Sports
RIBUNE
eports from the Middle East
Features
SUCTION B
MEUFOliU. OKEGON, SUNDAY, OCTOBEIl 14, l!)(i2
PAGES 1 to 8
i Correspond ence from Dr. Alvin Roberts Family in Hamadan, Iran
Hamadan. Iran. ScdI. 4. 19B2: ' . , ...
"Yon mnv havn nnfiH hxr tl. .u
nit wens uicuid llldl Wtf
had an earth tremor here about three nights ago. It was
so mild compared to the one that I experienced in Japan
in the fall of 1946 that we just shrugged it off.
"Now the news is beginning to seep through that it
is the worst in the history of Iran . . . Communciations
get pretty viscous out here. All this death and destruc
tion was just about next door, and we get the word in
three days.
"We here in Hamadan were surprised to learn from
the Tehran papers that Hamadan was a disaster area.
One of our friends heard in a tea shop in Resin, up by
the Caspian, that 'Hamadan was wiped off the map'."
260 Miles From Tehran
Hamadan is about 260 miles in a southwesterly
direction from Tehran. It is a city of about 410.00(1
people in an area of Iran where, mountains range up
ward to 11,000 feet high.
It is the home of Dr. and Mrs. Alvin Roberts and
family of Central Point for a year, while Dr. Roberts
serves as a medical missionary in Hamadan hospital
under the auspices of the First. Presbyterian church of
Medford.
In letters from members of the Roberts family, such
as the one above, the part the U.S. Army plavcd follow
ing the earthquake is praised.
Mrs. Roberts, in a later letter, wrote:
Tremors Since Earthquake
"We have had some tremors since the earthquake.
Lawrence (the Roberts' son) went with a carload from
the mission and hospital yesterday to take some med
icine to earthquake victims. They brought half of it
home. 'There was nobody sick,' they were told.
"They drove 10 miles back to a village. Heard about
one village where only eight were killed. The reason was
a tractor had been driven into town about 10 p.m., and
people were all out admiring it when the quake came
"I am very proud of the U.S.A. which flew doctors,
nurses, mobile hospital, and helicopters in from Ger
many. They and the Iranians themselves have done a
tremendous job."
The family has settled down for the year, and Dr
Roberts wrote that "we will be relatively happy' here
for the year." He said they have been accepted by the
community and the governor is friendly.
Trial Hanging on Wall
"One of my trials," he wrote, "is a nice big framed
picture of Lake Louise in the room I use in the clinic.
Really, it is nice to know there are places with greeri
grass and visible water."
Dr. Roberts said "It is not a satisfying situation to
practice in." This is because of the culture and mores
which he said makes it hard for both the missionary
doctors and the Iranians. The practice is much different
from the practice carried on by physicians in this coun
try, and seldom is there an illness which is not complicat
ed in some way, he said.
Of medical agents, Dr. Roberts wrote:
"There are people who act as agents for sick people
and go about and get bids on the treatment. They will go
" um-iui mo say. i nave a panent who needs an
operation: for how much will you do if." and then take
the lowest bidder and charge the patient a much higher
fee and pocket the 'commission.'
Without Consicience
"These people meet the busses and get a hold of the
villagers coming to town for their illnesses. It is a
vicious system as these individuals are totally without
conscience. There is no organized medicine in Iran.
"We remain aloof from this dirty business, but are
now and then reminded by patients who have been vic
tims that it exists.
"I was interrupted at this point, and have just fin
ished operating on the patient whose plight provoked
, ,
4'7n llv fa')
V Ml
Shown in Egypt en route to Hamadan is the Dr. Alvin Roberts family on camels. Left to right, they are Mrs.
Roberts, Dr. Roberts, Phyllis, Judy and Lawrence. .
the above outburst. He was taken away from the hos
pital this noon because we wouldn't bargin with his
'manager, lonight he was brought back by concerned
relatives. He had been very ill since yesterday."
The operation took three hours, Dr. Roberts wrote,
and was completed at midnight.
Work Is Never-Ending
In a letter dated Sept. 15. Dr. Roberts said: "Our
work goes on and and on and is never-ending. We could
do mure and more if the human stamina was up to it.
