Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-10-23
AMERICAN RELIEF SHIP NOT AL.
LOWED TO PASS BY AUSTRIANS
MILLION PEOPLE ARE IN DIS
TRESS.

NEW YORK, Oct. ga thousand
deaths day from starvation out of
a population Of 100000 in the Lebanon
Mountains near Beirut, Syria. is the
toll of famine conditions there result
ing from the war, it was reclaredI
here today by the Rev. William Fl.
Hall, of the Syrian Protestant Col
lcge, whe recently returned to this
country from relief work in that dis
trict.
Continuing Mr.. Hall described the
tragic DISAPPOINTMENT of the people
there, whose spirits were kept up for
weeks by the promised arrival last
Chrictmas time of the American re-
lief ship Caesar which would have
menat life to thousands, but which
never arrived owing to the refusal of
Germany and Austria-Hungary to
grant her safe passage to Beirut.
The Caesar, a naval collier loaned
to the Red Cross of the navy depart
ment, left New York months before
the entry of this country into the war.
as Christmas ship" for he needy in
Syria, carrying more than quarter
o: million dollars worth of food
and clothing contributed in this coun-
try.
Day after day the poor, starving
people along the coast and through
the mountains looked and prayed for
the coming of the American ship"
Mr.. Hall said. "The country was can
vassed by well organized committees,
the needy were listed, the work of the
distribution was thoroughly prepared,
! offices were opened and men chosen
to direct the distribution. The peo-
pie waited. Their hopes were raised
thigh
Week followed week and month
followed month-in suspense the peo>
PIE daily looked out to sea for her
but the ship which meant life and
| hope to thousands never appeared.
She was held by military necessity
while the people starved.
God has forgotten us. was heard
again and again as hopeless and
hungry they stood face to face with
death by starvation
IF the Caesar had arrived it would
have meant that other ships would
follow, but her failure to come dashed
all hope for relief. Her cargo was
sold and the funds finally found their
way to Beirut for the purchase and
distribution of food there, but there
was little food to be bought.
We know for fact that thousands
LOT our friends there will die this whit.
er, despite the great good that can
be accomplished by sending funds
from America to buy what food car
be obtained on the ground. for distr!.
button in an effort to save as many
as possible"
The city of Beirut is as sorely af-
fiicted as the mountain districts Mr.
Hall went on, and day or night one
hears the cry along the streets u
am hungry-give me bread" This is
not from beggars but from laborers
and tradesmen, people who have
known the comforts of life.
In Jerusalem he continued, "one
cannot pass along street without
lbeing beset for prayers of aid There
are mothers with babes pulling at
their barren breasts and children
whose parents have succumbed and
left them to face starvation alone
Syria and Palestine have no story
of massacre or deportation but THESE
districts, once prosperous and self
sLpportin, are now caught in the world
strife, and the people are Slowly but
surely starving to death through no
pS1nissEg