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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1918)
S U m , K M K N T TO THK COTI AGE GKOVK SENTI NFL, MARCH 22, 1918 IN HUMANITY’S NAME The appeal to America for relief f o r t h e outraged a n d starving people of Armenia and Syria is, without exception, the most heart-rending and urgent of any that has come to us since the war began. We have been eager to do our part in giving for the wel fare of our sons and brothers in the army, knowing that our best is but a beggarly sacrifice by comparison to theirs. The appeal from Belgium is heart-rending, as we know be cause we have learned about it from reliable sources. The situation in Armenia and Syria is worse, appallingly worse, by every comparison, and our inform ation cannot be questioned. Relief work devolves largely on American agencies and is being carried on with scrupulous conscience in every detail, but is pitiably insufficient. It has been assigned to us to carry the appeal to the people of Lane County. It must be done with the greatest possible speed and must be met with the utmost generosity. The Tragic Situation in W estern Asia Calls for the Immediate Response of the Samaritan Spirit of the W orld Reports regarding the atrocities, deportations and suf ferings unions tiie peoples of Western Asia have been so terrible as almost to challenge belief. They do stagger the imagination of those who were not eye witnesses. Personal testimony of many who lived through the ear lier period and information furnished by American Ambas sadors, Consuls, teachers, physicians, missionaries and bus iness men who have recently returned from Turkey to America cofirm the worst. Documentary evidence of an overwhelming character is also abundant. At a history making conference held recently in New York and participated in by 139 representatives of the above classes—the very people who know most about actual con ditions in the afflicted territory—the following statements were unanimously agreed to as well within the facts: At least 1,000,000 Armenians and Syrians in Turkey have perished during the past two years from massacre, deportation, exposure, starvation, disease. Over 2,000,000 are now homeless and in dire distress. Thousands of Greeks deported from the sea coast of Asia Minor are now’ in danger of starvation. Four hundred thousand of those in need are orphans. Little children scarcely able to feed themselves live abso lutely alone in deserted homes. Seventy-five thousand chil dren under 12 years of age are starving in Syria and the Iiebanon district alone. Sufferers in the Lebanon district recently were dying at the rate of 1,000 a day. Five hundred thousand refugees have fled the Turkish dominions and in their temporary homes cry for help. Relief is wisely and economically administered by abso lutely reliable agents, but is pitiably insufficient. Every dollar contributed goes for relief, none for ex penses. The RED CROSS Is Assisting to the Utmost of Its Ability. Every Human itarian Agency In Christendom Indorses This Appeal President Wilson Urges Help From Consul Leslie A. Davis In an appeal to the American people in which he urges further contributions to the relief of these stricken people, President Wil son says: "Reports indicate that of orphans alone there are more than 400,000, besides women and other dependent children, reach ing a total of m ore than 2,000,000 destitute survivors. The situation is so distressing as to make a special appeal to the sympathies "I believe there is no place in the world where there is greater and more urgent need of relief at the present time than among the surviving Christian population in the Turk ish Empire. "I speak from a personal knowledge of the situation, as during the past three years I have been located at Harpoot, and there was brought into close contact with the distress and misery of thousands of homeless and des titute women and children who are absolute ly dependent upon charity for their subsis tence. "It is to be borne in mind that very few of these people have any way of earning money, as owing to the existing conditions there is no work to be obtained. "The majority of these unfortunate wo men and children are now in such a wretched Of all." From Former Ambassador Oscar Strauss “ I am impressed with the increasing need as the winter comes on. The cold is severe through all the region of Asiatic Turkey north of Syria, and if these refugees are not aided by relief from America many more will perish.” and helpless condition that they' cannot long survive if help is not received. Many did die last winter for lack of food. Present condi tions are more critical than ever. “Arrangements have been made by which funds can continue to be sent there without any risk of loss.” From First Secretary Tarler "There is no question as to the extreme need. The distress among the stricken peo ple is beyond any power of words to describe. The American public can have absolute con fidence that every dollar given is wisely and effectively used for the saving of life.” From Consul Recently Returned From Aleppo “The only thing the matter with your state ment is that it is not strong enough. The ur- ger.cy of the demands are far beyond estima tion. The 120,000 or so dependent persons in Aleppo and vicinity have no other resource for bread, and once the relief stops these people will disappear from the face of the earth. Disease is rife even among the per manent inhabitants, irrespective of race or religion, and the deported Christians will be in an absolutely hopeless condition without the funds that have been and must continue to be sent to them. “The local relief destributing committee in Aleppo is very trustworthy and all funds for warded there go to reliable men who are in tensely interested in the work in every par ticular.” Many other consuls, ambassadors and trav elers, speaking from personal knowledge, add their testimony to the great need and to the safety and integrity of the handling of relief work and funds. INCIDENTS OF H U M A N SUFFERING TH AT STIR THE SOUL Child’s Pitiful Appeal “America did not realize the hun ger that existed in some parts of Turkey. 