Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1920-12-24
OLD CLOTHES HELP
As WELL AS MONEY


The state conference of Near East
Relief workers, held recently in Mil
waukee, was one of the largest and
best attended in the country, the dele
gates-330 of them-remaining during
the entire day and evening for the
program. DR.. Alonzo E. Wilson. ma
tional field director, who has travelled
more than 10000 miles over this cOun-
try attending number of conferences.
declared it to be the largest, most rep
resentative conference of Near East
that he had attended this year.
1--WE have spent $41,000,000 in the
Near East in the last four years." he
said in talking to the delegates, land
the American people naturally are in
terested in knowing what they have as
an investment there.
Lest | forget, let me thank you on
behalf of our national organization
and the people of the Near East. for
what you have done during the last
four years, not only by giving money,
but by giving old clothes as well, for
these people are dependent entirely
upon us, for both. | want to tell you
a story of Northwestern college girl
who was in charge of what she called
a department store, in the capital of
Armenia. She had mems, women's
and childrens department. We do
not, Of course, sell old clothes. But
occasionally, she said. some applicants
for clothing would have few cents
matter of pride.
"One day fine looking man came
in and wanted suit of clothes. He
was so impressive looking that she
picked out a caSt-off Prince Albert and
gave it to him. A few days later. the
weather was cold and the man re-
turned and wanted some warm under
wear, for he had none. She picked
out a good suit of underwear for him
and he gave her what would be SO
cents in American money. That man
was a government official--the presi-
dent of the Armenian republic. His
salary was $40 month
THAT is just sample of what the
old clothes are doing in the Near East.
People, formerly of wealth, are penni-
less and dependent upon us for help.
No matter how much you have already
sent, there is still need for clothing
and will be every month.
"The president of Armenia says that
conservatively speaking, the help from
America through the Near East Relief,
has been instrumental in saving at
least 100000 lives. One million peo-
pie are alive today because you and
the people of other states raised this
money and sent it over there to the
Near East We are feeding $4,000
people.
MIR. Vickrey, national secretary,
who has just returned from the Near
East, says that where we are caring
for one child, now, there are three
still to be cared for. There are 200.
900 children out in the mountains, liv.
ing on garbage. hiding in caves and
existing on grasses. Many of these
will starve or freeze this winter
What else are we doing? All OF
the medical work throughout that
country. We need doctors and nurses
We need more hospitals and better
equipment We are treating 10000
people every month in our IT'S hos
pitfalls and clinics. We haven't suff1
cient time to look after the surgical
cases because our doctors and nurses
are SO busy.
What else are we doing? We have
eleven rescue homes full of these re-
fined beautiful girls who have been the
slaves of the Turk. If we had 1nf
homes they would be filed in fort.
night.
I'VE have sent nearly half million
dollars from the Assyrians and Ar
menians of America to their f-iends
and relatives. We are an intermediary
to the natives of this country TO reach
their friends over there.
"We have started shops and fac
tories. We have $4,000 people en-
ployed in our shops and factories L
day
I'VE are trying to do the work Of
reconstruction Remember these peo-
pies are without homes. schools, |
churches. farms They have nothing. |
They were our friends during the /
u-ar Thav ORC q l-hriSeiou uaouIp -