Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-11-23
Near East Relief for 1921.

John c. Prince of Portland, state
organizer, was in South Paris this week
completing the organization OF Oxford
County for campaign 10 secure funds
for feeding the 60 orphans allotted to
this county for the year 1921. The Near
East Relief, through which that work is
carried on, is an organization incofpo
rated by Congress to take over the for
mer Armenian and Syrian relief work,
and operating In all the countries Of
Asia Minor as far as Mesopotamia. This
vast field is left exclusively to the work
of Near East Relief. The work was
originally undertaken by the urgent re.
quest OF Hon. Henry Morgenthau, then
ambassador to Turkey.
In the prosecution of Its work, Near
East Relief has raised and distributed
more than Sal 900, 900. 1t supports 229
'orpbanages, caring for 10000 orphans.
The children are being educated both
through the head and hand, 80 that they
will early come to self-support and be
able to take worthy part 10 the restora-
tion of their native land.
The peoples of these ancient countries
have suffered unspeakably for five years
from deportations and starvation. Their
lot Is one Of unvarnished misery. More
than $4,000 orphaned children look to
American charity as their only hope for
the preservation of life. $4,000 girls,
many of them In their early teens, have
been released from Turkish harems, and
they turn to Near East Relief for pro-
tection aud the necessary training to
enable them to support themselves.
Herbert Hoover said, "In the Near
East is the most desperate situation 10
the world" To meet this need, indus
tries are supported, bakeries are main
,ained, and the returning refugees assist.
ed in obtaining tools, seed and imple-
ments for tilling the soil. Aid furnished
In connection with agricultural opera
tions and industrial undertakings 10
usually given In the form of Q loan. In
the Caucasus region, the Armenians
have been able to raise crops enough to
carry them to the middle Of the coming
winter. Unless aid is forthcoming to
supplement their harvests, starvation
will again take its heavy toll.
Through the policy of the Near East
Relief, emergency relief for adults 10 be-
| ing gradually Withdrawn, and assistance
will ultimately be confined to orphan
children. DR.. Reeder, the American ex-
pert on orphanages, recently said with
| reference TO this work: "You have there
In the Near East the greatest orphanage
proposition In the world. In the lives
of those children, you hold 10 your
hands the future OF the Near East" |"
Charles v. Vickrey of New York, re-
turning this summer from Asia Minor,
said, "a few millions Of dollars wisely
expended at this time In education,
character building and moulding OF these
young lives will be worth vastly more to
the world than billions of dollars spent
later in suppressipg international war.
fare and strife"
No appeal can be moro touching than
the needs Of the orphaned children OF
the Near East. Last year Maine fed
14S5 orphans. This year the quota 10 to
feed 1875. Food can be supplied child
for $500 Q month. Surely these chil
drsn will not be allowed to perish be
cause Of Americas refusal to give the4
bread.
The Maine Sta:e Committee is ably
headed BY Hon. Carl E. Milliken. Dr.
George b. Sisson of Portland 10 the
state director, and the state treasurer y
barry 8. Boyd OF the Chapman National
Bank OF Portland. The women's organ
isstions Of Maine arc Represented on the
state committee By Mrs. Frederick r
Abbott Of Ssco. DR.. Charles L. Bucl
of South Paris ID chairman Of the cen
traf dIstriot Of Oxford County.