Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-16

p1eeal LIlVdH we nave eight nunQfed and flfty-tWO
cases IN the hospital, and children dying in all
corners OF Erivan All day long we can hear the
walls and groans Of little children outside the office
buildings hoping we and will pick them up. If
the sun shines little while they quiet down; when
it rains they begin again One day when the rain
turned to snow it awful to listen to them The
note OF terror that came into the general wall was
plainly perceptible upstairs, and had the windows
closed They well know what night in the snow
would mean to them. We are picking them up as
fast as possible but it fatal to crowd them to such
point that we would lose even those already in
orphanage."
Erivan-that time prosperous city of
Armenia, not far from Mount Ararat famous in
days OF peace for the peach orchards and vegetable
gardens that surrounded it every side. Walk
through its streets today and here is what you will
see: "Chlldren walking through the muddy cutters
hunting for bits of orange pees apple cores or any
thing that once resembled food little boys and girls
sleeping IN stables with straw and manure spread
over their bodies to keep them from freezing to
DEATH or, in the early morning, deserted children
lying in the doorways Of the buildings wrapped in
ola burlap bags, some silent perhaps already dead
others sobblng unconscously in their Sleep They
have been placed there during the night by their
mothers, who unable to feed them any longer have
resorted to deserton as final chance to save
their chdren's lives. There is always chance
that they will be rescued by the Americans. and f
is with this one hope that the mothers leave their
little children, praying to God that they will be
saved by the kind and generous Americans"
Has that story of unutterable suffering, of pas
slonate love and gratitude for what has been given
that trusting prayerful appeal for rescue of chill
dren whose lives depend on lls-has it all
grown Wearsome to us? Are we tired of being
kind and generous?" Is there no longer any sac
rtcial tenderness for little children in our hearts?
Is it time to be rid of the burden to stop our giving
and SO, through the Board of Trustees of the Near
East Relief, who must act we dictate, to pro-
nounce the sentence of death on these thousands of
boys and girls who have believed, to the last mo-
ment, that we would save them?
Mothers and fathers of America, it is not truel
You will not allow it! Your hearts have not turned
to stone! What are few paltry miles of distance!
They cannot separate you from that famine
stricken land where dead and dying children litter
the city streets. They cannot shut out from your
vision those hunger-pinched faces and outstretched
hands! You can shut your windows as they did in
very desperation in the City of Ervan but the walls
and means of little children, waiting in rain and
snow, by day and night to be picked up and
clothed and fed, cannot be shut out Of your heart
From far-aWoy stations, by the magic Of science
our homes are beng filled with song and story and
music for the dance But there are messages more
wonderful than any controlled by the wizards of
wireless. They are coming now from far away, and
the story they bring is burdened with tears The
music is not for dancing for those who make it can
scarce stand upon their feet. The song, sweed to
chorus of woe by thousands of little voices that
ought to be musical with laughter, is always the
same: "Hunger!-Bread!' And with the pleading
cry OF the children, there comes voice. sweet and
solemn, saying: "These are MY little ones: We are
My Shepherds; Feed My Lambs"
To catch these messages, every American heart
that has thrilled at the laughter of little child or
er Holiday, Treasurer Room 2O5 American Nntion,