The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1919-05-15
ORPHANS live ON
GRASS FOR DAYS
FRANK LEE DESCRIBES TURKISH
BRUTALTIES TO WOMEN AND
CHILDREN.
NOW LOCATED AT ALEPPO
RED CROSS WILL TURN WORK IN
FAR EAST OVER TO CIVIL
IAN ORGANIZATION.
NV Dear Mr.. Wallace:

My Dear Mr.. Wallace:
1 feel that owe you an apology for
not writing sooner as had really in
tended and as l had promised you.
Fact of the matter is that ! was so
long in getting here that have been
extremely busy since my arrival try
ing to make up for lost time.
came down to Jerusalem from
Damascus several days ago and will
take back convoy of cars. l now
have my permanent assignment as
head of the transportation department
for Syria with headquarters in Aleppo,
Northern Syria, about 10 days journey
from here by car. met DR.. Barton
the head of the new Commission for
relief. in the Near East, in Damascus
and made arrangements to handle
their transportation in connection with
the Red Cross, He has recently az
rived from the states with a personne'
of about 300 for more or less perman-
ent relief work and expects their
activities to cover a period of about 10
to Is years. After July 1st, the Red
Cross will cease to exist in this coun-
try and VI work will be carried on by
the new Commission purely civilian.
. DR.. Barton is a charming man and we
all fell in love with him and l assure
the people of Sank Centre that any
money given for use by his commits
sion wilfbe wisely expended. I under
stand a drive is now on for funds
in the states and doubtless you have
been approached. If every one could
see the suffering and misery existing
in Syria and Armenia, for themselves,
I am sure they would not hesitate to
subscribe to this fund -,
We are progressing with our work
in Damascus very nicely and find it
very interesting indeed. We have our
new orphanage finished and have at
present something over 800 Armenian
boys and girls whose people were
killed by the Turks. am sending
herewith picture took OF what we
term No. 1. She is little Syrian girl
age 7. She came to US one night and
|, looked more like a bundle of rags
than human being, Said her father
and mother were dead and she had
been sleeping in the streets and alleys
for long time. She was on the verge
of starvation as you will note from
the picture. I do not suppose this lit
tie girl had eaten loaf of bread all
told, in 60 days. She had substited
on grass and garbage, the garbage be-
ing unfit for even dogs to eat. You
will note the distended> abdomen; this
= is not accounted for by her having
eaten a big meal but from gas caused
by her eating grass and other uneat-
&c. hxyy
an exception, but being our first one
I am using it as an example. These
children are very bright and take
readily to their new home and are
very happy in few days. 800 of them
In home spun suits which we provide
them makes one thing of Armistice
day I'M Sank Centre. Our orphanage
was one of the show places of Damas-
Gus and many an American tourist has
paid a franc to be privileged to 60
through it. Is the most ornate private
home have ever been in and you can
imagine what these homeless children
think Of it when they first enter. They
nearly all have scabies and the firsx1
operation is to have their heads shaw
ed and the girls seriously object to
this naturally. One little fellow had
been subsisting almost solely, on
onions and strange to say was as lat
as any well fed boy at home.
We are also serving large bowl
of thick soup and a loaf of bread each
to about 1000 Armenian refugees. TO
see them fighting to get into our soup
kitchen makes one thankful that they
are a citizen of good old U S. A. Old
women 80 years old; women with lit
tie weakened babies; old men, lots OF
them blind and lame come for their
daily portion and it reminds one OF
a football rush to see them all trying |
to get into the gate at once. These
people have been driven from their
homes and a great many OF tnelr1
families have been massacred by the
Turks. About 49, 900 fled to Damascus
and 100000 to Aleppo and small bands
are scattered all over Syria and
Northern Asia Minor and are depend
ent on others for what little they get
to eat. A loaf of old stale bread per
day per person would be the greatest
luxury for them and do not think
Ithey eat as much sustaining food In
a week as would equal one loaf of our
bread. The Red Cross has also taken
over the largest hospital in the city,
and, have work shop where ESQ girls
will soon be employed making garm-
ents for the refugees. We pay these
girls the top going. wage to work in
making these articles and hundreds
are begging us constantly for work,
and when one enters or leaves the
place it is almost impossible to get
through the mob that is trying to get
in to pet work. There are also 5000