Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1920 — WAR NURSE FROM ARMENIA ASKS AMERICA’S AID [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAR NURSE FROM ARMENIA ASKS AMERICA’S AID

Soldier Husband and Battlefield Baby Touring Country With _ Her for Near East Relief. A mother, father and daughter, the latter born in a tattered Red Cross tent In the Icy Caucasus while guns roared all around and Turkish shells, Ignoring the mercy emblem, burst near It, are touring America In behalf of their native Armenia. They are General Mezrop Nevton Azgapetian, his

wife. Lady Anne, and Ireneh Esther Araxie Azgapetian, whose baby eyes opened upon scenes of horror and later through them saw much of the sufferings of the people of Armenia. The family are making their tour under auspices of the Near East Relief, the big organization which has saved hundreds of thousands of the people tn that part of the world from death by hunger arid cold and Is soon to open a nation wide campaign for funds to complete the work of saving the survivors, more than a half million of whom must perish unless aid comes to them soon. America is their only hope. General Azgapetian served gallantly tn the Russian armies In the Caucasus against the Turks. His wife, who accompanied him to the front, did noble work for the wounded and sick, and It was while in this service that her baby was born In a hospital tent during a battle. An army blanket swung from two poles in one corner of the tent was the baby's crib during the rest of that terrible winter campaign. With the collapse of the Russian armies after the Bolshevist revolution the Azgapetians returned to Armenia for a brief spell and did their best to alleviate the suffering they found on every hand. But with a Turkish price on his head the father finally made his way with his family through Russia to Finland and then to this country. What they tell of conditions and needs in Armenia is first hand evidence. In the Caucasus, Armenia, Syria, Turkey and Persia are more than 250,000 orphans, helpless little victims of war, massacre and deportation, and for the great majority the only bar between them and absolute starvation Is a bowl of hot bean soup every day. This soup is supplied by the Near East Relief now making an appeal to the American people for sufficient funds to increase this dole and to provide these suffering little ones with clothing and give them an education that will help them to become self supporting. It Is estimated that more than 1,500,000 in Western Asia will die of starvation unless American aid is continued.

LADY ANNE AZGAPETIAN.