Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-03-14
MILLIONS PER|SH|NG
FOR WANT OF FOOD
Speakers Show Imperative Need
of Helps If Armenian and Sy-
rian Nations Are to Be Saved
from Extinction by Starvation
-Kaiser's Hand Seen.

The storm interfered with the at
tendance at the meeting at the MaJes.
tic theatre Sunday afternoon In AID
Of Armenian and Syrian relief, put tne
enthusiasm shown by those VINO were
present was strong, and as the speak
ers warmed up to their subjects IN good
style they were met with hearty APP
plause. Judge Charles II. Darling pre-
sided
The meeting was preliminary 10
canvass Of the city in aid OF the Ar
menians and Syrians who are daiiy
dying from starvation and need OF med
ical treatment. The canvass Will be /
conducted under the auspices OF the
Burlington subcommittee OF the Ver-
mont State committee. who are using
the offices in The Strong theatre pulld-
ing which were formerly occupied by
the Red Cross.
All the work Of relief is carried on
by the American committee for Armen- !
ian and Syrian affairs. and this IN
cludes help in Asia Minor. Mesopo-
tamia, Armenia, Persia and in the
Trans-Caucasus.
More than $500, 900 has been raised
for relief work in two years. but the
needs of to-day are such that $2.OOO,-
900 per month is required to prevent
deaths from starvation. privation and
disease. Not one penny of the collec-
tions or subscriptions is turned in to-
wards salaries of officials or for office
maintenance, for that is provided by
Cleveland H. Dodge, wealthy and
very charitable resident of New York.
The funds are distributed by ambassa-
doris. consuls. missionaries. teachers in
American colleges. doctors and organ
tied relief expeditions
DIR. James l.. Barton, foreign secre-
tary Of the American board OF missions
and chairman of the American commit
tee for relief in Armenia and Syria,
was the first speaker. He is probably
the best-informed man in this country
day as to the conditions in these
| foreign countries, where the Christians
are being numerically prosecuted by
the Turks. His address. in brief, fol-
| lows:
DIR. BARTON'S ADDRESS.
| To say that there are more than two
and one half million people in Palestine,
Syria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Asia Minor,
Persia and southern Russia. who are
perishing for the want of food and pro-
lection. makes but vague impression
upon our minds. We know this statement
is true, but the facts are so stupendous
so remote on the other that they do
not grip us.
In this country of plenty the death by
starvation Of one child stirs US profoundly
and calls forth. as 1t should, bold head
lines In the press. But a child dying of
want In Asia or a thousand of them or
any greater number we may name Is so
beyond anything we have ever experienced
that we fail to grasp the awful suffering
the statement implies. We cannot mentally
grasp the significance of a million of any
thing. When numbers rise above a thou
sand or two the imagination Of most Of US
ceases to be alert for the want Of an
adequate standard.
1t Is imperative that the people Of
America awaken to the awful fact Of the
extent and the desperation of the suffering
now prevailing in the countries mentioned
above. There is no question whatever as
to the extent and the desperation Of the
need. Consuis. ambassadors, doctors,
teachers, missionaries and representatives
of the American committee for Armenian
and Syrian relief have reported at length
and all agree in the details of the awful
facts. Men and women, missionaries and
officials coming out Of Turkey when
diplomatic relations were severed tell the
story Of terrible distress in the same
terms. while they show how these needs
are being met in part and could be met
in full, if only the people Of America
could understand. We believe the response
would be abundant IL the facts were UNDER
stood and felt
Let us attempt to get more clearly be-
fore us the idea Of the number of men,
women and children who are actually
starving, the women and children far out
ha ha vlyo but,
the fact that Christ was born in Bethlehem
less than 100000 days ago and 1t was only
S,7230OO hours ago that Columbus dis
covered America. From the city of New
York to Chicago is 1000 miles in round
numbers. about 5.275.O0O feet. If the needy,
dying people Of these countries were lined
up on the road from New York to Chi
cago. they would make a solid line from
city to city, allowing only fraction Of an
inch over two feet for each person. What
line of pain and despair and need! What
an appeal to the benevolence Of all classes
In our great free rich country
II this desperate company could be lined
up along the road from New York to Chi
cago. as SO many of them have been lined
up In their march across the scorching
plains of Turkey and Mesopotamia, and
we of America should ride in our comfort
aOAC iioHS tHc TOdu cSc tucTl
In their Understandable needs. funds
adequate for food. clothing and shelter
would be Immediately forthcoming. Our
hearts would melt at the sight and our
purses would open to the mute appeal OF
sorrow and need.
These people with slight exceptions are
wholly dependent upon the aid given by
the American committee for Armenian
and Syrian relief. If our aid should cease
but for week. the death rate would be
appalling. II we could increase our aid
now. the present high mortality would be
lowered.
! We are attempting to keep alive the
scattered remnants of noble races which
have figured largely in ancient and modern
history and to which we of the Christian
west owe a debt of priceless value. These
are of the peoples which have preserved
for us and transmitted down the centuries
J. the records and traditions of our sacred
- religion Many. yea the most OF these are