The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-15
The CALL OF HUMANITY
Uncle Sam May Yet Intervene in
Armenia's Behalf.
WILL APPEAL TO THE PONERS
They VIII BE Asked to 10 Their Duty
These Plans Failing. We May Take
Independent Action in
the Premises.

tant dispatch:
Suffering Armenia does not appear 10
America IL vain An effort win soon he
made by the nited States to bring about
Il better state of affairs in Asia Minor.
'tnc form which this movement Is to take
has not been decided upon, but there is
| no doubt of the determination of the pros
ident and his ga abnet, as We'll AS of the
leading men in congress, TO take some de-
c!sivc action. When this action is taken
the world will have a new sensation one
great enough TO attract universal atteH-
lion even in these days of international
sensations. Two branches of our govern
mcnt. the executive and the legislative,
ave now preparing to work together The
administration has for some weeks had
this question of Armenian relief under Sc
riouS conSidcra ton. and now the senate Is
Il; work. During the coming week 1t is
hoped an agreement VIII be reached. II
these two branches of the government
can agree as 10 the best course to pursue
the United States viii for the first time
raise its voice and perhaps be prepared to
go farther ana exert its power in defense
of oppressed Chris tians in the dominion OF
the Turk.
The form which this intervention is
likely first to assume Is that of request
upon the six powers which signed the
treaty of Berlin for informa ton as TO why
they have not done something effective
and earnest for prevention of outragrs
upon the Christians of Armenia and Syria.
This is the method in greatest favor
tons committee. In case the senate ac-
copts the recommendation of the foreign
relations committee, as it is believed II
will readily do, congress will doubtless
pass Il resolution requesting the president
to cali upon the treaty powers for an en-
planation of their inaction while all these
outrages are being perpetrated under the
authority of the government for which
they have made themselves responsible in
the eyes OF the world. That there is a
strong and almost indignant feeling IN
congress over the manner in which the
six European powers have dallied with
the unspeakable Turk and permitted him
to wink at and countenance this blot upon
humanity. goes without saying. The joint
resolution asking the president to act
can express the feeling with force ami
dignity, aud when the president acts IN
response to II, as there is no doubt he
will eagerly and promptly do. the protest
from Washington will go forth to Europe
with all the effectiveness ana forcefulness
Of the voice OF the American people as
spoken by their united governmeiI
America Has Duty to Perform.
The time has gone by when one of the
great family of nations can be wholly IN
different to the ills of the subjects, OF an
other nation. Though the tendency OF
modern politics Is to leave the old world
group of nations to attend to the affairs
of their neighbors, while in the Monroe
doctrine we have distinctly asserted the
right Of the United States TO take pre-eini-
ntnt position In the higher politics OF the
western group, neither the farewell ad-
dress of Washington nor the doctrine
which Canning, John Quincy Adams AMI
James Monroe added to the theory or
American non-interference in Europe,
which Grover cleveland and Richard OIL
ney revived and applied. Is sweeping
enough to relieve the American people
from all responsibility for the horrible
condition Of affairs now prevailing IN Tur-
key, AS Secretary Olney pointed out in
.l,,f. Il N l.nrI
bury. there are conditions in which the
rights of humanity oveishadow all other
traditions and all requirements OF inter
! national intercourse. BY the treaty or
Berlin the six great powers of Europe are
directly and primarily responsible for the
regulation Of Turkey, but they are mani
! festly failing TO discharge their seif-as-
Sumed function, and the question when
the United States has to decide for Itself
H. whether in view Of that failure our re-
sponsibilty is great enough TO induce ac-
ton.
The prevalent feeling in Washington is
that we have a duty to perform. The ad-
minis;ration recognized this when 1t sent
war ships to Turkish waters. We nave
locus standi there through the presence
In Turkey of several hundred American
Others. The administration recognized
This princple in still more striking FASH
ion when 1t prepared its elaborate plans
for a display of force in Turkey-plans
which have not yet been gwen pubEcity'
| hut which are highly sensa tional ana sig
| nifcant Growing out of the presence IN
| Turkey of American missionaries arose an
| incident which gave us "a riSht TO Apply
/ pressure to the Constantinople govern.
| mcnt Mission buildings were looted ana
! burned and our subjects were compelled
| 10 hcc for their lives. For this outrage
/ We demanded indemnity, in accordance
| with the practice of nations. and when the
| porte showed disinclination TO pay me
| president set his naval department To
| work preparing a plan of campaign. All
| necessary data as 10 fortitications garri-
! sons. depth of water. location OF custom
| houses, etc. were collated. The North At
lantic squadron, which had been under or
| ders to sail Dec. u for the Caribbean Sed,
| was held at Hampton Roads. 1t Is there
! vet. Meanwhile the government pursued
| with redoubied energy its preparations Tor
| war Shipyards, gun factories and arse
| nails were all set at work. The monitors
/ were prepared for sea service. In addi-
! tion. and still more significantly. the sec
| rctary of the navy. after cabinet consid-
! Grafton of the Turkish plan of campaign
! as prepared by the experts. asked con-
| gress to pass Immediately a bill giving the
| president authority to enlist thousand
| men. to call upon the naval reserves, TO
| hire transports for carrying troops abroad
| 4 Halt in tho Programme.
Now. for some reasons not clearly cx-
! planned, there is a halt in the programme
of moving upon Turkey. Everything had
! been prepared for seizure of Turkish
| port. probably Smyrna, for the purpose
! of collecting the indemnity. The Turkish
| government which must have been in
| formed of these preparations may have
come forward with promises TO pay. which
| the state department Is now endeavorine
| TO secure fulfillment of. Or, more likely
! the .admnistrat tion may have reached the
| conclusion that armed seizure of Turkish
| port might be held as equivalent to a de-
| claration of war ana. therefore. beyond
l 90 nft
| ecutiye As a matter of fact, there Is a
| wide margin of debatabe ground between
! what the president may and may not dc
in acts tending to produce a state of war.
| No one ina gines the president and his
| advisers would have gone to the extremity
| of preparations for campaign of force
| against Turkey for the simple purpose 81
collecting an indemnity Of a few hundred
| thousand dollars. Were there nothing but
\ reparation for the injury at stake diplom
| acy would have been permitted to drag
| its slow length along through many
weary months before resort was had e
| the pressure of force. Behind this Incl
| dent and the rights which ii gave us In
\ international law, was a desire to do some
| thing for the relief of humanity in AR
l menia, for exertiOn of pressure upon the
porte which might serve as an exemplai
! and auickener for the six European pow
ers directly responsible for the autonom,
| and good conduct of the Turkish empire
| That was the underlying motive. and IL
| still the controlling principle in every
| movement this government is to make ol
! consider with reference to Turkish affairs
The sentiment here is almost unanimousl,
| that ii would he grand object lesson II
the beneficience of free government II
| the first republic of the world should go tC
I the rescue Of Armenia i'm such manner a.
| 10 cause the powers of Europe TO brusf
, aside their selfish games of politics and at
| tempt performance of their duty through
| very shame.
The movement for American interven
ton in Turkey is now in the formativ,