HELP FOR ARMENIA

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 23, 27 July 1922, Page 3

HELP FOR ARMENIA

APPEAL BY DR. WIRX

li A civic reception was tendered in in* : Council Chamber lait evening to Dr. L. Lincoln; Wirt, United State* Commissioner, in connection with, problem* of the Near East. " " '.' ' ' . ■ ■.-, ;•'..■ Letters were received from: the Rt. Hon. the Prime Minister, Sir John Luke, the, Rev. E. Drake, and Mr. Leigh "Hunt, expressing their regret at being unable to attend. . ■ ... -•'. la: introducing Dr. Wirt, the Mayor (Mr.••». A. Wright, M.P.) said it g»v« him great pleasure to welcome so distinguished a. visitor, to . New Zealand. Dr. Wirt had, .been., sent ..out.byl tfco, 'United ;States Government to "tell th*' British people of the appalling plight o£ the. Armenians, and his mission was to persuade countries., to join with. America in an endeavour to bring relief to thees famine-stricken people. Unless; something was! dorie'very soon,' nothing would save,the race: from complete extermination. . . :.:-': '>{;■:•■'.': •'■ ''■ '.'""•". ■' : '... Dr. Wirt, who. was greeted with, pro; longed applause, expressed his gratitude for -the reception given, him. : rl It fm ;'■ twenty years since he last visited Wellington, and..he was delighted^ to find ' himself once more in the Capital City pf New Zealand. :

It wa« a stirring appeal made by Dry Wirt f&r assistance in bringing ;elUf to the: Armenian'"people. America, be Mid, looked upoh> herself as the big brother of persecuted .people, and, during President) Wilson's administration , r many w were{in. favour of taking .' a. mandate over Armenia, With"'the"election of.Mr. Harding to the Presidency; httwtever,''opinions on the advisability of -this proceeding were by- no-means- unanimous, .and th» subject was, "unfortunately, allowed to drop, hence the appeal he wae making to.nil countries' for. assistance. Nothing could be more' pitiful' than the1 sufferings of the little, children. Constantinople was visited,'and here again the atrocities of ;the!,'Turks; "were k irevidenc6';:~[If he had his way he would appeal;"'hot for foodstuffs, but for gunboats; not for rmoneyi but" for' fighting men; but now that could not be.. Any .war.;waged on behalf-of Armenia must betwith;the use of moral-weapons, not military ones. Dr. Wirt spoke ih glowing .terms of the responsel'madel by' the Auckland people to his appeals, and read the following message, .sent from the. northern cityj ."We willjdo our share. We will match whatever Wellington does, and tlien some;".'■■' ' .""■'■•'■ "'■ \ : .

' The-English'people,: said the'speaker,! had been from first to last to the fore with' help and assistance; in relief work.' Jhere... was no hope,^for the world%without, the corop'eration'bf America'-and England, and if the colonies could assist in any way possible h» believed an awful:tragedy-could be, averted.- -V ■.',-.

Dr. Wirfc.recbuatedi his', operations in. different countries.- Japan, China, the Philippines,' even Manila,- herself in serioiis financial difficulties, had offered assistance in: money; and. commodities. Australia,; too,' had' come forward in th«| same generous manner, and: he felt sure that New "Zealand! would do' "all:in her power to' se^d- relief .'■' where, it-•'was soi urgently' needed. Would the'- Government be. able' to s supplyJ a small ship tot convey the ; foodstuffs overseas?,,,.lf so, could; the people of, New Zealand sea their' way' to provision that:-Bhip i r and thus provide her link in the chain of countries fighting on/behalf of crashed.-. and starving -humanity? In conclusion, Dr. Wirt-said that iit a, week's time he was going, back—back to his work at1 the' Armenian relief stations ; and if. he could hope that Now: 'Zealand would take/her share in the warfare;waged on ;the wholesale massacre of helpless. Christians,' he believed tliat they would yet'attain ; the ideal towards which : they; ■ -were.: continually striving, and so bring Armenia at last to thY happiness and prosperity which had been denied her, for teo many years. Councillor W. H. Bennett hoped some-1 thing would be done along the lines suggested by the speaker. ' Very little difficulty, he thought', would be experienced in filling a small ship if the Government could see its, way to provide one. H* moved the following motion : "That this, ■meeting expresses its deep sympathy with the endeavour that- is being made' to render, relief to the suffering pebpl* of Armenia, and that all'present nromisa : to assist Dr. Wirt in attaining his oV-. ject; and that! those; present -who aw>" willing to serve, on' the' committee hand , in their names-before they le»y«, th« building.".'. . , ; , ... ... ■'■,■.;'•'

Councillor B. G. H. Bum reconded the motion,, -which' ; wa» carried unanimously. ;■• '■■ . • .

Mr. R. A. Wright agreed to act a* chairman, and the : .Bev. Eobertson-Orr: temporarily in the capacity of secretary. A hearty vote of thanks to the'speaker and the singing, of the; National ■ Antheltf brqught the ( meeting to a i close,;.-.