New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11
SOME CHRISTIAN ATROCITIES.

While it Is both natural and right that the
sympathy Of Christian people should he with the
Greeks against the Turks, 1t would be mistake
to base that sympathy on the assumption that
the Christians of the East are necessarily less
cruel and relentless than the Turks. The world
does not need 10 be told that the Turk is capable
of barbarOus cruelty. The Armenian maSsacres
are proof of that. But Christians also have
been and are to-day barbarously cruel and with
all the less excuse because the foundatiOn-stone
OF the Christian religion is brotherly love, and
Centleness was the chief characteristic Of its
Founder The savage treatment of Jews by
Christians in the Middle Ages is a matter of his
tory. and even in modern times men who worship
the Prince OF Peace have not scrupled to torture
and kill men of an alien race and faith.
In this present difficulty between Greece and
show how cruel a Christian can be in spite Of
his faith And doubtless If war between the
two countries should take place, each side would
be equally guilty Of unspeakable atrocities A
Greek journal of recent date gave the names of
sixty-six men, thirty-two women and sevcnty-one
children who were murdered not long ago in the
village of Swan. A few weeks ago the massacre
of two thousand Turks by Christians in Crete
been conradlcted there have been no indigna-
ton meetings of Christians TO protest against
the savage deed Nor, so far as the Christians
of Crete are concerned, would 1t be possible to
get up such a meeting. From their point Of
view the only good Turk is dead Turk. Among
the Turks who escaped the recent massacre Of
Mahometans in the Cretan lillages of Swan.
Dothnes Albania. Episcopi and Kaunioni was n
champion of the Cross against the Crescent, and
another little girl who was horribly cut in the
neck
A woman living in Canea, in a letter to the
Berlin Tageblatt," tells how six Turkish sol
dicrs who had surrendered TO the Cretan nsur-
gents were burned alive. a detachment Of
Turkish soldiers who were compelled by hunger
to lay down their arms were promptly poisoned
by their captors, in spite Of promise that their
lives would be spared. No wonder that this
woman herself Christian. asks: shall The
"NIahometan have no right which Greek must
respect? Can heart remain unmoved in the
face OF sufferings among these prosecuted peo-
pIe?" 1t is fair inference from such deeds rs
these that IL the adherents Of the faith of Islam
were rs completely in the power Of the Chris
fans OF the East as the Armenians are In the
mower OF the Turks the latter would he outraged
and murdered just rs have been the Armenians.
Each race when II is in power. does not hesitate
10 treat with ruthless cruelty the hapless MEM
beers OF the alien race II Is in fact, very large
" question Of race, and the precepts Of religion
have little power to change It's character, which
should surprise no one who remembers how
often solemn TIE Deum has been sung to com
memorate the fact that many thousands OF
! men were slaughtered in battle and perhaps,
hundreds Of homes pillaged. Doubtless the Turk
deserves to be driven out Of Europe for many
j reasons; but in point Of cruelty his Christian
ncghbors are quite bad as he H. when they
| get the chance.