The Denver Jewish news., 1925-09-24

D0OO at one time, marched on Journeys
Testing from thr~e 10 ax months y,
percent OF the children were under
fourteen years OF ugc, G3 percent under |
twelve; thousands OF them were max
ing their fourth or afth migration sint,,
the war. utterly hoioeless and utterly
dependcnt GU these foreigners who
came 10 minister TO them us agents of |
overseas friends,
Add 10 the triumph Of this Americas |
achievement the difficulty Of changing |
from one national regime 10 apothee |
two Of three times cnch change mean.
ing endless red tape. Hundreds and
even thousands of children thrust them
selves into the orphanage troops as
they hurried toward the ports OF en-
harkation. and the, alternative TO tax
ing them along was leaving them to
die. Thousands Of adults claimed
asylum with the migrating mission.
Wherever possible they were helped
in the Near East today who would
surely have persisted without such
help.
Then, on arrival at some place where
life was safe, therv was first the ef.
fort to place children In homes and
families as far as possible. II spenks
volumes for the hospitality OF the Near
eastern Christian races that, although
| these were children from foreign land
and the peighborhoods OF their new set
Elements were poor and the peoples "
their new countries were little familiar
with the thought of public philan-
thropy, over $4,000 children were plac-
ed In homes or similarly cared for
and taken from the orphanaye lists.
This left some Ge,OOO to care for in
groups varying IN size from few
hundred 10 that greatest OF all chill.
dens institutions. the Alexsndropol or
phanage with its $4,000 boys and girls
Since Smyrna. the Near East Relief
has devoted its energies to reconstruc-
tion. 1t has thus far splcndidly
achieved the initial stages OF this
colossal task. With 100 American
workers and several hundred efficient
local workers. its stations have become
ceniers OF organized child life. These
stations stretch across six countries, in
cluding cities and towns where Jesus
lived and worked, cities and islands
touched by Paul In his missionary
Journeys. villages Of the far inland
regions stretching up toward the Cas-
plan, famous towns of classic Greece.
We would shrink frcW the thought
of organized child life OH such a vast
scale unless we were assured that
| through it all there has been distinct
recognition of individual worth. One
has but to turn the pages Of the vari-
Gus illustrated reports prepared by the
Near East Relief to catch on every
other page the face of child whose
individual name is often given. the
anecdote of Il boy or girl whose personal
development is being watched with un-
usual care for some special reason, two
or three children in poses that mark
children as children the world over
to be convinced that In miraculous
WAY this high enterprise has managed
To think in terms of the Individual
child 1t is fact matched only by
the marvellous conception and courage
of tine whole undertaking.
Who can road the Birds Nest Or
or the Dolls H"uSc nj Cci,llalonia with
its 500 kindergar;cners. without realiz-
ing something Of the personal concern
back OF This mass mothcring? The
island of Syra. famed in Homer as II
place where dearth never comes nor
are people plagued by sickness" is
allotted to $500 children housed in
building largely constructed by their
own hands. who are being taught
trades in connection with II Industries
on the island. preparatory to spread
ing throughout the Near East as
apostles of the idcalism of America
These strange pathetic population of
orphans are being watched over with
a fatherly and motherly interest which
combines concern for the relief of i'm
me%iiate need with foresight for the
years to come
Never before has it been possible TO
show what can he done with whole
nation of children brought up under
entirely good and wholesome and in
htelligent influences. We shall watch
their effect upon the Levant as they
scatter with the coming years to in
nucnce it in every phase of life. The
~ industries In % training ccnters, the
hospitals, the homes, are permeatcd