New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-11-01
LARGE NUMBER OF
SYRIAN REFUGEES
1000 Fatherless Children Killed
While on The Way to Russia

New York, Nov. 1.-Twenty thou
sand fatherless children OF Armenian
and Syrian refugees In the Caucasus
are in need Of immediate aid to save
them from generalization and starva-
ton, it was declared here today by the
Rev. F. w. Macallum, missionary In
Turkey for the American Board Of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions,
just returned from relief work at Tiff
/ lis and vicinity. In the Caucasus,
which he described as mountainous
with severe winters, he said there are
100000 Armenian and Syrian refu-
gees from Turkey, mostly women and
children, as the men were massacred
by the Turks ...
The Turks made three drives
against Russia, which brought into the
Caucasus. which is Russian. large
numbers OF refugees he said. I'm
1914 more than 10000 Armenians fed
before the Turkish advance. The next
year 10000 more migrated. ,.[ .,.~-..-
THE third drive is known as the
Alashgert campaign Of July 1915. The
Armenians of the district of Alash-
CERT In Turkey were by it compelled
to flee to the Caucasus. 1t also caused
the evacuation Of the city of Van by
the Russians. This city had been de-
Tended in April and May by the Ar
menian population against q strong
Turkish army. Russian aid had ar
rived Just in time to save it and the
Turks ran away, but when the Rus
slams heard of the Turkish advance
toward Alashgert, fearing their line of
retreat might be cut off, they evacuat-
ed Van and retreated to the Cauca-
sus, taking with them all the Armen-
ians and Syrians there. y y
This was by far the largest influx
Of refugees. They were attacked by
Kurds on the way and 1000 were
killed. About 10000 died Of cholera.
typhoid and typhus after reaching
Russia. The total number Of refu-
gees from Van and vicinity was about
100000. In these ways some 100000
people came to the Caucasus In great
restitution, after losing large numbers,
especially of men, and all their pos
sessions. 81 "s.t' e. rt# E@e' *E*
~ "Relief work by the American Com
mittee for Armenian and Syrian Re-
lief began in January, 1916, and Is still
going on and growing in extent aad
Importance. The Russian government
mas H0IpeO tIl6 T01uS060S generously.
having given them up to the present
nearly $10,O0O.0O0. This supplied them
with food, paid their rent and made It
possible to provide for 5000 orphans.
but owing to the financial difficulties
Of the government this aid is now cut
off .,s.- s*Fsf' fs} $@ 81
1.-THE American committee has given
clothing and bedding to $4,000 of the
most needy refugees and has also pro-
vided large quantities of tea, sugar,
kerosene and fuel where most needed.
During the summer of 1915 the work
OF repatriation was undertaken and
hundreds of farmers were returned to
their homes In the province OF Van
and supplied with oxen, plows. seed
and SO forth. This most promising
work. however, was Interrupted by the
evacuation Of that region by the Rus
SLAMS in August 1915 and the COM
mitee has decided that the time for
repatriation on a. large scale will be
only after Anal victory over the Turks
has been won ~ "a Ea31-sE~ts =.
Among the refugees are compare
lively few men as more of them than
of women and children fell in the
massacres.n. AS arresult there. are in
the Caucasus today 10000 'fatherless
children in need of immediate aid. OF
these the American committee is al
ready helping 5000 by giving them a