The Washington herald., 1921-02-11
SITS DOWN WHEN
ASKED TO GIVE
UP RIDING PANTS
Girl Welfare Worker Out
wits Turks Demands
For Her Breeches.

A simple yet thrilling story OF
how a brave young American. Miss
Betty Anderson, Of New York, re-
fused to surrender her riding
breeches when the Turkish Nation
aIist forces overwhelmed kars, IN
Armenia. and how. by standing, or
sitting. pat, she preserved her neither
garments, created a profound sensa-
tion at the session OF the conference
OF State directors for the Near East
Relief in Hotel ChalfOnte some days
ago.
The stirring news about Miss An
derson and her "breeches' and Of
the similarly brave action OF Cora
Beach. OF New York, who is in
| charge Of 1900 boys in an orphan
/ age. and Of Elizabeth Gillespie, Of
] Detroit, who is an orphanage super
visor in the same Armenian city, was
/ contained in a budget OF informs-
| ton on the Near Eastern situation
I just received from Edward Fox. who
/ is district commander at kars.
il appears that Miss Anderson was
. wearing a natty pair Of riding
/ breeChes for Utilitys sake rather
. than appearances. when the Turks
swarmed into tho city on the heels
OF the fleeing refugee populstionF s
They promptly divested George
White. ono OF the orphansEo dlrct-
tors. and surgeon Of their uni
forms. on the ground that under No
circumstances should civilians b.
permitted TO wear such Earb. as
possible militsristiC example for the
terrified Armenians. and while tho
two men were shiverinE in their
B Y. D.s called upon Mis- And"--
son to discard her olve-drah
? brecches. She fstly refused
Touch Not Those BreecbeS.-
There WAS a.tense five or ton min
{ utes. Then a Turkish sergeant who
e., could speak French and had heard
v something OF America. appearc.
( most opportUncly. drove Of her pc
d secutUrs and told the worried
c Young American She could keep hog
70 trousers.
! Miss Beach sat in front OF the
d building housing her orphans win o..
e the excitement OF the Turkish se.z-
( ure was at its height Not posse
? sing d gun. she was armed with a
club. and this stout weapon she
4. brandIshed around the heads o' IN
:. soldiery when they attempted t0
: pass the door. causing them 10
Il hastily withdraw.
Miss Gillespie. her Co-worker. also
was armed with club. and she pc
4. Iced" the street in front OF the or
u phansge throughout tho night.
The american faE meant nothing
TO these people. hut tho Uudauntsd
appearance Of our heroic girls d.d
u not fail 10 impress them during Oh.
e brief period before order had been
restored and when. II they had been
less brave. almost anything might
IS have happened" Fox wrote.
N Leave Americans Alone.
n At Erivan. where some 10000 or,
r phaned children OF Armenian refu'
le gees are being cared for 10y the Neal
Last workers. the Americans Csn'
l. into direct touch with the command
re ers Of the Soviet invaders Of Rus
l. sian Armenia for the first time
There was a conference lasting fo'
hours. The Bolshevists were NO
inclined TO issue any direct orders
FINALLY il was developed thai
n there We're among the America
" workers a number who held some
j. what s0cia1istic ideas. "If YOU ar
.e Socialists you must he BolshevIsts,
al the Red leaders concluded irium
le phantly and after that there hal
,r heen no trouble UP TO the time Fox
letter was forwarded from hsr'
The final injunction given was tina
n the Americans should not be dls
NJ turhed unless they preached anu
10 BolshevistiC doctrines.
Copyright 1871 Public Ledger Co.