The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-10-31
f feiis Why ArmeDianS
Are Not Selt-Supportiog

c. Y. Vickery. general secretary
OF the Near East Relief, writing to
Harold F. Pellegrin, Maryland State
Director, from Constantinople, tells
of the situation and explains why
the Armenians are not self-support-
ing. He writes as follows:
Constantinople. Aug. "a, 1921.
MI H. F. Pellegrin,
Near East Relief,
IA W. Franklin ST,
Baltimore, Md, L. s. A.
Dear Mr.. Pellegrin:
My earlier letter from ConStanti-
nople may have sounded somewhat
jubilant | was then witnessing the
fruitage OF fairly we'll organized or
phanage work under relatively peace
full conditions.
[ have since been in the Causaus
and in the heart Of Armenia. A faith
full record of the past three weeks
would form q marked contrast with
my earlier letter. | have seen the
dead and the dying of starvation. l
walked through streets of once pros
porous cities, where not one article
OF worthwhile merchandise could be
seen for sale. Streets and market
places are used chiefly as bartering
places where people are endeavoring
TO exchange q secondhand garment
or other personal property for food
with which to satisfy hunger. And
this in the month of August. Ones
imagination recoils before the pic
ture OF what conditions will be in
February and March.
The question naturally occurs
are the people to blame and why do
they not regain self-support? There
are, of course, many factors, but one
of the main reason is that these
cities and surrounding lands were &C
cupied by enemy forces until the
21st of April OF the present year
with no transportation or communl-
cation with the outside world. After
April 21st it was impossible to Sc
cure sufficient seed and plant
enough land to produce adequate
food supplies and the fact that with
in three weeks | have stood beside
heaps OF human bones and half-de-
composed bodies representing the re
mains of 500 women and children
killed in one spot within the pres
ent year-and these were only part
OF thousands nOn-combatants who
persisted in that Vicinity-suggests
the reign of terror that has paralyz-
ed all normal self-suppOrting actiVi-
ties The people are trying to help
themselves and the existing govern
ment is doing everything that is hui
manly possible for q government to
do unaa. nrpSpnt conditions. hut wit h
out outside help there will be a
death rate in the Caucasus during
the coming year comparable only to
that which many of our workers wit
messed three years ago.
Or course, there is brighter side
within our Orphanage compounds,
where the children know no hunger
and where they laugh and sing and
play, apparently obliyious to stalk
ing death outside the compound. 1t
is most gratifying sight to see
these children, literally thousangs of
them. ar work making their own
clothing for the winter from cast-off
American garments and even from
empty -four sacks, and otherwise
bending every effort to meet their
own needs. These children, we hope
on present prospects to be able to
keep alive, but we must face the
question as to how much we can do
toward taking in other children and
providing for helpless women and
dependents who are not noWgs0n our
lists.
Sincerely yours,
G. V. EICKERY.