New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-18
A CHAPTER OF HORRORS.

THE ARMENIAH CRISIS RS II Il TC ITEc I1 IS
N A SIj OF M BY Freid1ck Di Davis
Greene i2mo PIP. $50. G. p Punam's Sons.
The author Of this work is introduced by the
Rev. Dr. Josiah Strong az writer thoroughly
equipped for his task by residence and travel in
Turkey under conditions which enable him to
sneak without prejudice or restraint After four
wears of service as a missionary Of the American
BOARD IN Van. the centre of Armenia. he was or
dercd by his physician to return to America HaV-
,r, broken off his relations with the American
BOARD he writes as the representative OF m re-
ug,ous society. frankly avows the authorship Of
and sole responsibility for his book, and dis
charges what he considers personal obligation
IN telling the truth about the recent massacres
The burden Of his book is the desperate condition
~ tho subiec; races in the Ottoman Empire, and
his main contention is that there is no hope Of re-
form from Within and that relief must come from
tho interference Of the European Powers under
pressure from public opinion.
The volume opens with chapter Of horrors con
tanning certified evidence Of the Armenian mas
sacre and series Of letters written not by Wit
nasses Of the terrible scenes but ny investigators
who are vouChed for as trustworthy ana unpfeJu-
diced These letters are based on the testimony
of refugees from Sassoun. or of kurds and soldiers
who took part in the butchery and had n" hesl'l-
ton in avowing their responsibility for ana enjoy
mani If the atrocities when there was prospect
Of a European Investigation. There are sixteen
accounts Of the massacre written from seven
cities forming A circle about Sassoun, AMI there is
absolute unaninity 70 this extent, That gigantic
and indescribably horrible massacre IF men,
women and children Occurred about september l.
1894 in that region. and that too at the hands OF
Kurdish troops armed by the Sultan. The orders
for the massacre were executed by those troops
and by regular soldiers under the personal d!r"c-
ton Of high Turkish officials; and HekM Pacha
who led the regular troops in the work Of exier-
mination. has been honored by decoration irom
the sultan since the event. The recital is a most
dreadful one. and the evidence on which II is
based is cumulative ard overwhelming.
There are ter additional chapters relating 70 the
phvsical aspects and administration Of Eastern
Turkey: the system OF taxation In Armenia and
the Kurdish raids; the diplomatic history Of the
question before and since the Treaty Of Berlin:
the situation in Constantinople which makes 4,
iopOssibe for the Sultan to be just both - CHRIS
tian and Moslem: previous massacres which haV"
occurred IN the dom.nions Of the Porte. the hi'
tory, religion and characteristics NJ the Armenian
people and the work II American missionaries IN
Turkey. The book contains great mass ~ we'll
digesied Information on this important question,
and no pains have been spared 10 secure accuracy.
1t bears evidence IF haste In preparation. literary
form having been sacrificed by the author for me
sake Of making timely contribution TO the ht"r-
allure Of a burning question. The author has been
profoundly moved by the suffering and oppression
Of the Christians In Armenia, and has done what
he could with the least possible delay, t. present
their case 10 the world and 10 enlist public opinion
against Carlyle's "unspeakable TURK. II ne hdi
allowed himself more time he would have pro-
duced a more satisfactory book In literary finish
and logical order Of exposition OF III" subject but
his work is timely and important and no reader
who glanccs over the first chapter - horrors VIII
wonder that there was haste in putting the book