Arizona republican., 1919-01-24
ALL ARIZONA ]S PREPARING FUR
 THE b|G DRIVE
$ tate Director Charles
 Willis Tells Of Task Ahead And Urgent Need Of Near Eastern Peoples

With State Chairman David Gold berg forming q live corps of workers in the Globe Miami district; Dr. E. H. Nicholson of Tempe performing Simi- lar organization work in southern Ari- Zona; J. 0. SeXson, secretary of the Y. NJ. c. A, successfully engaged in rounding up workers in the Clifton l. Morenci- Stafford district, and Dr. W. H. Peck having completed the organiza ton in Yuma county, prospects for the great triple drive February 10-17 are very encouraging,' stated State Director Charles Willis at state head quarters yesterday.
 However. this is just as we had anticipated; it was the cOncensus of opinion from the very first that the people of Arizona would be interested in this great humanitarian cause. The story of Belgium is Ilnown to every one, and the civilized world has re- sponded to help that brave stricken nation But there is another area over which the tide of battle has swept leaving an innocent civilian popula tion wrecked beside the barren ruins of their former lives. 1 speak of east ern Europe-of Poland-of Lithuania- of Armenia-AsSyria and of Greece Whole families are subsiSting on a bowl of soup every twenty four hours which they receive only after a stand ing in line for a day. And often, when there is not enough for all, hundreds are turned away perhaps to perish ot starvation.
 With this picture before us, how could we have the heart to sit dowr comfortably at our tables if we have not given to the limit to save the live: of these afflicted people. Only those who do not know can refuse to give Only those who have not been told O children five years of age whC through want Of food, have never beer able to walk, of mothers who hide tht dead bodies of their children 10 retair the bread cards-only those who have not heard of these heart-rending con ditions can turn complacently aside the appeal for help.
 "To us in prosperous America across the wide eXpanse of war torr Europe, across the great ocean, come: cry of anguish. Who that has tht heart to listen can fail to hear it? AnC in all this mingled and inarticulat' wail-one word at least can be dis tinguished - bread - bread = give u! bread Are we to answer that cry ol are we deaf to it? Who will not deny himself some slight luxury to save life? Dollars for lives-without re gard to creed-on February 1017 WI ask, dollars for lives.
 Herbert Hoover, who perhaps is il a better position than any one els ,1 cit to lf Fa iarity with the food situation in gen | eral, has cabled national headquarter with regard to the situation; a cop. 1 of his cable was received yesterday It reads in part as follows:
 There is probably no greater suf | fering today than among the perse cuted peoples of the Near East, wh have no funds and cannot secure gov ernment loans and have no othe ! credit It is to aid this diStressini situation that your committee for Ar i menian and Syrian relief is making it l appeal to the generosity of the Ameri 1 can people. With your financing ac | compliShments your committee repre- senting these stricken people can com under the direction of the new inter i allied world relief organization an will receive it's cooperation in tn i purchasing and shipment of supplies l People of Arizona, opportunity wi
 soon knock at your door; the oppor | tunity to save life! You will not wis
 to remember that for a paltry sum yo could have restored the life of a littl
 child, father ra mother; your hom
 circle will not be blessed with tha
 degree of happiness so necessary
 contentment if you fail in this grea
 duty"