River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-12-30
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 or 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 1t to be the largest, most rep
resentative conference of Near East
that he had attended this year.
I'VE, 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
department store, in the capital OF
Armenia. She had mems, women's
and children's department. We do
not, of course, sell old clothes. But
occasionally, she said, some applicants
for clothing would have a few cents
which they insisted on paying. as a
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 1t 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 good suit of underwear for him
and he gave her what would be 49,
cents IN american money. That man
was government. ofilcial-the presi-
dent Of the Armenian republic. His
salary was $50 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
conseryatively speaking, the help from
America through the Near East Relief,
has been instrumental in saving at.
east 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.
mr.. 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,-
BOO 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 ITS hos
pitfalls and clinics. We haven't suffi-
Gent 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-
tined beautiful girls who have been the
SIaves of the Turk. II we had zoe