The surgery I'm doing is real stimulating."
But it has not been all work. A bus trip from Ham
adan to Tehran is described, as is their stay in Tehran
where they visited their daughter, Judy, who is attend
ing school there.
A ride in one of the Tehran taxis. Dr. Roberts
wrote, "is a very impressive experience. This bluffing
at high speed is done with a nonchalance which rather
unnerves me. Last night, on one occasion, we came
so close that even the drivers got upset. I suppose the
average trip across Tehran may give you 25 to 30 breath
takers." Attend Softball Gam
They attended a softball gamp with their daughter
(the Americans in Tehran have a league), and "there is
a supermarket in Tehran which looks absolutely fabu
lous . . . all the USA goods. It is about the size of
Fabcr's (not including lockers or produce)." Faber's is
a Central Point market.
Lawrence tells of a trip downtown with his father:
"Again, at the expense of our lives, we rode a taxi
down . . . After a little walking around trying to keep
out of peoples way, look inconsipicuous, keep hold of
our belongings (cameras), keep from falling in any wells,
holes, sewers, jubes. etc., and trying to casually snap
a few pictures in between dodging people and swatting
the bugs, we gave up, walked up to the big circle in the
middle of town, and sat. There we only had to worry
ibout the people and flies."
Dr. and Mrs. Roberts wrote about going to morning
devotions, church, shopping for rugs, the food situation,
going to Persian church, and visiting the home of the
Roberts' laundry lady, who gave birth to twin daughters.
At Work A Week Later
Mrs. Roberts writes, of the birth, "she was back at
at work yesterday washed and Ironed! (one week after
giving birth to twins.) She didn't want the babies be
cause she couldn't feed them," Mrs. Roberts wrote.
UN1CEF milk was obtained, the mission gave her
husband a job, and baby clothes were obtained for gifts.
"The things had been made by ladies missionary so
cieties at home. I was thrilled to be on the giving end of
the things.
"The visit was interesting. Their house is two roomi
built against the mud wall. One room has beautiful
Persian rugs on the cement floor. No furniture, but the
rugs are nice to sit and sleep on. . . . She had the babies
wrapped tightly, with their arms fastened down inside
the wrappings. They were bound by wide bands like a
papoose, only no board. 1 wondered how often she undid
it all and changed them."
About Earthquake Relief
About Arab Dissensions
By JOSEPH MAZANDI
United Press International
Tehran, Iran IUPII The
earthquake relief work of the
United States and other for
eign nations, which saved
thousands of lives after the
Sept. 1 quake, will face an
other crucial test this month.
Rehabilitation and aid
teams are racing to beat the
start of Iran's bitter mountain
winter in their efforts to get
all of the 100.000 homeless
survivors under adequate
shelter. If they do not, more
deaths may be added to the
12.000 toll of the quake it
self. Dr Hosscin Khatibi, direc
tor of the Red Lion and Sun
society (Iran's Red Cross)
called the American contribu
tion thus far "enormous" and
expressed confidence the win
ter deadline would be met.
Promise Government Aid
The Shah of Iran, who
toured the hardest-hit villages
on foot shortly after the dis
aster, has promised that the
186 villages completely de
stroyed and the 114 seriously
damaged would be rebuilt at
government expense.
But before this project can
be carried nut, temporary
shelter must be erected
quickly.
Khatibi said 1.200 prefab
ricated homes are on Ihc way
from Britain and 8.000 win
terized tcnls are expected
from tile United States.
He said the tents would be
warmer and belter housing
than the villagers had had
before the disaster.
The canvas peaks of U.S.
Army tents began appear
ing among the rubble of
Iranian villages within days
after the earthquake hit.
U.S. Air Force warehouse
men were loading the first
of 1.000 lents, 10.000 blan
kets, and tons of medicines
into transport planes a few
hours after the news of the
disaster reached U.S. bases
in Europe.
The most spectacular
pari of the American relief
effort was the airlifting of
a complete army mobile
hospital from Hamstein Air
Force base, Germany, to
Ghazvin. the aid center 80
miles west of Tehran.
