New-York tribune., 1921-09-12
First American
Famine Survey
Brings Report
Relief Officials, Returning
on s. s. La Bourdonnais,
Describe Conditions in
Trans-Caucasus District
100, 900 Orphans Hungry
Bodies Of Victims Strew the
Streets of Erivan; Fuel
Is Problem in Armenia

Bringing with them descriptions of
starvation, suffering and despair four
Near East Relief officials, the first
Americans permitted by the Russian
Soviet government to make an unre-
stricted survey of Armenia, Georgia and
the Caucasus region, arrived
yesterday in New York on La Bour-
bonnais from Havre.
The party comprised Clarence D.
Royce, of Indiana; ]. J. Handsaker, of
Portland, Ore; Julian Zelchenko, Of
New Jersey, and Emerson D. Owen.
publicity director.
The entire tour Of the relief workers
was made under the guidance of Soviet
officials, who, according to Mr.. Owen,
showed them every courtesy possible
under the conditions and placed at
their disposal ever convenience posses
sed by the government.
The party went from Erivan, the
Armenian capital, to Batum, the Black
Sea terminal of the Trans Caucasian
railway, and from there to Tiflis, the
capital of Georgia.
Starving Children Beg Bread
The trip showed that more than foo,-
600 orphans in this district are wholly
dependent upon the efforts of the relief
organization. At stops in the interior
Of Armenia the party was surrounded
by hundreds of emaciated children
who blocked their path and made pitt
full pleas for bread.
In Erivan people were dying of chol-
era and starvation at the rate of twenty
day. Wagons made daily rounds Of
the streets, picking up the bodies
Often bodies were seen lying in the
streets, ignored.
One of the greatest problems il
Armenia IS fuel for the coming winter
Mr.. Owen declared. There is not one
stick OF wood in the country and eoal
IS unheard Of Wood will have to be
transported 275 miles, and if the or.
ganization fails in it's efforts to bring
in winters supply it is predicted thai
1000 children will die at Alexandropo
alone.
The only industry in Georgia that is
fourishing is the mint, according tc
Mr. Owen. This has a capacity OF
80.o00,000 roubles a day, which is less
than $500 in American money, and the
presses are kept running night anc
day.
Turks Massacre 5000
News of a massacre Of 5000
Armenians by Turks, not previously re
ported in America, was brought bacl
1 by the relief party. The slaughter tool
place near AleXandropol. and was dis
closed following the spring thaws.
The officials of both the Georgian
and Armenian Soviet governme nts
which were created. and are controlled
by the Russian Soviet government
seemed extremely anxious to :,
American public opinion.
All hotels in the country were foun,
to be sovietized and occupied by of
ficials- The house in Tif1is, in which
the Americans were entertained, wa.
the residence of wealthy Armenian
which was occupied by the government
The owner and his wife were confined
to one small room of their magnifcen-
dwelling.
The wonderful Transformation wrough
in the starving children by a few
weeks stay in the organiza ton:
orphanages was stressed by the re
turned workers.
The Americans also visited Derindje
on the Bagdad Railway, where 25(
orphans are temporarily quartered il
former German warehouses, having
been driven from their regular orphan
age at Bardizog by a battle between
Greeks and Turks. The children there
made their beds Of German bags. fab
ricated from paper, which the Kaiser's
troops had planned to fill with sane
and block the SueZ Canal