Arizona republican., 1922-04-16

, bags. some silent, perhaps already
dead, others sobbing unconsciously in
their sleep. They have been placed
there during the night by their
mothers who. unable to feed them any
longer, have resorted to desertion as
a final chance to save their children's
lives. There is always a chance that
they will be rescued by. the Ameri-
cans, and it is with this one hope that
the mothers leave their children,
praying to God that they will be
saved by the kind and generous
Americans 2
Has that story of unutterable suf-
fering, of passionate love and grati-
tude for what has been given, that
trusting, prayerful appeal for rescue
of children whose lives now depend
on us--has it all grown wearisome
to us? Are we tired of being kind
and generous?" Is there no longer
any sacrificial tenderness for little
children in our hearts? Is it time to
be rid of the burden. TO stop our CIV
ing, and so. through the board OF
trustees of the Near East Relief, who
must act as we dictate, to pronounce
the sentence Of death on these thou
sands of boys and girls who have be-
llGNGu, 10 the ldSL AliUlilSnts tlldt We
would save them?
Mothers and fathers OF America,
1t is not true! You will not allow it!
Your hearts have not turned to
stonei What are a few paltry miles
Of distance! They can not separate
you from that stricken land,
where dead and dying children litter
the city streets. They can not shut
out from your vision those hunger
pinched faces and ontstretched
hands! You can shut your windows,
as they did, in very desperation. in
the City of Erivan; but the walls
and means of little children, wait
ing in rain and snow. by day and
night, to be picked up" and clothed
and fed, can not be shut out OF your
heart.
From far-away stations. by the
magic of science. our homes are be-
ing filled with song, and story. and
music for the dance But there are
messages more wonderful than any
controlled by the wizards of wire-
less, 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, swelled 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 a voice, sweet
and solemn, saying: These are MY
little ones; ye are Ny shepherds;
Feed My Lambs"
To catch these messages. every
- 4
the laughter of a little child or
throbbed at its cry of pain is the
receiving instrument. and the messS
ages are broadcasted to us from the
very throne of Heaven.
No mistake can be more tragic at
this moment than for you to say, as
YOU read: "The call is not 10 me; !
can mott need not respond this
time: others will give, and the chill
dren will not have to die"
There are no others~-if you turn
away. The appeal has gone through
out the length and breadth of this
great land, and these ''others" have
heard it and some have given gladly:
but too many have said; Il need not
respond this time" During the past
four months not enough has been
given to continue the care even of
those children already gathered into
the hospitals and orphanages, while
thousands more are waiting TO be
.epicked up" from the streets and
countryside.
There are no others-if you refuse.
Armenia is surrounded by bankrupt
nations, or nations struggling to keep
themselves from bankruptcy. Europe
is full of suffering and need. Ar
menia's only hope is America. A
~. III A -fsrs,
fails at this crisis.
There are no others to love and
care for Armenia,s little children
no others but you. The vast majority
are orphans Father is dead mother.
too. IS dead: sister--if not dead is
praying God for death: brother is
dead: aunt and uncle, grandfather
and grandmother--all dead. the home
destroyed, and the lonely little girl
or boy has no one-but you. You are
father, and mother. and sister, and
brother-the only one in whose heart
the sad little waif can now find
refuge.
How splendidly you have given,
perhaps, sometime in the past. and
have brought health and laughter to
some of Armenia's little sufferers.
But for everyone saved then, at least
one other was left without food. or
shelter or friends. And the child
to whom you gave one meal day
last ~ear can not live now if that
meal is stopped. A year ago the
delivery of supplies for the Alex
andropol orphanage was interrupted
between November and May by
transportation difficulties. Before
April the children had to be placed
on half rations. and by the first OF
May. on the very morning the supply
yv.t1soA tho lost mao arat. ffnVa