The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-06-02
KENTUCKY GIRL
Tells OF ARMENIA
CONTRASTS spLeND OF
HAREM WITH MISERY OF
STARVING CHRISTIANS.
Driven 70 Seek Refuge In orsveyards
And To Use Rats For Food Peo-
pie Have Hope only In Gen.
crosby OF Amer ca.

Sheltman, daughter Of MIR and Mrs.
Wdd, Sheltman, Louisville, is living
IN The midst Of the scene Of the trag-
edy of Armenia
Miss Sheltman is We'll known ~ Ken
tuckians. She was formerly connected
with the Pine Mountain Settlement ia
Harlan County. During the period fol-
loving the armistice she served as re-
construction aid in Germany, France
and Belgium
Miss Sheltman is supervisor of one
of the industries established by tho
Near East Relief al STEAMBOAT, near
C"nstantinople. In letters to her par
ents and friends she tells the sorry OF
the Arnenians, who are homeless and
dying and awaiting crumbs which fall
from Americas hands She also de-
scribes visit 10 Turkish harem. the
magnificcnce of which formed a strik-
ing contrast to the suffering all about
her, she said.
Writing IT the general conditions
Miss Sheltman says the atmosphere
OF COnstantinople Is one of constant
turmoil, strife and hatred
The Turks try to run over the Ar
menans and the Armenians try 10
run over the Turks" she said. And
all Of them try 10 run over the Jews,
who in turn retaliate."
Eats Dogs and Cats.
She says that the former verdant
fields of the Armenians are without
vegetation or life Of any sort. There
are no houses for the refugees, no
crops, no living animals-which might
be used as food All the cats, dogs
and horses have been killed and eaten.
she writes. she tells of one instance
when she saw group of persons
carefully guarding live rats, which
when hunger could not be satisfied
otherwise
Describing the homes of some Ar
menians who have ceased wandering
back and forth from place to place,
| she SAYS
| II followed the old sea walls for
several miles and saw persons living
in ruins--in dugonts, even in grave
yards, utilizing ton,bstones for part Of
their impoverished novels. The filth
and wretChedneSs were unspeakable.
Even the beach was nothing but slime
and Tin cans and refuse of every kind.
and the waves were black with the
| filth and debris that washed out with
one wave and back with the next"
\ visit Ia one of the places Of the
Sultan of Turkey affords a contrast
| lng scene:
| Yesterday we went To the Serag-
| lilo. one of the Suttan's places, 60
Ing through the different kiosks (sum-
mer houses), The library, the harem,
etc 1t was all beautiful. Such ex-
| quisite rich colOring, have never seen
| before. We were ushered into a grea;
reception room, where we sat around
very stiff and formally while the at
PENDANTS passed cigarettes and Turk
lsh coffee, served ia gold cups, each
of which was set with thirty large
diamonds. Speaking OF diamonds,
though Constantinople is at present
| the most expensive place in the world
to live, jewelry is one Of the things one
can get for a song. Much Of IL has
been brought in by Russian refugees"
Where the Money Goes.
Miss Sheltmar is experimenting
the. buying of materials for "fabricii,"
an industry which furnishes employ-
ment for several hundred Armenian
women and girls. Near the "fabrica"
are orphanages of the Near East Re
| lief organization, where thousands Of
children are cared for. Enough food
is given to them 10 keep the breath OF
| life. II is here that the money col
lected in America goes after CONVEX
sion into food and supplies
Miss Shel,man says she has no per
sOnal fear for her safety. for Ameri-
can ships are anchored in the harbor
| of COnStantinOple, and the Turk, be-
/ cause of his respect for Americas
/ power, does not disturb American cit
| liens or the Armenlans in industries
| and orphanagts operated by Ameri-
| cans. However, in the outlying dis
/ tricts, the people are unprotected and
/ the massacre goes on, much the same
ss II has for years, she writes.
| " ritlng OF the work OF the indus
| tries, Miss Sheltman tells with regret
OF the laying on OF 100 workers, be-
cause OF insufficient funds 10 provide
work for them.
Every day they return. begging
and crying for work. she said. at
is distressing, but | realize that II we
can just get our feet again II will
mean 50 much to these people. My
position here lays me open to contin-
ual demands for relief and at pres
ent (the middle OF February | have
only 81 left OF my salary 10 run me
the rest Of the month";
All America Ia sending relief TO this
| stricken people. Miss Beth Higgins,
State director. Louisville Trust Build