The herald., 1919-12-25
PROMINENT men
IN XMAS APPEAL
FOR ARMENIANS
Former President Taft Leads In
Eloquent Plea for Support of
Near East Relief.

To save the lives Of S00OO people
In Armenia and other western Asian
countries and to care for more than
10000 orphans who are homeless
there former President William How
ard Taft, Henry Morgenthau, former
ambassador to Turkey, and Alexander
J. Hemphill, the New York banker, as
members Of the Executive Committee
of Near East Relief, the former Amer
iCan Committee on Armenian and
Syrian Relief, have issued a Christ
mas appeal for continued support Of
this organization and it's work
Near East Relief is now operating
under a government charter and is
practically alone in the western Asian
field. the Red Cross several months
ago having announced its withdrawal
The Christmas letter, classic Of its
kind, is as follows:
"Dear Friend-Another little child
has shriveled up and died.
1.-THE mother, creeping back, gaunt
and cold, from the desert, has put
down the thin little bones with those
that strew the road and has sunk be-
side them, never to rise again.
"Only a little child and a mother
out on the bleak Armenian road! But
what is that vision lowering there and
what Is that voice the cold winds bear
to the ears of our souls-I was hungry
and We gave me no meat; l was naked
and We clothed me not
"Today-yes, today-while we are
preparing our gifts for Christmas,
many more Of these little children
not a hundred nor a thousand, but
100000 of them-are still wandering
uncared for and alone in that dead
land, their weakened skins clinging in
fear to their rafting bones,' and they
are crying out with gasping breath. I
am hungry, I am hungry! And the
voice Of one who watches US as we
prepare gifts to celebrate his birth
day comes again to the ears of our
souls-T am hungry! am hungry! /
am hungry!!!
"Now, the children and the mothers
in Armenia are dreading the winter.
Just human remnants they are, not
protected, many of them, from the ele-
ments by even the dignity of rags.
The most favored have merely shred
ded rags How shall we sing our
Christmas songs and laugh and light
the candles and give beautiful gifts
while that pleading voice cries in the
ears of our souls, Il am naked and cold
naked and coldT
"But we can feed and clothe these
perishing ones-some of them-before
It is too late. Herbert Hoover has ca
bled from the Caucasus, 1T is impossi-
BILE that the loss Of 100000 lives can at
this day be prevented, but the remain
ing 10000 can possibly be saved.
They need not starve and freeze and
die IL we will save them. In the name
of him who saw the multitude as
sheep not having a shepherd and was
moved with compassion toward them,
who exclaimed when his disciples
would turn them away, They need not
depart, give We them to eat! open
your heart and purse and give to
these Christians whom he loves, who
are suffering for him and with whom
he Is suffering. They need not die.
Give We them to eat.
"Fifteen dollars a month will pro-
vide food, clothes, shelter and educa-
ton toward self support for one or
phan child.
"Ten dollars a month will provide
food, clothes and shelter for one or
phan child.
"Five dollars a month will provide
food for one orphan child.
"He fed 5000 hungry people In the
wilderness and said to his followers,
The things that do shall We do also,
and greater things than these shall We
do Today nearly 100000 destitute
Armenians-his people-need food and
clothing.
"He took little children in his arms
and blessed them. Today will you take
one or more Of these sad, cold. hungry
little children Of Armenia into your
arms and heart in his name and give
them food and warmth and life?
what a joyful Christmas it will be
when with your songs and your laugh
Ter ysu hear a voice Of wondrous
sweetness speaking to you, %. ye
blessed Of my Father, was hungry
and We gave me meat, was naked and
We clothed me inasmuch as We have
done it to these, my brethren, We have
done 1t to me-
I'm his name
Faithfully yours,
WILLIAM III. TAFT.