The hospital had 100
beds and its staff included
18 doctors. 22 nurses and
135 medical aid men, It
treated far more patients
than its bed capacity might
indicate. In its three weeks
in Ghazvin. it had 177 in
patients and 340 outpati
ents. U.S. Army helicopters,
also airlifted from Europe,
flew out to remote villages
from Ghazvin, carrying re
lief supplies on the trip
out and bringing back pa
tients. -
The hospital was well
equipped to handle disas
ter victims because it is
v in'
s,
''
LP
t .
.'- v J
Ida Amami, the first infant born in the U. S Army's eighth evacuation hospital at
Ohazuin. Iran, is fed hy Sgt. Donald Webb of Cinnnnriti. Ohio. Id-i s mother was badly
burnrd in the disastrous earthquake Dial -hook p;irts l Iran Srpl.'t Ida was named
af:cr the ende word for Iran Disaster Asms '.ante. fl'Pl)
geared to wartime condi
tions. But an Iranian nam-' '
ed Ida presented it with ;
unforeseen problems.
Ida was the first baby
born in the hospital. Her
mother had been seriously
injured and taken there.
Ida is not the baby's Iranian
name but her hospital nick
name. It stands for Iran
Disaster Assistance, the tills
of the operation.
How to car for th baby
became the special task of
medical corpsman Sgt. Don
ald L. Webb of Cincinnati.
Ohio. He used a surgical
instrument case as a bas
sinet. Baby clothes wore
fashioned out of ih cotton
material used under plaster
casts, nipples out of rubber
glove fingers and diapers
out of gauze.
When th hospital's sec
ond and third babies were
born. Webb and his tallow
corpsmen wer old hands
in the nursery department.
The helicopters shuttled be
tween the hospital and moun
tain villages so isolated that
mule pack trains had . been
. their only contact with the
outside world.
In one village. Milak Sufla.
the villagers were so grateful
that they sacrificed a goal
near the helicopter in honor
of its visit. The crewmen gra
ciously declined the meat,
telling the villagers they
needed it more.
Captains Louis L. Miz.rll,
New Castle, Colo., and Alls
tnir A. Calhoun, Philadel
phia, and SP4 John M. Bar
ber, Laurinbcrg, N C, were
the crew that flew to Milak
Sufla.
Preventive Medicine Team
The hospital is gone now.
its work finished, hut an
Army preventive medicine
team has stayed. It has been
working around the clock,
trying to restore sanitary con
ditions, selling up clean and
safe water supplies, advising
villagers on spraying against
insects, and seeing to the
burial of dead animals.
Now the priority project is
shelter, temporary and per
manent. The new homes
promised by the Shah will
transform the disaster area
into model villages, with
modern construction and sani
tary fanlilirs most nf the
homeless had not had before
the quake.
In addition, the United
States, Sweden and Norway
each have offered to build
one entire village. The Unit
ed .Nations will aid in nlhrr
construction through Its re
lief learns here.
Money and material from
nearly 30 nations, mean
while, is helping in the drive
to art temporary winter shel
ter for the homeless.
By K. C. THALER
United Press International
London - WW - The.Mid
dle East is in ferment again,
with Russia standing at the
ready to exploit its ten
sions if it can.
Dissensions among Arab
rulers arc ages old, but re
cent events have revealed
new ones, deeper, and more
hitler than, ever. Arab
unity, so long a slogan and
a goal, has been ' taking n
battering.
Suspicion, fear, greed
and rivalry for the leader
ship of the Middle East are
the key factors behind the
Arab world's troubles, now
bubbling at high heat Hfter
a period of relative sta
bility. Items:
YEMEN:
The September revolt in
Yemen and the overthrow
of the lmamate was but a
symptom of the wind of
change that blows through
Ihe Middle East even as it
docs through black Africa.
The force of this wind has
been reflected in a variety
nf ways other lhan the
Yemen uprising.
ARAB LEAGUE:
Only a few weeks ago
inner-Arab quarrels almost
hroke up the 17-year-old
Arab League. Ihe align
ment designed to be both
Ihe Instrument and the svm-
bnl of Arab unity. Sharp
differences have left
league weakened to
point of insignificance.
