Smyrna times., 1916-02-23
FIRST HAND INFORMATION
ON ARMENIAN SUFFERERS
W. NESBITT CHAMBERS WRITES
OF CONDITIONS AS FOUND
His Letter Supplements Very ForciblY
the Lecture Recently Given BY Mr..
Herbert Welsh at Smyrna

Herbert Welsh at Smyrna /
Mr.. Herbert Welsh. the executive
secretary of the Armenian Relief Com
mittee. Philadelphia, recently lectured
in the Presbyterian Church. The ad p.
dress was most interesting ard helpful.
As a resultant Of this effort TO in
crease interest in this most worthy
enterprise the following letter is
printed with the wish that it may do
much good to the cause of the Armen
ians:
Introductory Letter of Herbert Welsh
Germantown, Philadelphia. Feb.
u. 1861 believe that | can make
no better use Of the kind offer of the
editor Of The Smyrna Times, permit
ing me 10 speak on behalf Of the suffer
ing Armenians. than to submit the
following for publication from the
pen of Rev. DR.. W. Nesbitt Chambers.
DR.. Chambers is a distinguished au-
thority on this subject He is a man
of high ability and experience.
thoroughly informed on the history of
this great question. broad and states
man-like in his treatment Of it, and /
free from bias and prejudice. As a I
Christian Missionary. he acted the /
part Of hero in the great Adana
massacre Of 1909. where he rendered /
invaluable service to the prosecuted +,
and slaughtered Armenians. and was
himself frequently in great peril of
death. He left Adana last October
when he was an eye witness of the
terrible need of relief for the many
thousand refugees who, sick and destI-
tute, were huddled in great camps
about the city. What is now required
is that our people should be awakened
to the need of gifts to this object. and
that they should call on Congress for
early remedial action as great disasters
like the Messina earthquake called
forth. Will not our fellow citizens
of German birth. or utilization. also
help in this charitable work. as DR..
Chambers shows that their fellow
countrymen of Adana did? Checks
for the object may be sent to the
PrOvident Life and Trust Company.
Philadelphia. to Charles r. Crane.
treasurer, Fifth Avenue. New York.
Herbert Welsh,
Elk. Sec. Armenian Relief Commission
Of Philadelphia 4"
Dr.. Chambers Gives True information
University Club,
1910 Walnut ST.
Philadelphia, Feb. Z. 1916.
Herbert Welsh, Esq.
Drexel Building. Philadelphia.
Dear Mr.. Welsh:
In reply to your question concern
ing the attitude Of Germans in
Adana. Turkey. toward the situation
as it affects Armenians and their de-
portation | would say:
Il was a surprise TO me on my ar
rival in this country a few weeks ago
10 hear that certSin Germans in this
country had either discounted the re-
ports of the cruel suffering Of the
Armenians. declaring them to be great
~ exaggerated. or denying them alto
gether. was also surprised to hear
the assertion that in some places
certain Germans, particularly German
officers, had not only cUuntenaneed.
but had actually supervised the work
of deportation While many of the
reports in their more terrible aspects
do not apply to all sections of the
country. as for instance to Adans
where there were no massacres, there
il no room for 6iseounting them fol
other districts. Yet. if for the
purpose Of illustrating the situation
we for q moment admit exaggeratiOn
and discount the reports by ten. twent.
or even fifty per cent we still find
situation which in its horrid hideous
ness. beggars description. Lighter
the story a. much as you please it i
still heartbreaking
As IN the other question. | am glu
to be able 70 say that my association
with German friends in Adana wa
intimate enough to afford me oppor
tunity to know that their attitud
was lutte the same as that of thos
vino characterized its enormity in ur
measured terms. Presumably the
opinions concerning the shooting {
deserters from the army and II
hanging of men suspected Of revolt
tionary agitation and acts harmonic
with that Of the Turkish administer
ton that executed such sentence
But not only did thew express Their
selves in unmeasured terms cOneernil
the general deportation and its a
tendsnt terrible suffering, they d
what they could to mitigate the suffe
ings Of the people that were bel
banished. In August Of last yea
the Germans in Adana responded