of being either rich nor paupers. Next in order of priority
came 1) the aged, who are living on inadequate pensions; 2) the
bombed out; 3) the destitute; 4) refugees.
The next project is the one of Sicily. Ing. Vicentini and myself
are going to Sicily this week for the purpose of determining what
clothing needs are. We have already arranged with the
Subcommission for transport for the week of Jan 29th. In the
provinces of the Abruzzi all the clothing has been delivered, and
as far as we know- the distribution has been made. (Mr. Silber
submitted a progres report for the week commencing January 22, 1945-
see attached.)
Ing. Vicentini: With the exception of a small part of the provinces
of Aquila and Campobasso where the roads are blocked by snow
Mr. Silber: In the Province of Rome allocation has been made, and
delivery will be made this week.