SAUDI ARABIA:
., .'r"a. r'! r i:
w:MRfltAQ. IRAN
rATr.ty . SAUDI J
V?l ARAe,A J
J SUDAN, fn
rtstt MiaMfMt.Mfc. Mats
World attention was again thrust on the Middle East, one of the world's most
troubled areas, by the September revolt against Imamte of Yemen. Rivalries among
Egypt. Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan. Lebanon and Israel are presently being
intensified by Soviet arms offers to Egypt, Iraq and Syria. (UPI)
the
the
The coup in Yemen sent
jitters through its neigh
bor Saudi Arabia whose
feudal system is under the
fierce protection of King
Saud in ihe face of growing
revolutionary pressures
from the outside, especially
from Cairo.
EGYPT:
The present unease in
the. Mideast goes farther
hack, to the breakup of tiie
Egypt-Svna union a year
ago which destroyed at
least temporarily the hopes
of United Arab Republic
President Gamal A b d e I
N,wor to unite the Arab
nations. This was followed
by the dissolution of the
merger between Egypt and
Yemen where some observ
ers now see Nasser's influ
ence slirring again. Nasser
himself appears to be ex
perimenting with vocialism,
bul it is a hrand of social
ism not particularly rei og
ni.ahle to western eves.
JORDAN:
Last month, Saudi Arabia
and Jordan joined In an
open anti-Nasser front by
forming a unified military
command anil a political
and economic partnership.
SYRIA:
S i n c e her breakaway
from Egypt, Syriu has been
flirting wllh Iraq and Kas
sem, President Nasser's lop
Mideast rival. There has
been speculation about the
creation of a "Fertile Cres
cent," a long-standing
dream for close association
of Sy.'ia, Iraq, Jordan and
Lebanon. This would be a
direct affront lo, and de
feat for, Nasser.
IRAQ, ETC.
There are other troubles.
Iraq is casting coveting
eyes on Kuwait an'! its oil.
( fanning Kuwait really is
i!s terri!oiy. Nasser and
King Saud of Saudi Arabia
have been exchanging bit
ter charges thai each is
plotting to assassinate the
other. King Hussein of Jor
dan also charges Egypt is
plotting his death. Iraq's..
Ka.ssern fears both Nasser
and the Kurds of Ihe north
who refuse to accept his
leadership and arc ill con
stant rebellion.
THE KREMLIN:
In the middle of it .all
n fresh influx of Soviet
arms - jet planes and mis
siles - has revived Ihc arms
race in the Middle East.
Nasser has been accepting
Soviet aid on a consider
able scale. An Iraq mission
is currently negotiating in
Moscow for more up-to-date
weapons. Syria is in these
negotiations, too.
The new Russian arms
reaching . th Mideast . in
duced the United States to
try and redress a threaten
ing imbalance of military
strength by promising mis
siles to Israel.
It is Israel that is the
one unifying force among
the Arabs. They all hate
and fear the Jewish state
and have vowed its destruc
tion. It is about Ihe only
common bond the Arabs
have, apart from the Islam
ic religion.
Divide Arab Nations
Selfishness, suspicion, re
sistance to change and pow
er ambitions are what main
ly divide the Arab nations
and their leaders. Nasser
and Kassem, as has been
noted, both aspire lo a
broad leadership of the en
tire area. Egypt Is population-choked
and poor. Kas
scm wants lo retain the oil
and power he now has and
extend it, his immediate
target being Kuwait. King
Saud has his great nil
wealth and a completely
subject kingdom and wants
lo keep things that way.
Jordan, squeezed between
more powerful neighbors,
feels herself In deadly peril
from both Israel and Egypt.
Most of the Arab world
is non-aligned either with
East or West. Most pro
western arc Lebanon, Jor
dan and Saudi Arabia and
they do without Soviet aid.
Egypt, Yemen, Iraq and
Syria, while non-aligned,
accept and have sought So
viet help, both economic
and military.
Communism in seeking
a political foothold in the
Mideast faces a powerful
deterrent in the antl-Com-nist
Islamic religion. It is
the same religion that also
defeats efforts to western
ize Arabia. Soviet and
American missions In Arab
countries have made little
Impact on them.
The problems that keep
the Middle East in an up
roar are mainly home made
- but nevertheless theaten
ing lo the general peace
because of Soviet trouble-making.