The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1920-01-01
PROMINENT men
IN XMAS APPEAL
FOR ARMEN|ANS
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 '.'al'
100000 orphans who are h'l''eless
there former President william HOW
ord Taft, Henry Morgenthau former
ambassador to Turkey, and Alexander
7 Hemphill, the New York banker, as
members of the Executive Committee
of Near East Relief, the former Amer
lean Committee on Armenian ana
SYRIAN Relief, have issued a Christ
mas appeal for continued support OF
this organization and its work.
Near East Relief Is now operating
under a government charter ana IS
practically alone In the western Asian
field, the Red Cross several months
ago having announced It's withdrawal.
The Christmas letter, classic of Its
kind, is as follows:
Dear Frend-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 mother
out on the bleak Armenian road! But
what Is that vision lowering there and
what is that voice the cold winds bear
IN the ears of our souls-1 wHs hrn-ry
and We gave me no meat; was naked
and We clothed me not
"Today-yes, today-wnhe 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 clin"ing In
fear to their rafting bones, and they
are crying out with gasping breath, i
am hungry, 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-I am hungry! am hungry!l l
am hungry Z!
"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, 4 am naked and cold
naked and cold|
"But we can feed and clothe these
perishing ones-some Of them-befort
t It Is too late. Herbert Hoover has ca
|. bled from the Caucasus, 1T is impossi
2 BILE that the loss of 100000 lives can a
n this day be prevented, but the remain
y ing 100000 can possibly be saved.
They need not starve and freeze ant
die IL we will save them. In the name
of him who saw the multitude al
sheep not having shepherd and wa
Il moved with compassion toward them
I. who exclaimed when his disciple
- would turn them away, They need no
!, depart, give We them to eat" opel
:, your heart and purse and give t
these Christians whom he loves, VIII
are suffering for him and with whom
he is suffering. They heed not die
v Give We them to eat.
= "Fifteen dollars a month will pre-
:. vide food, clothes, shelter and educs
u. ton toward self support for one OF
" phan child.
"Ten dollars a month will provid
n food, clothes and shelter for one OF
" phan child.
~ give dollars a month will provid
- food for one orphan child.
~ "He fed 5000 hungry people in tn
ID wilderness and said to his follower
w THE things that I do shall We do als'
al and greater things than these shall
do Today nearly 100000 destitut
Armenians-his people-need food an
ClOlnlnS.
bo "He took little children in his arm
bs and blessed them Today will you tax
10 one or more of these sad, cold, hungl
IA little children Of Armenia into yor
~ arms and heart in his name and gi1
- them food and warmth and life?
what q joyful Christmas it will |
he when with your songs and your laug
n. Ter you hear voice Of wondro,
al sweetness ,..'eakiD- to you, %, J
blessed of my Father, i vas hungl
and We gave me meat, was naked al
En- ye clothed me; inasmuch as We ha,
ed done 1t to these, my brethren, We ha,
done it to me-
"'In his name.
Faithfully yours,
m civilian H. TAFT.
nm GAIEy ANDER uEAIpIJIT