The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-17
INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN
SOON FOR ARnEN|AhS


SVSA ~ Oa0NAb$s
Preparatory to the intensive cam
pAign which Will be conducted In Viz
xinia from January IL to 10, tnclusive,
for 100000 for the relief Of suffering
Afmanians and Syrians in the near
East. headquarters have been opened
In the American National Bank build
ing in = suit Of offices donated by that
institution. The Organization for Vir-
ginia has been practically completed
and the work Of organizing the ais
tricts Of the. state Is we'll under way
and will be completed In the next few
days. Frank f. McCrqvy 10 state d.
rector. and In charge Of headuuArters
Every district In the state must con-
tribute Its share Of the fund IL vir-
gfnia Is to measure UP to the expecta.
tons Of the national organization OF
the American committee for Armenian
and Syrian relief. The allotment OF
100000 ms virginia's. share Of the s3o.-
oc0.o00 national fund IL small In COM
pArison with those appcrtioned the
state In recent campaigns. but there
has never been 4 movement which had
pr its purpose = greater relief for SUI
fering humanity.
It IL impossible for the United States
government to advance funds for the
relief Of these peoples. for they have
no government Of their own which
C0uI0 DOFE0W IuuOH ItV1H HH0ttNA~
They are refugees, driven from their
homes by the terrible toll Of war ana
the persecution Of their enemies. ana
unless help IN extended them and re-
nef given they must die like leaves
falling from trees In the autumn"
Carefully prepared estimates based
on reports that have come to the COM
mittee from every part OF the near
East IN which work Is being carried
on. show that there are 3.s50,ooo des-
titute refugees. a large proportion OF
them In exile. The capttulation OF Tur-
key has made accessible to the COM
mitte~ this great mass of suffering hui
manity.
Al the present time the American
Red Cross has taken over responsible
ity for large part Of Syria and Pal
cstine, thus reducing the number OF
the extremely destitute depending i'm
medtatefy upon this committee by
1.oso.e0n This leaves absolutely de-
pendent unon the work of the re'scf
measures. for the American committee
total Of 1900, aos souls All accessible.
all in desperate need. or this number.
the best estimate obtainab'e indicates
that 100000 are orrhsns without
fathers. but some with living mothers
who have no means 81 sunnort
The same estimate based .unor the
most reliable information obtainable
from consular and relief agents re-
ports, show that l.77e.n0n OF these des-
tttute sufferers are away from their
homes having been driven out by the
authorities. many Of whom are In Ara
bia. Meropots Syria. Persia, the
Caucasus and Siberia. while there are
large numbers who have been cent to
remote districts within the Turkish
empire.
t,aople Of virginia will be asked 20
trfk fAnH tn n n thA ffVAN
~ sesn,nnn Christians and Jews
through the winter. through their re-
turn to a new life free from religious
and political persecution. America en-
tered the great war that the rights OF
small nations may never again be
tramp'ed upon The noble little ma
items of The near East have kept the
faith and borne the burden OF massa-
ere whch thousands 1T miles have kept
from our homes. Victory has come
and now these bravest and staunchest
cf pilgrims. In sight OF the goal OF
freedom. for the lack the funds now
sauwht stand in Immediate danger OF
starvation or Of death from the dis
eases of war and hunger
All expenses Of collecting this sum
and the distribution Of the relief is
met privately by the American com
mistee 40 that every dollar contributed
for relief work II so spent The Red
Cross found the machinery ALREADY Al
work and so economical and we'll or
gant.ed that II asked the committee to
Curry nm all relief work in the near
EAst,s-in order that there be neither
sss,rfsc assa1 esfr lost motion
Pull government approval and CO.
operation Is given the comm ission' .
work. All funds are transmitted
through the department of state. with
the United States shipping board and
all consular agents of the United
States government giving every possi-
BILE aid. Catholics, Protestants and
Jews alike have been the victims OF
Turkish oppression and OF Turkish
government orders to cxterminate or
drive from their homes and Industries
every other people in the near East.
All these peoples alike are receiving
every help within the power OF the
commission. whose work IL not only
one Of relief but of repatriation and
reconstruction.
The people OF Virginia must not
without the support for efrectuai re-
hAbiliation. and must save them from
immediate starvation by supporting
the campaign win be conducted In
Iarusry.