The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-08-19
AMERICANS
AIDING IN
CAUCASUS
Buy Food and Cattle
For Armenian War
Sufferers
FARMERS ARE
GIVEN OXEN
Find Much Room For
Helping
Poor
~ THE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.

I.
An interesting variation from III.
( many calls 10 Christian America foI
4 war relief is the news OF what has
actually been done for the succoy
!, and repatriation OF the Armenians
IN the Caucasus who have been per
mitted by the Russian ccnquests "a
\ seturn from hiding and from exile
70 their devastated homes Many
Y months ago the American commit
To- for Armenian and SYRIAN relief
of which Charles r Crane. New
y York, is treasurer. sent representa-
tiSss TO the Russian and Persian
Caucasus TO begin relief works, and
!. - follow up the Russian advances
INTO ravaged Armenia, as the Turks
+ fotreated. There has been great
4 olmculty in resching the Armenians
with relief, owing TO the refusal OF
IL Ottoman government 10 permit
loreigners to enter.
Three missionaries, tive Of them
Gpeaking Turkish and Armenian,
and one speaking Persian, were sent
\ % the Caucasus early this year
The senior was Rev. DR.. samuel G.
Wilson, OF the Presbyterian mission
q Tabriz. well known orientalis.
and author. With him were Messrs.
4 oracey and McCsllum OF the Amer.
lean board. A cablegram recently
4: announced the death OF DR. Wilson
1Tum typhus. while engaged in the
vuvk Of relief Other missionaries,
lncluding DR.. Floyd .. Smith. OF
plarbekir. had already lolned the
1oeee.
LISTERS have now been received
nom the committee explaining its
work One of the most interesting
passages tells OF the strange preser-
walton. through an entire winter. OF
unharvested crops OF grain in the
Ven region. DR.. MCCallum summar-
- the matter thus:
sAt present there is plenty OF
tgead both in the city aud villages.
xnOt years wheat crop, sown in the
NH Of 1914. was of Unprecedented
attendance. The outbreak OF fight
NJ and massacres occurred in April,
lDiS. and the crops were not har-
VESTED. After standing in the fields
n last winter. this grain is per
1octly good for making bread, al
though not for seed. In this way the
nooding OF the people fer the sum
Wer has been providentially render
- Dossible.
The incident is more fully told by
Or. Wilson:
"As an Offset 10 these Gifiiculties
and the manifold trials Of the refu-
Goes there was q remarkable proyi-
dence. The unreaped harvest OF
last year remained safe in the fields
This was true IN a number OF dis
exicts Of Van. There was a small
army of occupation which had
lcragcd on the standing wheat. The
winter. had passed with unusual mild
uess. No halls or storms had beat
q upon the standing grain. So
VAen In April the refugees returned,
ohsy thrust In the sickles which we
put into their hands and reaped
obuudsntly The grain and the un-
disturbed wheat stores in the pits
N the villages give bread 10 many
oin the harvest time.
"what> an ideal work IL is TO re-
pair the ravases OF war end restore
che refugees 70 their old homes. This
We have been attempting in the
vnke Of thu victorious Russian
army. Its steady advance along the
whole line from Trebizond TO Kerind
has given US the opportunity. SO
already there are thousands OF
sprouting harvest-felds In the dis
tricts of Van and Alasgerg, with the
prumise Of food for thousands 81
fhmilies. Since the yeTnal equinox
there has been small but steady
stream Of returning refugees, strong,
vigorous men. mostly farmers. They
wiseiy left their families In the Sc
curity OF the Caucasus. themselves
DARING the risk OF possible retreat.
The Russian government gave Tree
transport TO the refugees on the rail.
way as far as Julia, the Persian Dor
der. Thence thoy started on foot.
via Khoi. n tramp OF about $50
miles.
"Thesc repatriated Christians had
need OF everything All had been
-swspt away In the avalanche of loot
and destruction Many things could
not wal, the return OF tho families.
Defore the house was the field. our
nrut care was given To providing
hrm implements. seed and cattle.
AS soon as we had animals
encneh. Dr. Gracey went out with an
Armenian volunteer from America
- . guard, and gave tickets 10 the
Arwers Who were To set oxen