The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-22
IN THE NAME OF HUMANITY.

The National Armenian relief com
mittee, of which tic Hon. David Brewer,
Justice Of the United States Supreme
Courts president, has issued a circular
letter, in which an urgent appeal is made
in behalf of the prosecuted and helpless
Armenian Christians. A few statements
derived from it will serve to show the
needs Of the surviving sufferers and how
to help them
hefsystematic massacre Of the Arme-
Man Christians in Turkey has been in
progress about two years. In that time
a region five hundred miles long and three
hundred wide, with hundreds Of towns and
villages, has been given over to murder
rape and robbery. The killed, mostly
breadwnners, business men and educated
and religious leaders, number over 10000.
Fifty thousand shops and houses have
been plundercd or burned. Three hundred
thousand survivors, mainly dependent
women and children. are now suffering
from starvation and disease-w without hope
Of help except from Christian and humane
people in the outer world. The Turks,
their masters and neighbors, aim at their
determination, and repoice at heir misery.
L
to relieve them from restitution and suffer
ing and are moving with diplomatic de-
liberation 10 insure them protection from
the weapons Of their savage prosecutors.
Another massacre of the inhabitants of
village has been reported within the past
forty-eight hours, since the latest positive
assurance of effective reform was made
10y the Turkish Government.
!, hoc Haa Il ha Il
relief societies in the United States and
England to help the survivors. The money
raised by them has been expended under
the direction of special agents on the
ground in supplying food and clothing
to the starving, in sending physicians and
medicines to communities smitten with
pestilence, in providing seed for crops,
in establishing orphanages, i'll redeeming
girls from the hands Of their captors and
despOilers, and in other such works Of
necessity and mercy. BY these means
tens OF thousands have been saved from
death by starvation by exposure, and
10000 have been aided in some degree.
But the devastation was SO extensive"
it is explained, ''the paralysis Of industry
was SO complete. and recent fresh plum
dering and violence in new regions is so
great that the necessity for continuing the
relief work is undated" 1t is evident
that larger number of the peoplewill be
dependent upon charity this winter for
keeping soul and body together than there
were last winter. I'VE can keep them"
says the society which makes the appeal
in their behalf. ION less than two cents q
day" Five dollars will sustain family
of FIVE persons three months. Certainly
money given in charity was never better
applied. The actual distribution OF the
food, clothing, medicines, etc, is in the
hands OF brave and experienced American
missionaries and foreign Consuls. not one
Of whom draws any salary from the re-
lief fund. The public is assured that ev-
cry dollar of the fund is used solely for
the actual relief Of the sufferers, and for
putting them on their feet and making
them self-supporting.
A particular statement Of the situation
in few OF the towns will make the need
Of help palmer: At Ezeroum twelve oun-
ces of bread daily are supplied to 5000
starving persons; at Van about a thou
sand young men were killed in June, "and
scores Of villages throughout the province
the effort was made to kill every male
above twelve years Of age. The total
number Of killed was about 10000 and
the widows and orphans are wholly desti-
tute." At Malatia about 1900 men were
killed. There are $50 widows and 1888
orphans. In Haboosi and many other vii
lagos the orphan children wander about
like dogs, eating and sleeping where
they can" In Arabkir, 1860 houses were
burned. Nearly every town and village
has suffered 1.-THE condition Of the PEG.
ple", Miss Barton reports, could hardly
be worse. Homeless, friendless, bereft
widowed, despoiled, without food, clothes
or shelter, furnishing, sick, hopeless, wait
ing for death-this il the situation
The appeal is addressed to every one
who viii hear it. Churches, societies,
Sunday Schools, public schools, individ
.uals, are asked to give what they can, or
win. Every dollar, every cent, is wei
come "The price Of poor cigar, or a
street car ride will feed starving child
a week. The price of a postage stamp
viii feed one person one day.
Whatever is given should be given now,
The people are suffering now, and with
all the hardships Of winter yet to be en-
dured. Money can be cabled to the dis
tributors in Armenia within forty-eight
hours after it is received by the treasurer
Of the relief committee. All contributions
should be sent to Brown Brothers Il Co,