The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-11
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

MEN, WOMEN
 II AND THINGS The primary object of the Armenian and Syrian relief fund is to save life, and the money given will be directed to this end, but nothing will be left undone to try and rehabilitate the countries which are aided to make them self-sup- porting.
 | Now the saving of life is enough to bring out the $30,000,0O0 asked, but one has the right to ask without having his 1 humanitarian motives impugned, what chance has Armenia, Persia, Syria and | the Creeks under Turkish rule to come back? Is there any future for them?
 
 1 We must not shut our eyes to the fact i that the work of reconstruction in Tur- | key is a work of most vital importance; If we are to relieve the situation for the smaller nationalties in the Bible lands of the near east. It is beset with tre- mendous difficulties but the problems to l be solved are of a nature to cal! out the most intense enthusiasm in those who will be set to solve them
 1 I was struck with the lectures of pr. | Ussher. as I was with his private con | versation, that he felt that the German was piling up for himself mountain of hate in the hearts of the Turks who, when opportunity came to get out from | under the dominance of Berlin, would abhor the Prussians who fooled them with dreams of dominion and their un- beatable military prowess. He empha- sized the fact that the German rule in Turkey was most oppressive and ga,iing | to the Turks.
 | Turkey has for more than a century' had lure for the great powers of Eu- rope. It occupies a strategic position l from the military point of view; it is the key to the old world" can menace three continents and control the sea route to India. Chin% Australia and Ja- 1 pan, and the best land route to the far east. Do you wonder that Russia ionGed to be at Constantinople and fought to back up the wish? Do you not see why 1 England for years has kept a jealous eye on it? What is done with it will SO far towards the peace of the world dur ing this century.
 | The very great natural resources of Turkey which have scarcely been touched, must be developed and the sur | vivors of the massacres must be taught how to do it and efficiently helped. Con- structive work providing for the self support of the refugees must be pro- vided in every possible way, but in the present chaotic condition of affairs throughout western Asia it is impracti- cable to provide even nominal work for the very large number of dsocated men in way to make them at once self-sup- porting.
 As fast as conditions become norma the best administrative talent is at work to place those driven away from their homes, but returning to find their places with the least possible delay and begin
 
 the situation subsidies of various kinds will be necessary until the people can be permanently restored to their homes and set about their old affairs as self supporting citizens.
 
 Every effort will >be made to enable the women to support themselves and become important factors in the indus trial development of the country; the orphans will be taught trades and better agricultural methods; but before the men, women or children can be fitted for labor their flalf-starved and abused bodies must be restored by food and medical care, and then their minds and souls. scared and scared by horrible memories. can be aroused to new hope and ambition. Yes,
 it is an inspiring task for anyone to give
 his time or money to bring this about. The field is divided into two very dis
 tinct sections:
 Inside the Turkish domnions The work is conducted through the cooperation o1 a hundred or more American citizens. in cluding college presidents. teachers phy- sicians. missionaries and other responsi u ble agents. who have spent years in elu U cational and philanthropc work in Tur' ' key, know the people and the language ; and are loved and respected by the peo
 pie, who remain for the sole purpose O
 standing between these dispossessed sub
 iect races and death. Dr. Gates presl , dent of Robert college. and chairman O . the committee in Constantinople, in re
 port just resolved says that "The Otto
 man government recognizes the purel.
 humanitarian character of this work an,
 has not opposed any obstacles to it's con V tinuance In some places the loca VI governors have recognized the great uso
 fulness of the work and have helped ou '- agents to secure food at reduced prices
 Carefully prepared audited ana certitiet
 reports are at hand that remove ever,
 possible doubt as to the effectiveness o
 Che relief distributed within the Turlisl u |, dominions.
 S v Outside the Turkish dominNons. | ., should be born in mind, however. tha Is the larger part of the committees ac h tivities are wholly outside of the Turk
 sh dominions, among the hundreds o le thousands of helpless. homeless refugee
 ir Russian Caucasus, Persia, Mesoro