The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-12-25
AMERICANS SAVED
MANY ARMEN|ANS
An Englishman's Testimony as to the
Efficacy of Our Peoples
Aid

London, Dec. 10.-(Correspondence
of the Associated Press)-George F.
Gracey, member of the American
Committee for Armenian and Syrian
Relief, who has helped to feed and
clothe about 5000 Armenians in their
native land and again when they fled
to the Caucasus to escape the Turks,
has just returned to London. "Most
Of this was possible only through the
generosity of the American people" ;"
declared Mr.. Gracey, who is not an
American but an Englishman and has
been member of the American COM
mittee for the last twelve years. Since
the war broke out he has been direct
ing the relief work for the Armenians
from Tif1is.
Armenian has replaced Belgium
and Serbia as the most distressful
country on the face of the GLOBE"
said Mr.. Gracey. "The Armenians
have twice been driven from their
native land. Those who were not
their country early in the war filed to
the Caucasus. They returned when
the Russians drove the Turks out of
Armenia. They were forced to flee
to the Caucasus again a few months
ago when the Turks chased the Rus
slams out of Mush and Bitlis, and for
a time threatened the cars army at
Van, on the east side of the lake of
that name.
"When the .Armenians were able to
return to their country early this year
they were without food, clothing or
the means of making a living. The
American committee came to the res
cue by supplying some 10000 with
2,700 head of cattle and large guam
tity of agricultural implements. This
work of repatriating them ran along
from May to August of this year.
Just as they were getting on their
feet again and starting out to face
life anew along come the reinforced
Turks. The Ottoman troops succeeded
in taking Mush and Bitlis in the very
heart of Armenia. They then moved
along the northern and western
shores of Lake Van with the object
of encircling the town of Van, which
was the base of the Russian opera
tions in that district. They did not
get to Van but clung to the shores of
the lake. That is the present military
situation in that territory.
"The object of the Russian incur
sion into Armenia was not only to
rescue the Armenians but to establish
line from Trebizond on the Black
Sea across the neck of Asia Minor to
Aleppo and thus deprive Turkey of
the resources of Mesopotamia. Those
who have followed the course of the
war know what happened. They know
that the Russians were only partially
successful, that they captured Ire
bizond, Mush and Bitlis but were un-
able to extend their line farther south
and prevent the subsequent loss of
the two last named praces.
although the Turks did not re-
take Van, rumors of their approach
struck terror to the hearts of the re-
patriated Armenians who had been
chased from their homes year be-
fore. AS stated they fed to the Cau-
casus once more, taking with them
about $4,000 of their countrymen
from Mush and Bitlis, so that we are
at present confronted with the prob
lem of caring for about $4,000.
Mr.. Gracey said he wanted to pay
tribute to the work of the American
Red Cross in Persia. It's base is at
Khoi and DR.. Hazlett an American,
is in charge.