New-York tribune., 1919-12-30
u. S. Bureau Lifts
Harem Stigma OH
Armenian Girls
Finds Husbands and Home,
for Turk Victims; Trav-
clers Report Plague Of
Fleas, Mosquitoes, Malaria

Six months or year in Turkish
harem no longer stands between Ar
menian girls and marriage, thanks to
the efficacy of an American marriage
bureau that has been established IN
Brussa, the ancient Turkish capital in
Asia Minor. Travellers from the Near
East who arrived here yesterday on
the steamship Black Arrow from
Smyrna spoke with pride of the meth
ods of American relief workers in
finding husbands and homes for young
Armenian girls who had been captured
by the Turks and forced into their
harcms.
Lieutenant Chester T. Dunham, of
Chicago, a chaplain Of the United
States Army reserve, who had been sent
to Brussa, said he had observed .he
work of the marriage bureau OF the
Near East Relief, and regarded it as
a splendid institution.
"Therc are many Armcnians from
the Interior" he said "who are anxious
to renew their family life, and they
come to us for help. We investigate
the history of every man and woman
nothing from the contracting parties
If the man and the girl arc willing to
accept each other, the marriage is per
formed. In all cases the man who is
eager for home life is informed of what
the girl has been through and he un-
derstands the situation thor0ughly ii
he is the right sort he realizes that
the girl has maintained her spiritual
purity and respects her Thus far all
tho marriages brought about at Brussa
have been exceedingly happy for all
concerned"
Dr.. George l.. Richards, of Fall
River, Mass, head of the medical unit
Of the Near East Relief, said that the
Turks, especially the Nationalists. are
now defiant Of the Allies and have
threatened to slay every one. be he
Moslem or Christian. who seeks 10
partition the Turkish Empire Musta-
pha Kcmal, head of the Nationaists
who made his headquarters at Konia,
he said, recently issued u long proca-
nation outlining the policies OF his
party and threatening death to those
who seek to split the empire or cede
any of it to aliens. The Turkish
leader warned the Entente that it must
rcnouncc for all time the idea of
partitioning the country. which, he
asserts rightfully belongs to Turkey
because of the superiority of its
civilization.
Dr. Richards said that flies. heas
mosquitoes and malaria are the chief
products of Armenia and that the
American workers in Mcsopotamia
have suffered greatly from fevers,
the infection being spread through the
agency of feas and mosquitoes.
Another traveller on the Black Arrow
was Sava Orahowta, a Bulgarian, who
brought over an Illuminated book as q
gift from the Bulgarian government 10
Mrs. Andrew Carnegie. Mr.. Carnegie
once sent a commission to Bulgaria
to invest gate some outrages asso-
ciated with one Of the Ba,kan wacs
and the commission found Bulgaria
guiltless. in recognition Of this
service the Bulgars sent the belateG
memorial book to Mrs. Carnegie
Among others on The Black Arrow
were Mrs Marie kalinina, Of Ratun.
wife OF Genera! Kalinina, judge advo-
cate on the STAFF of General Denikine.
Not having heard from her husband
for more than g year, snc has elected
to make THIS country bcr home
On The Blacl. Arrow was tho BODY Of
Lieutenant Paul i. Pcltier CT the army
sanitary corps, who was killed in a
railroad accident last March in Turkey.