1 can best illustrate it by telling you about a little boy who v as brought to one of the hospitals. His condition was such that he could not eat solid food, but he cried for a piece of bread. When the physicians told him he could not eat bread he said he didn’t want to eat it, he just wanted to put it under his pillow so that he could feel that food was near.” Men Devour Melon Rind Perhaps a faint conception of the terrible hunger experienced by thousands may be gained from this little incident told by one of the re turning consuls: "I was eating a piece of melon,” he said, “and was paying little attention to the peo ple around me. I tossed aside the rind, when instantly a man pounced upon it like a hungry wolf. He chewed on it for a few moments and then he in turn tossed it aside. Another man who had been watch ing him with the eyes of a hawk picked it up and devoured the rest.” Children Eat* D e a d Camel and Pick Grains From Duns of Animals in Streets. An American doctor coming down the mountain side from the Lebanon noticed in the distance a throng of children and wondered why so many were gathered in one place. Upon coming near he dis covered that a camel had died by the roadside and these famished children were in desperation pick ing the last shreds of llesh from the skeleton of the fallen beast. Children eagerly picking grains from the dung of animals in the street have become a common sight.” American Women Com pelled to Deny Ap peals of Children Tender-hearted American wo men have been compelled to steel themselves against the sight of children in the street dying from lack of food—to pass by without helping, having no resources to warrant adding one more to the number already being fed. Missionaries Select which Must Starve A hard task is assigned the mis sionaries, that of practically sign ing the death sentence of children. For example, in one case there were 430 children with funds suf ficient for only seventy. The mis sionaries were forced to select the seventy and say no to the equally or possibly more destitute 360. I’m Hungry! I’m Hungry! So far as Syria is concerned. Rei- rut, Palestine and the Lebanon have suffered most. Many villages have become depopulated. An American passing through a vil- lige last summer saw only one house open. The people had either migrated or perished. In one door way sat a little girl, apparently alone in the world. She kept say ing over and over, “I’m hungry! I’m hungry!” The children in all the villages look like old men and women. Children Eat Grape Vines and Leaves In Aleith no grapes are expect ed because the children have eaten the shoots and young leaves. The mulberry orchards were planted The facts—terrible, gripping, heartbreaking facts — are here. The cry of anguish sobs through them from beginning to end. Let the utmost measure of devotion be swift and sure. Every cent contributed goes wholly to relief work. All ex penses are met bv special contributions given expressly f o r that purpose. with wheat, but in many cases chil dren have plucked the wheat to eat the seeds clinging to the roots. Generosity of Americans Those who have survived so far have been kept alive through the generosity of Americans. All money sent from America is re ceived and the distribution of food is effective. In the coming winter the conditions will be harder than ever, and very few will survive un less adequate, regular contribu tions are sent. What an American Saw An American consular agent re ports that in his daily walk from his house to the consulate he count ed as many as twelve bodies of per sons who had died of starvation the preceding night. Fifty-five per cent of the population of the Lebanon are reported dead from starvation, mal-nutrition and re sultant diseases. The scenes are indescribable. They can never be blotted from my memory. I stood beside a trench which was the grave of 2,000 vic tims. They, too, all surrendered their arms upon implicit promises that they would then be spared. The moment they became defense- less they were compelled at the point of the bayonet to dig the trench, into which they were forced and then hacked to pieces. Soldiers boasted of their work with axes, as being more economical than ex pensive cartridges! Thousands of Christians have been driven from Armenia by the Kurds. To prevent their return, if by chance any survive the depor tation, the Kurds have destroyed all their homes, even burning up the doors and windows, with their frames. All the fruit and nut trees and the vineyards were destroyed; and to make sure that there would be no wood for rebuilding, the trees were cut into lengths too short for boards. Even the ter races that held the fields on the mountain sides were broken down. The work of centuries of patient labor by a long suffering people has been completely overthrown. Great as is the tragedy of mas sacre, a greater tragedy was the forced deportations, 100,000 wo men and children from one district alone. It is terrible to contemplate their fate after the war. The na tions should provide means for searching out and restoring any survivors to their homes and loved ones. Do not wait to be seen and asked to give. Do it now. The campaign must be carried to every heart and home, but you help carry it and thus make the work mutual. Make all checks payable to F. N. McAlister, Treasurer. Bring or send all contributions to Armenian-Syrian Belief Com mittee, Chamber of Commerce, Eugene, Oregon. Phone 702. LANE COUNTY COMMITTEE Jos. H. Koke, Chairman, Andrew Fish, L. L. Lewis, B. B. Brundage, R. S. Bryson, A. L. Crhn, F. E. Kreatz, F. G. Stickels, W. F. Gilstrap V. T. Motschenbacher, A. R. Gray, G. H. Parkinson, W. M. Case, Geo. N. McLean MASS MEETINGS THROUGHOUT LANE COUNTY DURING THE CAMPAIGN.