New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-26
HELP FOR 4RMENT4NS.
PAID TAXES-DEPREDATIONs OF THE
KURDS STILL, CONTINUE
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: I think there has been no time in the history
OF the relief work in Van, Turkey. when the pres
sure for help has been 50 great it the pres
emf time. Not. perhaps. that the real need is so
much greater than last year but the money that
is coming for relief is much less that the SUI
fering is immensely greater. 1 have been able
to make somewhat general distribution, but
distributors who went out for one section, for
instance, though they tried to be extremely care
full. used up all the funds granted them, while
several villages remained unattended to. and these
villages really the most needy in the dis
trict The appeals which come from the villages
enough to melt heart Of stone Children are
brought in wasted almost TO skeletons and they tell
of many unable leave their homes. while the
majority Of the population have absolutely nothing
to but the vegetables and roots which they
can gather. not even a little -four or grain 10 put
with them 10 make a soup From village, where
have Of boys teaching. deaths from
hunger are reported almost daily.
Il is hard work to live these days, because
have to refuse such a constant stream of applica-
lions for help Of all kinds. During the previous
years Of these difficulties have had enough in
hands to enable us to do something for most
of the desperate cases. and thus the suffering has
been kept within bounds and the pain OF absolutely
refusing aid has been largely spared US. One Of
the saddest features OF the situation is the blight
is casting the future. In order to preserve
fe al the present moment me "Ts'Chea IiIaee!s
are compelled 10 sell the product OF their helds IN
advance, and most ruinOus rates, often pronlis-
nished now. though the present prospect Is that
an abundant harvest Will bring down the price OF
grain 10 something like its normal figure. In this
way the poor peasants will be compelled 10 give
large part Of what they raise this year for
supplying needs of the time then past, and the
future will be brighter than It Is now In such
times these, when the people are thus starving,
the Government Is pressing for back taxes with re-
entIess severity Since the massacre the collection
has been RENTED. and the people hoped II
meant they to be entirely RENTED for
collect whole amount, and utterly Illegal meth
DDS compelling the selling of fields and
household necessities, being resorted to to
wiring money from the utterly PROSTATE people.
They lose heart and would gladly desert their fields
and homes and seek some more hopeful home, but
this is impossible Neither will the Government
permit them go. IS there any place where
will be admitted. Now and then one manages
authorities and creep across the border
al night but the masses are sinking into utter
desperation The depredations Of the Kurds also
continue and the Armenian population or TINS
province Is fast decreasing
And now 10 turn happier topics I am happy
70 say thus far the prospect for the harvest
is unusually fine but there remain still two months
will mature during which the WTetched
people must support life in some way II they are
10 survive. and there yet many possibilities OF
drouth or blight TO injure the growing crops The
present appearance Of the country IS most Deauti-
full but the conditions by which We are surrounded
tune our lives to the minor key. and it sometimes
seems as could not endure the constant strain
honorary secretary of the Women's Armenian Re
lief Fund Danehurst. Putney, S. W London Eng
land. Yours truly. I. I. fA 1-NOI-Oo-
Irar T'nrkp Il