Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-06-16
REV. MORTON
URCESACTIONTO
Aid ARMENIANS

Rev. A. II. Morton, chairman of the
local Near East Relief committee. has
asked the Herald to call to the atten
ton OF the community a new condi-
ton OF horror that is recently develop
ing IN the Near East New suffering
ana persecution for the Armenians is
made imminent because of the fact
that the Allied soldiers are being with
drawn and the country left in the
hands OF the Turks. During the war
the Armenians joined forces with the
Allies in defeating the Turks, who are
now threatening vengeance. The Ar
/ menians are being disarmed as the
French army withdraws.
Rev. Morton urges Boundary county
people to write to Senator Borah and
Congressman French insisting that our
government take adequate action to
protect these defenseless people from
determination. This can be done if
America can be sufficiently aroused
The plan proposed is given in the fol-
lowing circular issued by the executive
committee OF the Near East Relief:
The Tragedy In the Near East.
In all the different stages of develop
ment, the Near East Relief has aimed
at one object only, namely, to save
from death the hundreds of thousands
of refugees-men, women and children
in the Near East The response on
the part of philanthropic America. and
even of the entire world, to this call
for help for a stricken people, has been
prompt and generous.
For five years this work of life saw
| ing has continued and one million
human beings at least are living today
who otherwise would have persisted.
In this benevolent work some sixty
million dollars have been used by the
Near East Relief in the form of money,
clothing, supplies, shelter, food. medi-
cines, medical care, and supervision.
This relief was begun five years ago
in response to urgent appeals from the
American ambassador at Constantine
pie, in the hope and belief that il would
terminate within a year or, at the lat
est, as soon as the European war
should cease. Contrary to expecta-
tons, national conditions in the Near
East remained so threatening that il
has been impossible to return the
hundreds of thousands of exiled refu-
gees to their homes where they could
become self-supporting. or to gather
the vast number of dependent orphans
into anything but temporary orphan
ages. On the contrary. continued war
fare has resulted in renewed atrocities,
created additional hordes of refugees.
and added to the number of dependent
children faster than their needs can
be met
Political conditions at the present
time in most sections are chaotic, and
in many parts new disasters threaten. |
Anatolia, Armenia. Kurdistan, and Asia
Minor are under the government OF
Mustapha Renal Pasha, the leader of
the Turkish Nationalist party. with his
capital at Angora. He has not agreed
TO the Treaty of Sevres. Mustapha had |
representatives at the premier's con-
ference in London in March, but they
did not at that time commit the Ma
tionalists to any policy Of protection
for the minority populations in his
domain.
The French. who with the English, |
have occupied Cilicia for more than |
two years, are now reported to be
withdrawing their military forces and |
turning the large Armenian popula-
tions, assembled there under allied |
protection, over to the control of the
Nationalist Turks. Armenians consti-l