The record-union., 1896-01-15
LAMB-LIKE TURKS.
Their Washington Minister Talks
About the Red Cross Society.
Turkey, He Says, Loves the Armen-
ians, and Would Like to See
Them All Prosper.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14.-Mavroyeni
Bey, the Turkish Minister to the United
States, has authorized the publication
of the following statement in regard to
the reported intentions of the Red Cross
Society:
You ask me-" said he, what / have
to say about the statement that the
Red Cross Society has decided not to
pay any attention to the communication
until it is officially transmitted to it by
the Turkish Government or the Turkish
Minister. My answer is very simple
The Red Cross has never communicated
with this Legation. 1t has only COM
municated, to my knowledge, with the
press and the public, it's President Miss
Clara. Barton, assisting, without pro-
test, at public meetings where the most
gross and unjust abuse was made of
the Turkish Government, religion and
race. As the Red Cross, or any of it's
representatives never visited this Lee
cation, it is clear and logical that this
Legation has nothing to communicate
to said society.
This Legation sent its communica-
ton to the press because it is the public
that the Red Cross took into its conf
dence, but naturally | will always be
ready and pleased to give the Red Cross
Society any explanation it may think
proper to ask for.
This whole question" added the
Minister, is question of right. Sup
pose, for one moment, that your own
Indians were to revolt against your legit-
innate authority; suppose that you put
down their revolt. and suppose that in
some foreign country some foreigners
were to calumniate publicly your civili-
zation, your race and your religion. Not
satisfied with that, suppose that these
foreigners, on the strength of such false
accusation, were to raise money and
bring it for distribution, through their
own channels, however respectable the
latter may be, to the very people that
revolted against your Government.
Would that money, raised on hatred and
denunciation, would even a moral aid
from foreigners, be welcome to this
great country of yours, however vel
come it might be for obvious reasons to
your Indians?
AS you see, this whole question is
very clear one, but wish you at the
same time to understand-eve TODAY.
Notwithstanding the contrary assurance
of interested parties-the Turkish Gov
ernment has no animosity against the
Armenians, and only wishes to see them
prosper under its legitimate and right
full authority"
RELIEF WILL co ON.
NEW YORK, Jan. 14.-An official
statement has been issued from the
headquarters Of the National Armenian
Relief Committee, stating that the re-
ported intention of the Turkish Gov
ernment to refuse the American Red
Cross permission to enter Turkey, will
not cause the National Relief Commit
tee and its branches throughout the
country to relax their efforts for an in
stant in raising funds to save the 350.-
600 Armenians who are perishing from
starvation and exposure.
In case the Red Cross is excluded, the
National Committee has authority to
utilize existing agencies on the ground
or organize new ones. so that all con-
tributors may be assured that their
gifts will as speedily as possible. reach
the sufferers for whom they are in
tended.