Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-08-01

| lSontlnued FROM FIRST PaSel
Mohammedans of their country, but
| those OF Persia, to jehad, or holy
war, which in unadorned language
means that the property, lives and
women of all Christians are lawful
prey to every Mohammedan fighting
in that war. The result is that the
massacres and other violences perpe-
! trated in Persia and sections of the
country under Turkish control cannot
| be described. Probably never in the
history of the world has such fright
tul. wholesale and systematic mas
sacres occurred. About one million
Armenians and HISTORIAN Christians
were massacred and untold thousands
of women and girls carried into q ter
rible captivity and everything they
possessed swept away. When / went
to Urumiah to carry aid about year
ago thousands of Christians who had
found refuge in the mission for five
months were just ready to return to
their homes in the village. They had
absolutely nothing. Their houses were
heaps of earth. They had nothing to
put under or over them at night, no
food, no money with which to buy it,
and not even g spade to bury their
dead. Everything had. to be provided.
This is the work of the American Re-
lief Committee of the Caucasus in
Persia and Turkey wherever the Turks
have permitted the work to be done.
Through the generosity of the Ameri-
can public nearly S1,50O,000 has al
ready been expended to restore the
refugees. Morgenthau, our ex-ambas-
sador to Constantinople, who has done
great things for the Christians
throughout the East estimates that
about S5,000,000 more will be needed
to complete the work. This, to my
mind. is a very small and inadequate
| estimate.
Work of the Relief
When I came away the chief forms
of relief work was that of providing
seed and cattle in order to get the
were also being spent for pruning and
spading the win eyards, from which,
through the raisin crop. Persia realizes
! her greatest income. With an advance
! of the Russian army in Turkey there
| is a betterment of conditions, but also
a more urgent call for assistance. in
asmuch as it means new areas to which
the poor refugees may return and
where they will require assistance"
Effect on Missions
Never have missions in the Orient
justified themselves more than in
Persia at the present time. In the
extreme northwest Of Persia the mis-
sionaries kept for five months a popu-
lation of over fifteen thousand in
their own yards. BY so doing they
saved the mfrom massacre, dying
from starvation and from the fierce
epidemics sweeping over the place.
Since hen the missionaries have been
active in relief work and have ad-
ministered relief not only to the des-
titute Christian population but to hun
dreds of Mohammedans, who through
the fortunes of war are as destitute as
the Christians. The result is that the
Christian missionaries have the love
INI i L l.
terrible conflict.
1t is impossible to prophecy what
will be future Persia after the war.
There are two opposing opinions. One
is that Russia which now occupies
the north with large armies will relax
her grip. The other is that If Russia
wins .Constantinople or a port on the
Mediterranean she VIII not be anxious
to retain Persia but will agree with
England to make her a buffer State
between two powers The Moham-
medons of Persia because of their
relations to Turkey and the Germans.
The Mohammedon through pure
prejudice have been pro-German in
ther sympathies. Persia almost at
one time threw in her lot with Tur-
key. She was, however, spared that
misfortune and has kept her neutral
ity as correctly as possible. The mass
of the people care nothing for either
side but only long for peace and quiet.
Mr.. Labaree was born in Persia
of missionary parents but has only
been connected with the mission work
for twelve years at Urumia and Tabriz.
Last year he was at Urumia in the
relief work where forty or fifty thou
sand have received regular assistance.
Mr. Labaree was rot in Urumia dur
ing the FIVE trying months of Turkish
occupation when the thousands of
Christians were huddled together in
mission yards in fear OF massacre. He
was trying to get 70 Urumia with
medical and other aid for the sorely
tried missionaries and their charges,
in which effort he had many strange
and thrilling experiences. The most
exciting of which was a surprise at
tack on the Russian forces in. Salwas
by a division of Turkish troops in
charge of Khalil Beg, son-in-law of
Enber Pasha. Mr.. Labaree and his
companions escaped out of the attack
ed city almost between firing lines
| Mr.. Labaree is in this country for
an indefinite stay with his wife and
family who arrived last year.