Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-17
HORROR IN TURKEY
/ Barred BY WITNESS
Or. Mark Ward Confers With
Near East Relief Officials
on Aiding Refugees
TO MEET IN GERMANTOWN

Tales of Turkish atrocities in the
interior of Asia Minor. just before the
burning Of Smyrna. were described TO-
day BY an eye witness. pr. Marx
word. director Of the Near East Reliet
Orphanage at Ilnrpoot. who has JUST
returned to this country after hnvlh!
been deported from Turkey by order of
Kemal Pasha.
Or. Ward spent three years In the
interior of Turkey. and 1t was due to
his exposure Of Turkish crueltles to
Armenians and Greeks that the allied
governments were induced to name II
special commission to investigate the
Turkish situation. The commission got
as far as Constantinople hut was not
permitted to go into the interior OF the
country TO get first hand information.
Dr Ward Is in this city holding
conferences with Near East Relief Of
fc;als relative to supplying relief :"
refugees driven out by the Turks. He
Nill make his first public address on his
exnericnccs at mass meeting IN tho
C}ermnntown branch of the y. NJ. {. "
next Saturday night.
Tells Of Gruesome Atrocities
"Just before was deported from
Harpoot," said DR.. Ward. Il was an
eve witness to the most gruesome atroc ,
ities--murders and ravaGes that rival
even those experienced by the Chris
tians at Smyrna.
"For days and night there passed tn"
Near East Orphnnage Mt Narpoot :
where we have been caring for nearly
6OOO orpban children. long line Of
half starved men. women and children,
some of them go weak from IN" coll
and from lack Of food chat they looked
like skeletons. Behind them were reg-
ments Of Turkish so diers, driving those
unfortunates up into the blenk noun
tain passes to die of hunger and eH-
posure. 49,, 49,, 3.
vas only after much persuasion that
the Turkish army officials permitted US
10 rive them few ounces each OF food.
I was told it would be waste OF
food.
1--WE Americans at Harpoot pleaded
with the Turks to be permitted to take
'>eare Of the women and children sspe
cially but were repulsed. The TURK
told us very plainly that the Chris
tians were all doomed to death.
"When the refugees became so weak
they could hardly walk. they were
thrown along tne way W ute, -
trip I made over the only road leading
through Harpoot to the Syrian deserts
on the south, We counted looO ood!es
Of men, women and children.
200 Out Of 10000 Survive
1.-THE Turks prided themselves they
were doing the humane thing in not
killing them all outright and In glving
them n chance to get across the bleak
mountain passes. where they might save
themselves. You can imagine how many
saved themselves when I tell you VT
learned Of the safe arrival, through q
binding snowstorm. Of 200 refugee
out of q total Of 10000 we counted a!
they passed our orphanege.
1.-THE Turks when sacking Marsavon
eiyas and ArabkIr. killed of all tn
able. bodied men and took with then
into the army the girls and younl
women.
II was repeatedly warned by Kema
Pasha to keep my mouth closed abou
these killings, but I frankly told hin
l would tell them to the world. De
spite this threat, he gave me safe-c con
duct from Tuk key, together with one
Of my associate workers. Later
learned he placed price on my EraC
when he heard that had detailed my
experiences 70 the British Foreign OF
nee, which. in turn. made them public
In the British Parliament.
Or. Ward is a graduate Of Amhers,
apd Columbia Colleges. He went tc
Harpoot three years ago.