Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-12-31
GIVE TO TIE ARbiFNIANS BE READY TO GIVE DOWN
LUDENDORFF ADMITS THEY WERE A
BIG FACTOR IN DEFEATING
THE GERMANS

THE GERMANS
! cred in the Methodist church last Sunday by
1 Leonard j. Blaekmere, supervisor of the Wis
conSin branch Of the Near East relief work..
At the outbreak of the great world war the
Armenians had no government. They were
not nearly well united We. They were
even denied the privilege of citizenship. So
they went into the moi ntain businesses and
there they found the Russians and they be-
. came members Of that great army. and when
troops were needed TO withstand the approach
OF the Turks and Huns, these Armenian bat
talons picked and they did not allow
them 70 pass. Ludendorf, in his reasons for
Germany's defeat. stated that Germany could
not get fuel and provisions land these were
/ 10 be had in Armenia) and that this was the
only reason why they forced TO give up
By keeping the Huns out of Armenia, then.
the cause Of Germany's defeat. and hese
the Armenians-are the people who are saf-
fering today-not through any FAULT % their
own but because Of the work. war. This is
the picture of a child Of ons - sAese soldiers:
Arms stretched out TO IN mute appeal
What do they need over thereT They need
first of all. food. Second, clothing. Third,
those things which will enable them 10 re-habil-
itate themselves and get their land back to a
producing basis. And they need the inspira-
tion and great moral influence of the Amer
lean tag TO striEa terror into the heart of the
Turk. My frienes, while Congress is debat-
ing and celebrating; while the Senate is gum
chewing and staing around-peOple are dy-
ing in Armenia. There is only one way in
i
people.
Do you remember, you adults. of reading
on the pages Of your history books, when you
were boys and girls, Of that little band Of
people. the original thirteen colonies. when
they were having their struggle TO come into
their own. how France sent its forces across
the water under that man Lafayette, sent its
dollars across the water and gave them for
our aid All Of you remember reading that
Yet my friends, count the years until this ma
ton could repay France her debt of gratitude
Shall We wait that long TO repay those strug-
Cling peoples of that embryonic republic Of
Armenia? My friends, want TO tell you to-
night that this would be Just sad Christ
mas as last year If 1t not for these peo-
pie More SO, for We would still be pouring
our forces into that hell-hole of Europe.
What is Che Near East form Of relief
that is being worked out now? just this
But before closing ! want to tell you that they
have in Armenia always looked up TO the
great American Republic. this United States
And they have always looked up 20 because
we represent to them their highest ideals. You
don't see half as many Armenians in any
other country rs you in the United States.
Where did Miss Seraphans hrether come
when he escaped frcm the Turkish army I?
Through Miss Serapnians aid he managed 10
get aboard ship bound for America, in 1912,
and today he is of the head engineers for
the Racine Tool Company at Racine. WisCon-
sin, company rapidly coming into the lime
light OF manufacturing establishments.
And today these people are looking to US
more than ever because have since 1915
been trying TO give this people some assistance
dtouA tHc itHe OF pF0ieGAIOu. Protection. not
by armed force, for thst would have been
breach Of international ,sw, hut with our flag
for the sight Of the Stars and Stripes floating
over school seemed 60 strike terror to the
heart of the MOhammedans and il Is because
of this fact that Miss Seraphian escaped.
There in this little family group eight
people. The father mother, eyed grand
mother, Miss Seraphian, two brothers and
little sister, and the brother who is now in
this country. Miss Seraphisn attended an
American school and when she graduated be.
lis nm
instructor. She speaks four or five different
languages and she is a very wonderful girl
and she has sights that you and I can
never imagine. First the father was killed /;
then the mother was attacked. Then the older
brother was impressed into the Turkish army.
Then they took the younger brother who was
only sixteen, together with a number Of the
village boys. out into the valley and murdered
them all. Their the mother, grandmother twho
was over eighty years Odd and little sister
were deported. Taken out into the desert and
they made that old grandmother walk all day
and nearly ali night, for two weeks. before
she died from starvation. Finally they muir
dered the little sister and then the mother
died from i'll treatment and starvation. So
the Turks are still trying 20 carry out their
program OF exterminating the Armenians.
And so this Armenian family, with the except
ION Rf Miss Scraphian, with whom shall
become acquainted during the next few weeks
was all killed. Why was Il she cecaoed I
She was teacher in the American Girls Col
lege and they dared not touch one hair Of her
head. And wherever relief stations
are FOUND there the Turks dare not interfere.
Now the Near East Relief was formerly the
Seryian and Armenian relief, recently incOr-
pOrated under a special act of Congress: the
last Official drive, and the amount TO be raised
is 80 million dollars. The share for Wiseon-
sin is 100000 and IL is up TO us 90 finish the
job 32nd division so RloriOusly helped
with, and not let the Turks continue on their
murderOus course in company with the Hun.
Your contributions will reach Armenia 1906
in the form Of food clothing because every
single penny Of the campaign expenses will
I hN maid hw nj h.aa.
York. They realized this relief work was me-
cessary and said. Put on the campaign and
when II Is over bring the bill 10 US and we
will pay it." That's Amerieanism for you.
That's brotherly love.
Isn't the Red Cross doing something ever
there? In 1915 they entered into the field
but when they that they were just dupli-
eating the work they said I'VE will stay out.
You are doing fine. But If you need any as
sistance les us know and We will help" Well,
to be brief last year the Red Cross gave dur
ing the months of November and December
100000 100000 in ALL Why? because
the people in the Near East said that profiteers
were buying up all food and they came to
the assistance, thus saving much suffering
with us. This Is official drive and every
report make goes into the hands Of the sec
rotary, 10 be brought before congress. So every
single thing that you do along this line ar
rives the ground. This is the last Official
war relief measure of Uncle Sam. So we
must go into eur pockets to carry this up TO
the S30,000,000 mark that they can get onto
their feet again and organize their govern
ment What will be your answer7 You may
mail IL 10 your county chairman, Mr. Rose
land, on February LIST to the 22nd. thank
you. Vernon COunty's quota Is little over
$4,000.
CHURCH NOTES