The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-14
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

tribution
 The heart of America has beer shown to beat true to every worthy humanitarian enterprise, but Ameri- cans are mostly from Missouri and want to be shown. Now, I am glad that this is so, for whenever the public is called upon to give, it ought to bs protected from the grafters who uss charity as a cloak for their holdups.
 The Red Cross while shot through with mercy, yet is a business organi- zation. or Banker Davison would not have given his time and million dol- lars to help it "carry on." It does not spend the funds gathered from the thoroughly Investigating the needs, and then it demands that a dollar shall do dollars worth of service. Let 1t speak in regard to the s30,000.0oo fund asked for relief work in the near east.
 
 In recommending q contribution of g, 200. 900 the Red Cross committee on cooperation bases it's actions on these 
 facts:
 '1. The efficient and economical or ganization, both in America and west ern Asia, of the American committee @. The geographical extent of the need unparalleled condition of des- titution and suffering and large num- Der of people whose deaths could be nv ant ad hv nd n assistance.
 "3. The fact that the American com mittee is the only organization out side of the Red Crescent (controlled by the Turkish government) in a posi- ton to administer this relief. 'The American committee for Arme- | nian and Syrian relief was organized in October. 1915, for the purpose of se- curing immediate relief for Armenian. and Syrians, cabled reports of whose prosecutions were at that time just be- ginning to reach this country. Since October l, 1915, it has received from all sources and distributed for relief approximately $9.000,000.
 'The entire administrative expenses of this committee are met privately enabling it to devote to distinctly re- lief work 100 cents of every dollar re- ceived for this purpose. The work of distribution in Asia is handled by l 100 or more responsible American citi- zens. consuls, physicians, educators and others who give their services to relief administration without salary or expense to the relief funds The com mittee's audited reports show that some $25,000 more has been spent for relief than has been received in con- | tributions. the difference being &C., counted for by the interest on daily | balances.
 i "As an instance of the business lik a methods employed. it was reported 1 late in the fall of 1917 that food prices were rapidly advancing in Turkey, Ar
 menia. Syria and the Caucasus, and
 that by the time winter came food
 would. in all probability, be cornerej
 to such an extent that prices woulf
 be much higher than at the time oi
 writing, Accordingly, the Red Cross |
 mittee, appropriated in October S600,.
 900 for the months of November ant
 December, 1917, to make possible tho
 purchase of food at the lower rate
 The actual record of prices as later
 reported during the winter month.
 shows that at least s5oo,o was saved
 by this advance purchase.
 |
 l "The field of operations includes no
 of Armenia and Syria that are in tn. Ottoman empire but also the larg,
 section of Armenia untif-s.e gently dom
 mated by the Russian army. as well q. the Russian Caucasus. Persia. Mesopo , tamia. Palestine and portions O.
 Egypt and Macedonia, into which re
 gions Armenians Syrians and Greeks }have fled in large numbers. Of tn,
 Armenians. about 1000, 900 were mas
 sacred or driven to their death dur
 inf the summer of 1915. and the re mainder within Turkish dominion
 were deported from their homes int, the deserts or other regions wher, | Scll-ouppcit WdS pFdCtlrdlly lEnpOS5i
 ble.
 For mcnths innumerable cables re latiDg details of the most terrible sui ferings and deplorable conditions 0
 the inhabitants of Asia Minor hay
 been received by the committee. O ! January IS, 1918, American Consu , Smith, at Tiflis, in the Russian Cau 5 l casus. cabled that the condition of tn
 refugees there was critical; that tn . responsibilities were almost entirel
 on the American committee: that 1 3 l tricts, delegations of hungry peopl | often numbering 100 coming long dis
 tances begging bread. and refusing | , leave without food or promises 3 It has the indorsement of Ambassa q dor Morganthau and many of those i 6 highest authority at Washington, an President Wilson says:
 'The American committee for re e lief in the near east is appealing fo n a minimum of sso, 900. 900 to be sub U scribed January 12-1e, 1919. with whic : to meet the most urgent needs of thes
 people.
 o "I, therefore. again call upon .h t people of the United States to mals even more. generous contributions tha they have made heretofore to sustai l. through the winter months those wh