Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1919-01-17
WHY PEOPLE OF NEAR
EAST NEED OUR HELP
Some Facts Regarding Their History
Given by Former President
W. II. Taft

There may be some people of this
state and Stevens county who believe
it is an injustice to be asked to help
the starving people of Armenia and
Syria, but when we think Of our own
prosperous condition and then re-
member that we are only asked for
a few dollars, which we will never
miss, we should not hesitate to give
as literally as we can. If the great
need Of the people of those countries
is understood and their actual condI-
ton made known, then Stevens coun-
ty will give many times their orig
inaI allotment.
This effort to raise the $30,O0O,O0O
in the United States for suffering
humanity is endorsed by the leading
people Of the world. All classes and
denominations should have part in
it. 1t is not religious propaganda
but has support of all churches in
the country. His Eminence, Cardin-
al O'Connell, says he thinks that all
churches should be represented in the
drive and that no Christian can be
Indifferent to the fate of the Armen-
ians, and that he will be very glad
to do what he can to be Of assistance
Cardinal Gibbons has issued the
following appeal to the Christian
people of America: '"The attempt to
relieve and save the strav1ng peoples
in the Near East deserves the SYM
pathetic support of all CHI istian peo-
pie. Not only have the Christian in
habitants of Turkey been impover-
ished and decimated by succession
Of wars, but deportation and mass
acre have destroyed many fathers and
mothers, leaving hundreds Of thOus-
ands of orphans to be fed, clothed
and provided with homes The Amer
lean Committee for Armenian and
Syrian Relief is to undertake to
raise large sum for this purpose
and hope that all who have given
freely for this and other forms of
war relief will be generous still in
the face Of this greatest tragedy of
the war"
The following article by William
Howard Taft, former president Of the
United States, explains how these
people have been treated and why
they need help at this time:
Nov why the need of money for
the Armenians? You know their
story? Abdul Hamid was the Sultan
Of Turkey. He was the sweet-scented
individual who in 1896 deliberately
directed the killing Of 100000 Arme.
mans. Who are the Armenians:
They are one Of the Oldest Christian
peoples in the world. They lived il
a province that lies north of Meso
potamia, east Of Asia Minor, west O
Persia and south of the Black Sea
It is province of mountains AM
valleys-not only rich but fertile
100000 Armenians lived in tina
country, cultivating the valleys an,
made them blossom as the rose
The Turks hated them because the
were Industrious, and enjoyed tn
prosperity that comes from indus
try.
Later when Turkey entered tn
SISaI Hu1Opodu war as the ally @
Germany, she invited German officer
into her army. Her army was short
1y Differed by German officers, VIII
directed that army to go into Arme
mia and deport 100000 Armeni
ans, which they did. 100000 escaped
The other 100000 were driven b
that army to the desert of Mesopot
anna and Syria, and in the drive tn
army deliberately killed men, wome
and children, by rifle ball, by bay
onet, by knife, by driving them owe
precipices, by driving them into dee
running rivers 100000 men, wome
and children! Half of them were d.
ported to Asia and half to Mesopo