Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-14
MARYLAND AID ASKED
FOR TURKS VICTIMS
State Will Be Appealed To Con-
tribute Toward $50, 100000
Fund Next Month
TAFT HEADS MOVEMENT

Nearly 10000 war victims in the
Near Bast, largely Armenians and
Syrians and victims of Turkish cruel
ty, aRe starving. The bulk of them
are in exile hundreds of miles away
from home and among them are more
than 100000 orphans. On January II
next the whole of the United States
will be appealed to give $4,000, 900 to
keep life in these destitute refugees
throughout the winter and to return
them to their homes. The capitulation
of Turkey has made accessible to the
American Committee for Relief in the
Near East this great mass of suffering
humanity.
The Red Cross has taken over re-
sponsibility for large part of Syria
and Palestine, thus reducing the num-
Der of extremely destitute depending
Immediately upon the American Re
lief Committee by 1,050,000. This &C
ton of the Red Cross leaves absolute
ly dependent upon the work of relief Of
the American Committee of approx
mately 100000 souls, all in desperate
need
Estimates based upon the most re.
liable information obtainable from
Consular and relief agents show that
of these destitute sufferers ITO, 900 are
away from their homes, having been
driven out by the authorities. Many
of them are in Mesopatamia, Syria,
Persia, the Caucasus and Siberia.
while some have been sent to the most
remote areas OF the Turkish empire.
The actual cost of repatriating and
re-establishing these people and Of
supplying their immediate needs for
food and clothing until they can be
placed upon a self-supporting basis
cannot be estimated with exactitude.
Figures have been compiled, however.
showing the lowest possible estimate
based upon the most accurate facts
obtainable
A Maryland committee will aid In
raising this great fund. In every sec
ton of the State and in every county
prominent men and women of the com.
munity will give their aid and win
make appeals during the week of jan
uary II. They will work under direc-
ton of chief committee in New York
headed by former President William
Howard Taft, Charles E. Hughes,
Cleveland H. Dodge, DR.. David HI.
Greer, Oscar 8. Straus, Stephen 8.
Wise, Myron T. Herrick. Vance g.
Mccormick. Henry Morgenthau, John
r. Mott and many others.
OF the funds to be raised it IL esti-
mated that s14.500,O00 will be needed
on a per capita basis of IS to care
for the 100000 with food for six
months. this based on the lowest pos
sible estimate. Another $5,310,00 is
needed on bedrock estimate to TO
patriate 1.77Q,000 exiles, this based on
So per capita and on an average OF
400 miles for each person. Another
$4,000, 900 is needed to create homes
for 100000 orphans aud $2,500,000 will
be necessary to provide seeds and
farming implements to set up these
sufferers on the return to their homes.
Two other items, one for $S.000,O00 for
clothing and bedding for the destitute
millions and s2,50o. 900 to help restore
the homes of the exiles are included.
These items bring the total up to
more than s36. 1000. 900 but the Amer
eican committee further cut down the
totals, hoping that aid might be got
fan from other sourcAa