New Britain herald., 1915-11-17

l there have been no overt acts to jus- tify the Turkish measures, Abdul Hamid-The Damned he has been styled sometimes-was troubled over the Armenian question and tried to get rid of the Armenian people by the massacres of 1894, 1895 and 1896. Dr. Reynolds at that time visited Sas- soun, after one of those earlier mas sacres. and found the place absolute ly deva stated, and helped to restore the quarter of the population that had crept back alive from surround ing regions.
 With the coming of the Young Turkish party to power a few years ago, there was hope for new day for Christians in Turkey. But while so many of the nations have been engaged in war the Turks have found occasion to carry out Hamid's policy without interference. Christians as well as Moslems were enlisted in the Turkish armies in due proportion. But the Armenians were rescued to the position of slaves for the men, ial work of the army. They were also compelled to provide their own food and clothing and received no wages. Also more soldiers were de- manded than could be expected from
 
 such measures should provoke some organization for self protection.
 2,5OO Men Shot in Cold Blood.
 The first village to suffer massacre was one north of Lake Van, where orders were given for all the men to assemble, 2,5OO in number. These were taken in companies of fifty and shot. Other villages over the plain were dealt with in like manner. Or ganized protection was their only hope In the city of Van trenches and Notifications were constructed, and for five weeks few hundred men and boys, slightly armed, mak- ing their own ammunition, held their own against the power of the govern ment. The American mission prem ises were in the center of the fortified district. More than 5000 refugees were sheltered in the mission prem ises, filling to overfiowing the houses, school buildings, out-buildings, tents and shanties. Yet there was no un- neutral act by Americans and no armed men were received within the mission premises. The premises were bombarded by the Turkish soldiers but not more than two or three per- sons killed.
 Then the Turks withdrew at the coming of the Russians. And in place of the Armenians the women and children of Turks were protected within the mission premises.
 The contrast in the manner in which the Moslems received aid was striking, giving little evidence of gratitude. Then because of unsanitary con- l ditions from Novercrowding, the l dreaded typhus fever broke out Countess Tolstoi, daughter of the 1 noted Tolstoi, gave assistance. Sev- cral of the missionaries were stricken with the fever, and the wife of Dr. Usher died, leaving the burden of caring for the mission premises upon Mrs. Reynolds. Dr. Reynolds did not |, mention the fact that his own wife
 also died while he was attempting to l return to the station from furlough 1 in America.
 Pendulum Swings Back. l The situation changed again. With | the approach of Turkish troops, the 1 Russians evacuated the city and the
 Armenians took flight. The American
 missionaries not yet recovered from 1 fever aided by the Russian Red Cross. l managed to reach Russia, and to come <; tc America. Some 25O, ,000 from that ] eastern province escaped into Russia. 7; There without means of support, they 1 are dying by the hundreds daily. TO 1 meet this awful need an Armenian lAtrocities committee has been or