The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-08-13
NEAR EAST MAKES
ANNUAL REPORT
Relief Workers Tell of
Conditions and Accom-
plishments.
TO CONTINUE SUPPORT

The Near East Relief has cleared up
a deficit of 100000 since the begin
ming of the current fiscal year, accord
ing to the annual report of its Ma
tional Board of Trustees, which mas
just been published. This deficit, 1t is
noted, was the result Of the far-reach-
ing refugee operations carried on by
the organization since the Smyrna dis
aster. The society hopes to come
through the current year without any
similar financial embarrassment.
The annual report. which is an ofti-
cial Congressional document issued In
accordance with the organizations ma
tional charter, gives comprehensive
idea of the far-reaching relief opera
tions which the American people have
carried out in Bible lands during the
past year. Although financial consid-
erations necessitated the limitation of
the work mainly to established orphan
age and child-welfare work, the serv-
ice Of Near East Relief reached 554,-
s7S persons, and total expenditures
were $3,966,329.
The widespread constituency and
support which the organization com
mands throughout the United States is
indicated by the fact that during the
year ACT 1926 official receipts were sent
to contributors, and many of these
receipts represented large groups Of
givers, in churches, clubs or commun-
ity committees.
In an attempt to appraise the value
of relief operations in the Near East,
the work of this American philan-
thropy is likened to the work of the
Dawes Commission in Western Europe.
In this connection, it is noted that
Vice President Dawes has been for
several years an active member of the
National Board of Trustees of Near
East Relief.
Special paragraphs of the report call
attention to certain outstanding ac-
tivities of the organization, such as
the agricultural schools, the nurses
training courses, the successful efforts
at child-placing, the industrial train
ing, and the development of a COM
prehensive educational program. In
summing up the years work, the gen
eral secretary says:
"In our land of unequaled wealth,
unbroken peace, and unprecedented
prosperity, it is hard to visualize the
continued wartime confusion and suf-
fering in the Near East. Following
IL years of almost continuous war
fare, devastating already impoverished
countries, there has been during the
year under review, a continuation of
the compulsory exchange of population
that, in human tragedy, defies des-
cription.
''In addition to the more than 1,000,-
900 foreign born, and, in large meas
ure, foreign-speaking Greeks and Ar
menians that had previously been driv-
en- from their ancient homes in Ana
tolia to the over-populated regions OF
Greece and Macedonia, there has this
year been a continued forced exodus,
swelling the already overcrowded re-
fugee camps and villages. These peo-
pie are among the oldest residents of
Asia Minor, descendants Of the
founders of the Seven Churches of
Asia.
ain Greece, Northern Syria and Rus
sian Armenia, where they now sojourn,
they are not only foreign-born but
speak a foreign language and many of
them have no claim upon the land or
resources of the countries that gener-
ously give them haven. All observers
bear witness to the thrift, industry
and enterprise of the able-bodied
among these refugees. They attain
self-support against almost impossible
handicaps, but unfortunately the pro-
portion of able-bodied men is small.
Most of them are women and children
the women in large measure weak
ened or broken by years of inhuman
suffering, exposure and maltreatment
"It would require volumes to record
the indebtedness of America and our
Western civilization to these Eastern
lands and peoples. The very alphabet
upon which our literature and writ
ten communications are based, the nu-
merals in which our wealth and prof
it's are reckoned, the religions that
hold us to higher ethical ideas, the
great characters and leaders that chal-
lengc us to our best, have all come
from the Near East. It is to their
descendants that we have an oppor-
tunity to show our gratitude for the
great heritage Of the past by helping
their children, now orphaned, in the
hour of need.
from purely selfish standpoint Of
insuring permanent world peace, we
must needs minister to the Near East.
Unless peace and goodwill is estab-
lished in this area of age-long war
and strife, there can never be abiding
peace in the rest of the world By
the expression of goodwill toward
these innocent war victims and by
training them in lives of forgiveness,
unselfsh service and industrial leader
ship, we not only acknowledge in some
measure our Indebtedness to the Near
East, but we help to insure our own
peace and prosperity and that of the
rest of the world"