Evening star., 1921-04-10
ORPHANS IN SYRIA
NEED U. S. SUPPORT
Bayard Dodge Tells Of Great
Work Accomplished in
Near East Relief.

Only the diplomacy of American
workers of the Near East Rene1
| makes it possible to carry on a actlra, nd
religious creeds in Syria, according
to Bayard Dodge, son of Cleveland
H. Dodge. New York fnancier. Say.
ard Dodge is director OF Near Eas.
! Relief activities in the Aleppo-6elrul
district.
Though every attempt Is being
made to bring religion into the lives
of the thousands of children VINO are
the wards of American charlty IN
Syria, the Near East ReHet aims 70
offend none OF the secIs 10 ~h'e"
these children belong. =,
simple services. nonsectatldh ~
character. are conducted oy tHe
teachers in the orphanases. Lnousn II
no outsiders or cierlcs are aiLowSu
70 conduct worship inside the puilo
ings, every effort is MADE 10 Keep
alive in the children the faith OF their
fathers, This is largely accomplish
ed by encouraging children 10 aeteho
religious services on the outsiue'
Moslem children are sent TO the near
est MOSQUE, Catholics to the nearest
Catholic church. Protestants TO tne
nearest Protestant church. Jews 10
the nearest synagogue. In .Hls "as
the orphanages are taking adVantdse
of the opportunity 10 promo.ss ar
monious intercourse between the az
ferent sects in their ordinary rela-
! tionship with one another. oy not
| offending the religious conFlctlons
| of any Thus the bigotry ana secs
| hatred which has been the curse OF
SYRIA for generations, is being de-
| stroyed That this is quite a prop
! lem is indicated by the fact that IN
| each orphanage where Syrian cnii.
| dren are housed, five or SIX cfeeoo' a.
| least, are represented.
Thousands OF Orphans.
| Mr.. Dodge further states:
Though the war has left US q
| legacy in the care of thousands OF
| orphans, and though the country IL
| still too disorganiZed by death, oe-
| portation and business depression ior
US to withdraw from activities IN tne
| region, the situation is Slowly I'M
| proving.
| Only a few months ago we came
l into SYRIA to carry Americas mes
sage of charity. Into the newly open.
ed orphanages came cohstahs
| stream Of tiny, underfed, half naked
I children. Many were half mad from
| the hardships they had been throuen-
| some of these children have since
| been restored to relatives. Inc iha
| jority. of course. still remain on our
I hands If the American people VINO
/ saved them now withdraw support.
| they will be turned out into !he
| streets and into the deserts, to ne
come the prey of vice and crime; All
that has been accompilsneu VIII 81
| for naught.
| But II the orphanages can be main,
! tanned and the inmates cared for ana
| taught practical things until they
are old enough and wise enough 70
shift for themselves. then our enorts
| will be crowned with success" says
Mr.. Dodge. "a wonderful gift VIII
be given to the communities which
are still IN such need. the gift OF
thousands OF young men and women
trained to be yirtuous. honest, liberal.
and skilled in those industries which
alone can bring prosperity to any
war devastated land.
| Great Need Of Relief.
There is still a great amount OF
| general relief to be given in certain
storm centers, but the peculiar op-
portunity of the people of America
is to push on reconstruction. not by
erecting dwellings or building roads.
but by framing the lives Of multi
1 H,,doo 4P Jiff1e tovA arA OSr4R that