The Cordova daily times., 1917-11-01
REFUGEES MED IMMEDIATE ,sf nI
 mU ,Fls
(By Associated Press)

menian and Syrian refugees in the Caucasus are in need of immediate aid to save them from demoralization and starvation, 1t was declared here today by the Rev. F. w. MacCallum, missionary in Turkey for the Ameri- can board of commissioners for for. eign missions, just returned from re. lief work at Tiflis and vicinity. In the Caucasus, which he described as mountainous, with severe winters, he said there are 300,000 Armenian and Syrian refugees from Turkey, mostly women and children, as the men were massacred by the Turks.
 "The Turks made three dives against Russia, which brought into the Caucasus, which is Russian, large numbers of refugees" he said. Tn 1914 more than 6O,OOO Armenians fled before the Turkish advance. The next year 30,O00 more migrated.
 The third drive is known as the Alashgert campaign of July, 1915. The Armenians of the district of Alashgert in Turkey were by it compelled to flee to the Caucasus. It also caused the evacuation of the city of Van by the Russians. This city had been defend ed in April and May by the Armenian population against a strong Turkish army. Russian aid had arrived just in time to save it, and the Turks ran away, but when the Russians heard of the Turkish advance toward Nash gert, fearing their line of retreat might be cut off, they evacuated Van and retreated to the Caucasus, taking with them all the Armeniaus and Syrians there.
 This was by far the largest influx of refugees. They were attacked by Kurds on the way and 1000 Filled. About 10000 died of cholera, typhoid and typhus after reaching Russia. The total number of refugees 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 possessions.
 Relief work by the American com. mittee for Armenian and Syrian relief began in January. 1916, and is still going on and growing ip extent and importance. The Russian government has helped the refugees generously, having given them up to the prtsent nearly s10,000,000. This supplied them with food, paid their rent and made it possible for 5000 orphans, but due to the financial difficulties of the gov ernment this aid is now cut off.
 The American committee has given clothing and bedding to 5O,OO0 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 1916 the work or repatriation was undertaken and hundreds of farmers were returned to their homes in the province of Van and supplied with oxen, blows, seed and so forth. This most promising work, however, was interrupted by the evacuation of that region by the Rus sians in August, 1916, and the commit. tee has decided that the time for re- patriation on a large scale will be only after final victory over the Turks has been won.
 Among the refugees are compara- lively few men, as more of them than of women and children fell in the mas sacres. AS result there are in the Caucasus today 10000 fatherless children in need of immediate aid. Of these the American committee is all ready helping 5000 by giving them a small monthly grant for food in their homes.
 Fifteen thousand more appeal for similar help, but find no funds are available at present. The commit tee is now organizing an orphanage for 300 boys in Erivan. Boys of good intelligence and sound physique will be taken in with view to quick train ing in trades, farmink and education. These boys will be prepared to act as leaders along these lines and fitted to take the place of the artisans, indus trial leaders and teachers who were killed.
 .SOf the 300.oOO refugees in the Cau- easus and the conquered provinces of Turkey. 250000 are without employ ment and dependent on charity. The committee has begun work in spinning and weaving, giving employment to about 1000, mostly women and girls The moral effects of work are very noticeable. The life of refugee with nothing to do but stretch out his hand for charity is extremely demoralizing and diseeuraging. Many of the women to whom fh. cdtn n, IT nn 1a ct,,ir, 6x& ]