United States Senate Concurrent Resolution 12

February 9, 1916

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"Whereas the people of the United States are deeply impressed by the deplorable conditions of insecurity, starvation, and misery now prevalent in Armenia"


64th Congress
1st Session

S. CON. RES. 12 [Senate Concurrent Resolution 12]

[Report No. 837.]

In the House of Representatives.

February 10, 1916.

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

June 21, 1916

Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Concurrent Resolution

Whereas in countries now engaged in war there are several hundreds of thousands of Armenians in need of food, clothing, and shelter; and

Whereas great numbers of them have been required by conditions growing out of the state of war to leave their homes and their property, deprived of an opportunity to make provision for their most elementary wants, causing starvation, disease, and untold suffering; and

Whereas the people of the United States of America have learned with sorrow of this terrible plight of great numbers of human beings and have most generously responded to the cry for help whenever such an appeal has reached them: Therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That, in view of the misery, wretchedness, and hardships which these people are suffering, the President of the United States be respectfully asked to designate a day on which the citizens of this country may give expression to their sympathy by contributing to the funds now being raised for the relief of the Armenians in the belligerent countries.

Passed the Senate February 9, 1916.
Attest: James M. Baker, Secretary.

64th Congress
1st Session

House of Representatives

Report No. 837.

Relief of Armenians.

June 21, 1916. -- Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Flood, from the Committee on Foreign Affairs, submitted the following Report.

[To accompany S. Con. Res. 12.]

The Committee on Foreign Affairs, to which was referred the resolution S. Con. Res. 12, having had the same under consideration, reports the said resolution back without amendment and with the recommendation that the same be passed.

The committee deems it unnecessary to give reasons for its action, as the desperate condition and the urgent need of relief for the Armenians are so widely known. The purpose of the resolution is to give an impetus to the untiring efforts of the generous people of this country who have been responding to the call of humanity and to the relief of these suffering people. Our ambassador to Turkey has authorized the American Committee for Armenian Relief to publish a letter, from which the quotation following is taken:

I again want to urge upon your committee the great necessity of securing additional funds to enable us to render further assistance to the Armenian sufferers.

If you could only bring home to the public the large amount of good done by the expenditure of the funds already sent us and the number of people we were able to save from dire distress, I feel convinced that there would be a generous and prompt response.