The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-19

thousands seek safety by hight across the DOT
ders into the Russian territories. But In
doing so they must run the gauntlet between
Kurdish robbers and Turkish armed bands,
and they are invariably plundered and beaten
and stripped of their clothing and cast naked
over the line on to Russian ground.
The Turkish authorities seem perfectly
willing that the Armenian Christian
should leave the country, but they must
carry nothing with them but wounds
and blows, and the burning memories OF
plundered homes and outraged families,
said Mr.. Burnett, and the Sassoun mas
sacres are simply the elimination of
long series of robberies and murders, ex-
tending over large areas and through
many years.
mination has been expedited by the personal
influence and authority of the reigning Sultan.
He is said to be troubled with the blg-head.
He wishes TO reign alone, not only without a
Grand Vizier, but he assumes to be Caliph.
spiritual head of the Moslem faith and 1T is he
who has been melting his coreligionlsts to
fanaticism and to acts OF violence against the
Christians. Turkophils will tell you that the
movement against the Armenian Christians IS
not religious persecution; has not It's GROUNDS
in antagonisms OF faiths, but is wholly po-
litical uprising to meet the tendencies OF the
ArmenlanS to conspiracy, sedlt1on and revolt.
They affirm that since the Berlin treaty, when
the Chris tian powers assumed the protectorate
over the Armenian Christians, efforts have
been made from time to time by Armenian
patriots, refugees in various European coun-
tries, TO arouse the Armenlans to revolt, by
circulating among them intlammatory lltera-
ture rehearsing their former greatness as ma
ton, and telling over and over again the story
OF their wrongs and giving them assurance OF
assistance from the Christian powers, if they
would only rise up and throw off the hated
yoke of their oppressors.
1t is said that the American missionary
schools among the Armenians have revived
their ancient love of learning and their hopes
future. II 1t be not religious persecution why
should 1t cease against any individual the
| moment he turns Mohammedan?
Ordinarily the Armenian Christians will en-
! dure robbery, torture and even death itsell
rather than renounce their faith; but in some
instances, under torture or fear of death, or oil
! that which to q pure woman is worse than
! death, they have feigned conversion to the
! MGslem faith. Immediately torture ceases
! the prison door is opened, the fear of death OF
of dishonor is taken away. They are hence
! forth protected by ali the power OF the Turkish
/ Government.
One of the men sent out to investigate the
i SaSsoun massacres relates that he visited a ce +
! tain Kurdish chief who had been sentenced tc
death for robbiuG Turkish official and viOlat
| ing his wife. This man was the leader of
Kurdish armed band in the employ of the
Turkish Government. He boosted that he ha6
1 robbed and laid waste many villages, that he
had killed with his own hand scores of Arme
MAN Christians, that he had personally raw
ished dozens of young women and girls; anG
he seemed to think that he had done some
thing very meritorious.
| All this he did at the connivance OF the GOV
! eminent; but the moment he carried his law
| lessnesS on the Moslem side and robbed
! Turkish official, Immediately he was arrested
and sentenced to death. This cese shows con
! clusIvely that the authorities abundant,
able to quell all this lawlessness whenever the!
choose.
Indeed it has been shown by abundant proof
| that in acts of lawlessness and deeds of vic
lence the Turkish regular soldiery surpassed
the Kurdish tribesmen.
! When the savage Kurds, satiated with BLOOD
and gorged to safety with murder and plum
der, seemed 10 halt in their atrocities, th
Turks spurred them on by ieers and example
to nameless and still more monstrous crimes.
Recent outbreaks in Belts and also in Con
| stantinople indicate that the area of violenc
I is SPREADING westward and that the fanatlca
element in Islam is being aroused to contlnu
the work of determination nearer home.
The Sultan bows sullenly to the ultimatun
OF the Christian powers and promises to sta,
the tide OF persecution. But unless the admin
istration of the Government is placed in tn
hands of men approved by the commission NJ
! reforms will follow and the work OF eXtermln
alton will go on as before.
Mr. Burnett says he sees no hope for the
Armenian Christians unless they follow tn
example of the Servians and Bulgarians-
make successful revolt, call to aid tn
Christian powers and be set off as an indie
pendent state. 1t has been suggested tina
the five Armenian provinces be formet
into one over which shall be placed a gov
ernor approved by the powers, but h.
would receive no support from the centra