The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-04-17
ARMENIAN TELLS
OF PERSECUTION
Turk Plan to Rid Country of
All Christians by Great
Slaughter.
TAKE WOMEN CAPTIVES
Desert Strewn With Bones
Of Victims of Outrages
During 1915.

Only the firm pressure brought Ia
bear by American public opinion has
saved the Armenians and Syrians from
complete humiliation at the hands of
the numbering Turks, according to S.
=. krikorian, native Of Armenia who
stopped in Missuola yesterday on his
way to the Bitter Root valley, where
ne will give a number of lectures to
raise funds for the relief work in his
country.
Mr.. krikorian, who is but a youth,
escaped from Armenia in 1909, at the
time OF the big massacre Of Adana
when the Turkish troops almost wiped
out the Armenian population of that
city. He entered the American schools
and graduated from college, He is now
giving his whole time to the raising of
money for the relief OF his native peo-
pie and his one ambition Is to return
to that country and help restore them
to their rightful possessions.
Don't Know Here.
You in America have no concep-
tion of the horrible brutality OF the
Turk. but IL you could go there today
and see the desert literally covered
with the bleached bones OF my people
who were dragged from their homes
and left to die on the arid wastes. you
would feel like do against the Turk
] shudder to think Of the fate of my
sisters who have been enslaved in the
homes Of the Turk and Of the many
bright young men who have been
forced to leave their homes and die on
the desert in the SOUTH"
MI. Krikorian said that the only So
luton Of the great problem would be
the right Of self differentiation for the
people Of Turkey. He declared that
this would result in the giving back OF
Armenia to, the Armenians and of
Syria to the Syrians with the power
70 rule their country as they see fit.
Armsnians Would Return.
And when that day comes" Mr..
Krikorian declared with his eyes shin
Ing with hope, 'there will be 10000
Armenians in America who will imme-
diately start for their native land to
once more make the fertile land around
the black sea bloom forth as it did in
the centuries Of the past"
Mr.. KrikOrian said that the outragcs
OF the Turk today were little different
than In 1909 when he was forced to
leave his country to save his life. In
those days the Turk came into the
homes and murdered the people, but to-
day they take them out on the desert
and let them die. This latter method
saves lot of trouble and dispatches
the work more quickly.
Il recall the massacre of Adana very
clearly" said Mr.. Krikorian. last night.
although l was only II years old
can close my eyes ana picture the Incl
dents as though they happened yester-
day.
Found Excuse.
"There were about 5000 Armenians
in the city and the first warning we
had Of the coming massacre was one
morning when the head of Turk was
found outside the Armenian church. In
the Turkish quarter of the city the
rumor was spreading that the Arme-
mans had murdered n Turk in their
church. OF course we knew that 1t was
only trick of the Turk to find some
cause to kill the Armenians who were
growing too prosperous to please the
lazy and indolent Turks.
''The next morning bright and early
thousands of Turks marched into the
Armenian section Of the city with the
curved swords glistening in the sum
shine. We could do nothing but pre-
pare to defend ourselves, but il was
futile. They entered every home and
store and without a word began
Strengthening the people. The young
women and girls We're not killed but
taken to the homes of the Turks where
the torture they underwent was worse
than being killed. Our homes We're
plundered OF everything that was valu-
able and when the twilight fell on the
city the streets and sidewalks We're
smeared with blood Of the Christians"
Happened Every Day.
Mr.. krikorian, who witnessed all
this, said last night that this WAS only
an example of what happened every
day. He declared that the Turk was
jealous of the ambitious Armenians
and Syrians and that this method was
taken to keep them in subjugatiou.
An effort is being made in America
TO raise $30,O00,000 for the relief of the
sufferers in Turkey and many cities
OF the country have raised large
amounts toward the sum. The cam
paign will start in Missoula soon and
Mr.. krikorian expects to return here
TO deliver IA number of lectures on the
work.
Log Cabin. st. Ignatius, J. o. C.. Du-
quay new manager formerly Mission