January 22, 1945
 
 
 
Following are minutes of a meeting of the Advisory Grouop 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, D.S.0., Director of   
Public Health Subcommission presided over the meeting in the absence of Mr.   
Taylor. In attendonce were: Brig. Gen.Thoburn K.Brown, Commanding, Rome area;   
Col. O.J. Bizzozero, Public Health Officer, Region IV, Allied Commission;   
Col. John McSweeney, Public Health and Welfare Officer, Subcommission, Allied   
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 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. Lapponi 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 aprreciate the presence of General Brown   
this morning, because we know he is a busy man, and his time is valuable.   
General 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 saturday.
 
     
 
 
Mr. Silber: I might report briefly on the progress of distribution in the   
provinces of Littoria end Frosinone. All of the supplies 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 conmmunes of   
Littoria. The distribution is not so far advanced in Frosinone. 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 20,000 live in the communes and 59,000 in the city of naples.   
We are making a little different distribution in Naples than ordinary in that   
we are giving first priority of clothing to a group people called "impiegati"--  
people who are earning less than 2,500 lira a month. They have been caught in   
the vise of being neither rich nor paupers. Next in order of priority come (1)   
the aged, who are living on inadecuete 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 the clothing needs are.                          ~ ,~  
We have already arranged with the Subcommission for transport for the week of   
January 29th. In the provinces af the Abruzzi all the clothing has been   
delivered, and--as far as we know--ths distribution has been made. (Mr.Silber   
submitted a progress report for the week commencing Jnnuary 22,1945--see   
attached).
 
     
 
 
Ing. Vicentini: With the exception of a small part of the provinces of   
Aquila and Campobasso where the roads are blccked by snow.
 
     
 
 
Mr. Silber: In the Province of Rome allocation has been made, and delivery   
will be made this week.