Smyrna times., 1897-03-17

THE news from Greece is neither
satisfactory nor assuring, and the
peaceful intimatiOn of one day may be
entirely upset by the fierce demonstra-
tiOns of another Crete has appealed
to Greece to protect her against the
blood thirsty Turks. and the people of
the little Kingdom are all ablaze with
a patriotic ardor to protest their chris
tian allies and repOssess their former
possession. In deep sympathy with
Greece against the hated Turks, are
the MacedOnians, Bulgarians. Servi-
ans etc. They feel the time has come
to throw off the Turkish yoke, and
though the Powers are trying to keep
back war for fear of general confag-
ration, it is believed the cup of wicked
ness of the Turk is full, and they must
ere long suffer the penalties of their
wicked deeds, despite the time serving
of the Powers. A New York paper
speaks of the Powers as the modern
mquisitors, and says:
who are these Powers? First of
all, England; thep comes Russia, Ger
many, France, Austria, and Italy
France, with all its ROmanism and in
fidelity, is withal a republic, and her
aspirations are always toward larger
liberty. But she is practically help
less. She needs favors, and to get
them must surrender to the other
Powers. What she would like to do
she cannot do, and therefore. in the
scheme of the other Powers to keep all
things as they are and stife everv
popular movement in favor of freedom
she is compelled to bow down. for it is
practically said to her: "Stand with
us, or you will find no help from US in
your effort to keep your republic in
motion"
Look at the doings of these might
inesses called the Powers within the
last three years. The Armenians were
prosecuted by the Turks to a degree
not paralieled since the Protestants of
Italy, Holland, England, and France
were butchered by the thousands bv
their prosecutors. 1t is safe to saw
that not less than one hundred thous-
and Armenians have been put to death
by the Turks during the struggle of
the last few years. Why did it not
j.. Powers permitted Turkey
%. Whole villages were
swept out of existence. Women were
violated; children were put to death
by the Kurds, who aided the Turkish
troops IN crime; men were slaughtered.
often publicly. Suspicion was enough
70 cause Immediate death, or exile
poverty, and starvation in the noun
talns. The talk of the Powers was:
Ihe Turks are doing bad things. but
we muss make them adopt reforms. "
The case is practically unchanged at
this very hour. We hear there is at
last quiet in Armenia. Why? Because
the deaths have been so numerous
that there are now few to speak.
As to Crete, the people are nearly all
dreeks-Greek Christians. Their suf-
ferings have reached the ears of Greece
itself, and the whole population is
aroused. Crete cries TO her kinsmen
throughout Greece for help, and King
George, who was put upon the throne
by the Powers, is told that, if he helps.
his own country will be invaded by
the Powers. Suppose the wonderful
POwers blockade the Piraeus, and their
guns are heard from the Acropolis at
Athens. Better let Greece be invaded
by these banded Powers, better resist
as far as the strength of feeble little
nation can. The struggle will not last
long. The conscience of Europe is
stronger than all the standing armies
put together. The gravitation of all
the Greek people now under Turkish
suzerainty is toward union with the
Greek kingdom, and we hope the day
rs near by when not a Turkish sword
can be lifted by any Turk, whether it
be oE the historical plains Of Bulgaria
or any Greek island in the waters of
the Mediterranean Sea. Happily for
the future, the sentiment of all nations
-exeepting only Turkey-is strong
and defiant in protest against every ef-
fort to prevent the Cretans from breath.
ing the air of freedom.