Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-04-27
Report On
Near East
Relief In
Full Account of Ex-
penditures and Ac-
tivities Is Made To
Congress

Washington, April 81. - Az
counting for the disbursement c
$13,129,117 in 1920 and total q
$6O,00O,000 to date, includin
flour, clothing and medical sup
plies, the annual report OF tn
Near East relief, Incorporated b.
congress August 6. 1919, was filet
with congress today by Charles V
Vickery, general secretary OF thu
relief organization. The report In
cludes an auditors statement by a
firm OF chartered accounts, whose
travelling auditors in the field
check on all exenditures by the
Near East relief. A balance on
hand Of $367,219 is reported.
In regard to the business meth
ods and efficiency OF the organiza-
tion, Admiral Mark L. Bristol,
United States high commissioner
to Turkey, is quoted:
Work Is Praised.
81 have been very closely asso-
riated with the work OF the Near
East relief committee for about 22
months Admiral Bristol reports.
ION the whole, the work OF this
relief committee has been such
that Americans should be proud
of this great humane effort. The
Near East relief here i'll Constan-
tinople is iun more like business
organization than any relief or
ganization with which have ever
come into contact"
As to the accomplishments of
The organization, Mr.. eVickrey's re-
port shows I'll American and Ca
madam relief workers, including
physicians. surgeons, nurses, me-
chanics, Industrial experts, engi-
neers, agriculturists, teachers, ad-
fhinistrators, orphanage experts,
supply, transportation and general
relief workers employed on little
more than volunteer tasis, while
1921 native workers have been
used by the Near East relief or
ganization. According TO the re-
port, 63 hospitals, with 6522 beds,
1873 clinics, i rescue homes, 299
orphanages accommodating $4,000
children In orphanages and 5000
children outside orphanages, have
been maintained by the Near East
relief.
1t is reported that approximate
ly 2,790,490 Armenians are still
living out Of pre-war population
Of about 100000. In parts of
Cilicia alone 1t Is stated that 65
per cent Of the Armenian Christian
population perished from starva-
tion during the war, while in the
whole Of Syria not less than rs
per cent perished from the same
cause. II is estimated that had IL
not been for the American aid
furnished through the Near East
relief, fully half of the present
Armenian population OF the Near
East would have succumbed.
The field of operations of the
Near East relief covers European
Turkey (Thracel, Anatolia, Ar
menia, Cilicia, Kurdistan, Syria,
Palestine, Mesopotamia, Persia and
Transcaucasia. While relief is
given impartially to all needy
without distinction OF race or re-
ligion, the greater part of the
work is declared to have been car
ried on among the Armenians.
Greeks, HISTORIANS, Syrians and
Assyrians, largely Christian, of
whom 1870 were furnished food
during a large part of 1920 while
100000 garments comprising
100000 pounds of clothing and
shoes were distributed to refugees.
In regard to the work among
the children, Mr.. vickery says in
the report:
"A few millions OF dollars wise
iy expended at this time in the
support, education and moulding
of these young lives viii be worth
vastly more TO the world than bill
lions OF dollars that otherwise may A..
later be required In suppressing
warfare and strife. This distinc-
lively humanitarian relief work
IS an expression OF brotherhood I
should help to mark the beginning |
Df a new era OF peace and inter- J
'acial good will In the Near East" l