Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1919-12-26
PROMINENT MEN
IN XMAS APPEAL
FOR ARMENIANS
Former President Taft Leads IN
Eloquent Plea for Support of
Near East Relief.


! IN Armenia and other western Asian
countries and TO care for more than
250.000 orphans who ARE homeless
there former President William How
ard Taft. Henry Mofgenthau, former
ambassador 70 Turkey ana Alexander
]. Hemphill. the New York banker. "a
members Of the Executive Committee
OF Near East Relief the former Amer
ican Committee or Armenian and
Syrian Relief have issued q Christ.
nas appeal for continued support of
this organization and IFS work.
Near East Relief IS NOW operating
under government charter and is
practically alone in theesesfern Asian
field. the Red Cross several months
ago having announced its withdrawal.
The Christmas letter. classic OF ts
kind. is as follows:
"Dear Friend-Anoiher little child
has shriveled up and died.
"The mother. creeping back. gannt
and cold. from fhe desert. has put
/ down the thin little bones with those
that strew the road and has sunk be
side them. never TO rise again.
| sOnly q little child and a mother
cut on the bleak Armenian road But
THAT r. that vision lowering there aud
what Is that voice the cold winds bear
to the ears of our souis-.1 was hungry
and ye gave me no meat: vas naked
and ye clothed me mott
-Teday--yes. today--whiie we are
preparing our gifts for Christmas.
many more OF these little children
mt hundred nor q thousand. but
10000 OF them--are still wandering
uncared for and alone in that dead
| land, their weakened skins clluging In
/ fear 10 their rafting bones and they
are crying out with gaspIng breath,
am hungry. ] am hungryr And the
voice OF one who watches us ms we
prepare gifts TO celebrate his birth
I day comes again 10 the ears OF our
sonls--i am hungry | am hungry j
+ af6shungry
4 Now. The children and The mathers
+ In Armenia are dreading the winter
Z Just human remnants they are, not
4 protected. many Of them. from the ele-
+ menfs hy even The dignity Of rags
i
I aea rags How shall we sin. our
+ Christmas SONGS and LAUGH and light
+ the candies md give beautiful gifts
I while thai pleading voice cries IN abe
+ rars ~ orr souls ! an naked and cold
-satea and eoidT
.nut we can feed and elethe ibcse
nerfshina ones-snrne o.! them-before
/ n Is ton Ire. Herbert Hoover has ca
bled from The Caucasus. Il IS impossl-
+ ble iimt he loss Of 100000 lives can NJ
f this dag hh prevented. hu, The remain.
Ing 100000 can possibly be savea.
+ They need NOT sfaree and freeze and
+ die Il We wil save them. Ii ihe tame
+ ~ hlm ehO saw tie multitude as
s4eep Baf having q shepherd and was
moved selfh compa ssion toward them.
/ who exclaimed when his disciples
+ could tpro them away, They need NOT
/ depart give ye them 10 eat open
i vonr haaFf ard pursc and give 10
+ these Christians whom he loves, who
I nfe suffering for him aud with whom
lie "a suffering They need not die
Give 81 Them 20 ont
"Flftean dollars y month VIII pro
i vide food ciolhes, shelter and eeuca
/ don toward self support for one or
phan child
Ten dollars a month viii provide
food. clothes aud shelter for one or
phan child
eFlse dollars a month viii provide
f food for one orphan child
aHe fed 5000 hungry people IN the
wilderness and said 10 bis followers
Tie things that | 20 shat se DO also
and greater things ihanslhese shall -
do Today nearly s0aGe0 destitute
Armeninns--his peopie--neeh food ant
clothing
~He took little Children In his armi
and blessed them. To-Day viii you take
one or more Of these sad. cold. hungry
little children Of Armenia into youi
arms and heart In his name and give
them food and warmth and life?
"what a joyful Christmas It will ba
when With your songs and your laugh.
/ .er ysu hear a voice of wondrous
sweetness speaking TO you, %, ys
blessed of my Fathei. vas hungry
and ye gave me meat was naked and
We clothed me inasmuch as ye have
done II TO these. my brethren. We have
done II TO me-
-In his name
Faithfully yours.
"WILLIAM IL. TAFT.
ALEXANDER ] IIEMPHILL