495

2.

Tabriz,
October 5th, 1917.

"Persia Committee asks merican approval inclusion special relief
forty thousand driven from home by war. Villages destroyed. Extreme
destitution. At least children should be saved. No hope
except America. Wholesale relief work most strategic measure
pacification. Ellis Beury Allen made personal tour and report
most abject suffering they have seen."

Shedd Gracey Eilis Beury

Berne, Switzerland
October 6, 1917

"Reports just at hand from our distributing agents (within Turkish
Empire) show late cessation grants for relief caused great distress
and mortality. This demonstrates that we had been reaching needy and
no other agency takes our place. Recent grants from fund are most
timely saving many lives and greatly encouraging workers. Newly received
funds largely employed for purchasing supplies food from newly
harvested crops before same is cornered with resulting increase in
prices. All people remaining reported well and greatly uplifted and
cheered by resumption of relief credits. Express determination to see
it through. Facing winter conditions hopefully."

FROM OTHER CENTERS

Personal reports recently brought from Tiflis by Dr. Macallum;
from Constantinople by Mr. Ranney and others; from Harpout by Consul
Davis; from Aleppo by Consul Jackson; from Jerusalem, Beirut, Smyrna, Aintab
and other centers by missionaries and eye witnesses, more than confirm
all previous reports as to the terrible need and bring most grati-fying
assurance of the effectiveness of relief distribution.

Letters from Ambassador Elkus, former Ambassador Morgenthau,
former Ambassador Strauss, Consul Davis and others, are but typical of
the assurances continually coming as to the effectiveness of relief work.

CO-OPERATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

The Department of State is doing everything within its power
to facilitate the work of the Committee and has recently given full official
authorization for the Committee not only to send general funds
through its agents, missionaries and others into all parts of Western
Asia, but has authorized the handling of relief from individuals in the
United States to individuals within the Turkish dominions. The Department
of State is doing everything within its power to facilitate this
life saving service.

There is likewise every evidence of increasing friendliness
on the part of Turkish officials.

A LIFE AND DEATH RESPONSIBILITY

The task is colossal. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at
stake within the next few weeks. We can save them but we cannot do it
with leisure moments and spare pennies. The present day crisis demands
personal sacrifice on an heroic scale. Some person or group of persons