In 1923, when Rose Wilder Lane worked in publicity for Near East Relief (NER), they assigned her to collaborate with Agnes Evon, an NER nurse. Evon had responded to the Burning of Smyrna, which started on September 13, 1923. Smyrna (today Izmir) had been part of Greece, and Greece had announced it as a protectorate and assigned King George’s brother as its governor. The Turks began the city’s destruction by burning the Armenian quarter. Soon the entire city, except the Turkish quarter, was in flames. The residents fled to Smyrna’s shoreline, along the quay. Thousands were trapped on the rocks along the shore. NER, American Women’s Hospital, and the Red Cross responded to the tragedy.
Rose Wilder Lane mentions working with Evon in her diary in February 1923. She sent the completed article to her agent for submission to the major magazines. McClure’s magazine bought the article, and the magazine published it in the September 1923 issue under Evon’s byline. The article is now in the public domain and can be downloaded: