Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-15
HORRORS IN ARMENIA
Secretary Kiretchjian Describes Them in Wig
orous Words.
He Declares the Conditions Demand
the Intervention of the Power Of
America to Adjust Them.

One Of the most interesting personal
ties at the Christian Endeavor conven-
ton at Washington was Mr.. Herout Mes
rab Kiretclijian, an Armenian gentleman,
who is general secretary of the Armenian
Relief Association of New York city. which
Ia organized for the rescue and defense OF
Armenia, and which has been doing active
work here during the Christian Endeavor
convention.
Speaking on his favorite topic with an
Evening Star reporter Mr.. Kiretchjian said:
People have been hoping to hear the end
of the horrors of Armenia. but we are
Still at the beginning. To a colossal. ma
uonal disaster, scattered individual help
q. one has been brought, and IT has fallen
more than short Of the mark. Those who
nave received JUS a morsel Of bread in
actual fact are indeed grateful for IL
and touched with hope as a drowning man
at the sight of rescuers in the distance.
bat the entire nation, with hundreds of
thousands massacred. rillaged, plundered is
le1t TO perish by disease and starvation,
while the sword and brutal list still con-
tlnue their carnival of destruction. Con-
slder that 1t Is an ancient, thrifty, Chris
tian nation, whose children have been liy-
ing through long winter in stables or
huddled together in open courts; women
bearing children upon bare floors, and little
children not finding even yet morsel of
eating II to satisfy the hunger of months
While disease and pestilence sweep over
the land, while rowing bands of rapacious
Kurds still march through the country 10
ron and to KILL to outrage and to kidnap
and the merciless Turkish officials still
crowd Into their hellish dens of prisons
whomsoever they choose to arrest and
doom to rot and perish. Remember that
Europe, In the program of her politics,
made this Infamous arrangement of up
holdlng the sultan and his savage hordes
knowing, as she did, that they We're blood
thirsty monsters committed to the de-
structfon of Christians Europe goaded the
Turk TO make Armenia "one blazing hell
from end to end and she has looked, TN
moved, upon the fame and smoke and
the reeking blood in torrents bursting from
church doors and flooding marts of Chris
tan innocence. There is God in heaven
History has shown He is the God of merci-
full vengeance. There Is a black, heavy
curse coming down upon this international
crime, and ii is time for those who believe
IN God to be up and put a mark upon
their gates that the angel of destruction
may Know whom to smite. Before the Ar
menian question is settled il Will lie known
whether there is civilization and humanity
upon earth. The American nation, also, is
put to the test, and ii is the day of her OPP
portunity; her civilization and humanity,
her sense of justice and her potency of
wrath ia the presence of inhuman brutality
are at once on trial, all the more since
England and Russia, drunk with the craze
OF conquest, have become dead to the sense
of right or horror. 1t is a call for heroes
in church and state. A mighty hand must
be stretched to crush this monster of
famine with one blow, and a mightI.r
hand must be stretched to achieve the
cue and defense of the Armenian nation;
and both are practicable. 1t is the mer-
chants and bankers and the men of wealth
OF America who are called upon to accom-
plish this in one day; for, leaving aside the
duty of the church, they We're the mer-
chants and bankers of Armenia who fell
by the sword of murderers; il is their wives
and children who shelterless and in
rags, starving. Our civilization alone
points clearly to this international duty,
and If IL is needed the relief fund of our
association will swell TO a million dollars
in one day. But the famine is but a symp-
tom and an incident of the colossal evil.
There remains the fountain head of Mo-
hammedan oppression, ats bestial lust and
inhuman cruelty in the work of destroy
ing Christians which has called that camp
Of murdefers into existence. There stand
million men of Armenia calling TO men
who believe in God, the author of liberty,
to come to their help for the rescue and de-
Tense of the women and children of Ar
incHIa. This is the great, human, Christian
duty of the hour for all who hear this cry
of a nations agony