Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-26
NEAR EAST RELIEF

\ ways have with us. We 1
them at home and all over the
world appealing to our charity. Blu
once in a while the need stands out
conspicuously before all the worle
and cries for help. 1t was so II
Russia and in China recently and
it is SO at Smyrna and the islands
off the coast of Asia Minor just
now. There the Greek refugee:
are literally starving by the hun
dreds of thousands we are told
President Harding has asked the
people of this country to contri'
butte literally to them and the
American Red Cross and the Near
East Relief association have as
surned the task. The Literary Di'
gest makes appeal through its ad'
vertising for charity. The picture
of conditions in the Near East Is
so full of terror and anguish words
can not portray it. Mark Q. Prem
tiss, for the Near East Relief
cables: 81 have seen terrible sights
until my senses are numb, but the
sight of 100000 people, mostly wo'
men and children, being penned Ut
and burning, and those escaping be
ing driven to a barren, devastated
country for starvation, is past al
comprehension That vas in
Smyrna. Hundreds Of thousand:
more, both Christians and Jews
fleeing from persecution and ths
sword, are crowding the Other
ports of Asia and the nearby is
lands of the sea awaiting rescue
or death. In Saloniki a hundres
thousand are herded in deplorabl'
confusion. The city has been il
ruins since the great fire of 1915
and affords little more shelter thar
Smyrna. In the island of Mitylen'
another hundred thousand PENN
less fugitives have sought refug'
only to find there a new danger o
pestilence and a more convenlen
harbor of starvation.
Panic has seized upon the fright
ened wanderers. Many have ever
cast themselves into the flames o.
their own homes. Food IS gone
even water to drink is at a prem
ium. Families are broken up
while parents in frenzy of despair
seek their lost children. Hundred
of mothers have given premature
birth to infants in the midst of ter
ror and death. Half-fed babies
covered with scurvy, try in vain tt
draw nourishment from thei
mothers empty breasts.
9 Quick compassion is needed; de
Law mean death for scores Of thou
| sands who might be saved. Some
thing heroic in giving is needed
You are not there in the midst 0
the terror and the frantic cries TO
help. If you were, you would lea
into the sea-, if need be, or brav
the flames, the sword, the plague
to snatch back from death som
HELPLESS woman or little child. Yo'
would not see them perish IN agon.
before your eyes if you could saw
! them. even at the risk of your lite
Here, in this smiling land of com
! fort. where your home is safe, an
your loved ones dwell in peace
that am terror and anguish O
helpless ON and children com
TO across the { and call t
all that is heroic and generous /
! your heart.
"Whoso hath this worlds good
and seetf his brother have neee
and shutteth up his bowels OF com
| passion from him"-ah, but tn
/ Master did not mean you. You
heart is warm with compassion an
your hand will be open wide wit
help. Perhaps you will feel a me
ment of shuddering pity for thos
| shriveled souls, if there be an
such in this land of plenty. VIII
revel in abundance and refuse t
share it, to whom the Master SAT-
"Woe unto you that are full! TO
We shall hunger. Woe unto 20
that laugh now! Forsy e shal
weep" And then you will seiz
gladly upon that other divine wor
of the Christ and send it acros
the sea with your speedy gifts t
comfort and save, and your gift
will make good the message
BLESSED are we that hunger now
for We shall be filled. Blessed ar
We that weep now; for ye sha'
Taught"
President Harding has appoint
ed as a special committee, wit
VIII H. Hayes as chairman, tn