The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-10-07
TELLS OF SUFFERING
SEEN WITH OWN EYES
Columbian, Returning After Trip t.
Near East, Says Conditions are
Unbelievably Bad
The State, 3Oth.

Claude w. hopper Oh COLUMBUS
regional director for Near East relief
in the states of South Carolina, Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, Georgia and
Florida, has just returned from the
Near East where he was sent with
five other regional directors to study
conditions in that part of the world
and to make report upon his re-
turn to the national committee in
New York and the state committees in
the different states on their findings.
In his travels Mr.. Hopper covered
parts of of Turkey, Armenia, Georgia
and Russia. "In these countries con-
ditons are unbelieably startling" he
said. Misery has fallen like pail
Of gloom upon the whole land. 1t is
just impossible to believe so much
human suffering could exist in this
Goth century.
Misery Everywhere
81 could never forget" continued
Hopper, "the Sunday I spent in
Erivan, the capital city of Armenia.
This city was eace a thriving business
center, where happiness and prosper
ity predominated. Today it is full of
misery. There is no happiness any
where, and the only bright spot where
you can even find smile is inside
the Near East relief orphanage and
the Blue Star of this organization
is truly the only bright star in the
Near East, today.
"Erivan is beautifully laid off city
with artistic stone buildings and at
tractive peaks and gardens. Mount
Ararat with her snow capped peaks
cverlooks the city cools the hot sum-
mer winds, thus making Erivan's eli
mate delightful. In this city alone
the Near East relief organization is
keeping alive 5000 children.
"Alexandropol, a city that is To-
Gated on high plateau some 1000
feet in elevation is also surrounded
by misery. Here woe, sickness, hun
ger, misery and death are rampant.
The buildings in this city have been
completely demolished. by the return
ing Russian soldiers at the time Boil
shevism in this country was trying
to get a foothold. The Turks also
played a big part in wrecking the
city. Here Near East relief is caring
Cor $4,000 children beween the ages
of three and Is years. Each child is
being taught to knit and do other use
are taught farming and carpentering.
The older girls are taught housekeep-
ing and the younger children are
beink taught to knit and do other use
full things that will make them real
useful men and women when they
grow up. These children are also
given several hours each. day in
school. The teachers are native. The
schools are run under the direction of
the Near East relief personnel.
Relief Necessary
81 might go on and explain the
conditions in karaklis, Batum, Der
indge, Ismid, Bardizag, Brusa and
other points in the Near East where
the Near East relief is functioning,
but do not deem, it necessary at this
time. F can only state with emphasis
that if Near East relief should cease
functioning, the death rate among
the children would be very high; in
fact, / do not believe that in any of
our orphanages where we are caring
for, at least 10000 children, one
of them would survive this winter
should the food supply be cut off oy
America at this time.
'There can be no doubt as to the
needs and T can not praise the Amer
lean workers 'over there too highly.
They do not start to work at .
o'clock and quit at 5. but are busy
from daylight until dark and l have
seen the workers in the orphanages
and the doctors in the hospitals at
IL o'clock at night looking after the
children and their needs. / can
truthfully say that in all my travels
in Armenia and Georgia I did not
come in contact with any other relie1
organization. My only solution tc
this is that Near East relief is doing
such splendid work here that other
relief organizations feel that they car
be of greater service in other fields
sI am sure that the good people
Of South Carolina will not forge'
these little children this winter, bu
will rally to their support and set
IL