Armenian Massacre Claims Nearly One Million in Year ‘15

-Many of Remained in Turkish  Provinces Driven into Barren, Desert District

-Red Cross Gives Aid

-Sum of $300,000 Appropriated in July for Aid of Needy; More Assured if Turks Permit

Nearly one million Armenians were massacred or driven to death during the year 1915, and the remained of the race within Turkish dominions were deported from their homes in a desert country where they were unable to support themselves, according to advices received by the Portland chapter of the American Red Cross.

It is also stated that about 500,000 Greeks who formerly lived in prosperous villages south of the Black sea have been deported in a similar manner and are now destitute and helpless.

The National Red Cross council appropriated in July $300,000 for the relief of the Armenians and Syrians.  It is expected to make appropriations for each succeeding month of the present year providing the Turkish government does not interfere.  

Americans Given Permission

The American committee is the only organization outside of the Red Crescent (controlled by the Turkish government) which is allowed to administer relief in certain portions of the Turkish empire.  Its field of operations includes not only Asia Minor and those portions of Armenia and Syria that are in the Ottoman empire, but it also includes a large section of Armenia now dominated by the Russian army as well as the Russian Caucasus, Persia, Mesopotamia, and portions of Egypt and Macedonia, into which refugees, Armenian, Syrian and Greek, have fled in large numbers.  With the exception of the work being done by the Jewish relief committee, the American committee is the only organized agency organized for affording relief in this great area.  

The making of this appropriation by the Red Cross to cooperate with relief agencies in the theatre of war to the end that there shall be the utmost aid afforded, while overlapping of effort is as far as possible avoided.  The appropriation is made upon application of James L. Barton, chairman, and C.V. Vickrey, secretary, respectively, of the American committee for Armenian and Syrian relief, and, after investigation, is thoroughly approved by the Red Cross committee on cooperation, of which Judge Robert S. Lovett is chairman.

Dire Need Is Pictured

The appeal to the Red Cross for aid estimates that there are 2,000,000 people in western Asia whose death can be prevented only by direct and continued help from this American committee.  These people have been exiled from their homes and are in regions where self support is practically impossible.  From one town alone there is a call to provide for 10,000 fatherless children.  The estimated number of orphans in another district is given by the American consul as 40,000.  In the entire field the number of orphaned children is estimated to run into hundreds of thousands.

In the Caucasus, the American committee has found it imperative to provide employment for women, many of whom have lost their husbands, their children and all their material possessions.  These women take wool in the rough and make it into garments for other destitute.  

While it is true that the larger part of the american committee’s relief has been given to Christians, this has not been because they were Christians, but rather, because they residing under Moslem rule, they were first to suffer.