New Britain herald., 1928-05-09

NEAR EAST RELIEF
 OBJECT EXPLAINED
tS2,0@ Need Hel p, Barclay ACheS0n Declares at Meeting

Claiming that the rtcial minori- ties in the Near East were brought into fearful conditions hy throwing their lot in against the central DOW CTS and then being deserted by the allies. Barclay Acheson, director general Of the Near East Relief, told almost 300 hearers al a ban quet al St. Marks church last night that America could not desert friends who had given so much for a common cause in the World War The dinner opened the drive of the Near East Relief for S1l, 900 in this city as part Of the s5, 500 .O0O which is needed to carry the relief organization through until it is dis banded next year. Rev. Theodore A. Greene, pastor Of the First Con grcGationai church, announced that S1,942.23 had already been raised
 The very circumstances by which the Near Eastern peoples came to suffer form one reason why America should give, Mr. Achoson said. Tur- key at the beginning of the war, was composed of semi i-ndependcn minoritics paying tribute 10 an ovcr- lord. The allies promised to recog- nizc their nationalist ambitions in re turn for support. but these promises were never fulfilled and the Arnen- ians and others were left to be mas sacred, dcported, and otherwise mis- treated, the speaker said.
 There never was 8 time when , they could not have escaped if they had been willing to give up their religion,' Mir Achcson emphasized, but they preferred to remain Christians Ambassador Henry Morgcnlhau called American attcn- ton to the conditions and the Near East Relief was chartcd by congress , not to attempt 10 right wrongs, Mir .Acheson said, but merely 10 alleviate suffering.
 The refugees are being pushed , back into normal pursuits are fast as possible. he went on, but there still remain 13o, 900 who cannot care for themselves The vitality of these people is oo per cent lowered be- cause Of disease, he pointed out but the relief workers are at least mak- ing the children serm- conscious in the hope that 132 ,oo0 young people properly instructed will prove a driving force toward sanitary condi- ! tions.
 These children have pcrforcc been trained for useful citizenship, but conditions were such that only one occupation was open 10 them. This ! was agriculture, and the relief work CTS have taught the refugees scicnti- i fic methods, so that in some in stances the yield is at present four | times what it vas with the old fashioned methods.
 We arc no group of snivclling senitmcntalists going into tho coun- try and dropping nickcls here and thcre,' MT. Achcson declared
 Either let people die or give them
 something to live for, is my belief
 We have inoculatcd these people
 with new ideas. new forces. The greatest fact about the East today is that it has broken with the past and is no longer bound by tradition. We cannot quit now. we must complete our task creditably."
 Lady Anne Azgapctian, in the uni
 form of the Russian field hospital
 with which she served during the war. presented an impassioncd plea
 from Armenian women to the pco-
 pie Of this country and on behalf of her countrymcn, thanked the Ameri- cans for the work which has already been done. She told q few of her
 the Near East Relief helped savc
 her life when she reached ono of its soup kitchens after a long flight
 with her child
 Captain Narrow, Connecticut
 representative of the Near East Re. lief, made brief address. Rev. Samuel Sutcliffe. rector of the church. was postmaster After the program of speeches new films showing the work Of the Near East
 Relief were screened.
 Young women from three s.
 Marks church orga nizations, the
 Daughters of the King, the Girls Friendly Society and the Young Peoples Fellowship. acted as wait, tresses. while Boy Scouts served ss ushers. The Boys club fife and drum corps played before the din ner.