The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-04-28


comes somebody else would get ahead
of them.
In consequence of this attitude Tur-
key has of late been allowed to misbe-
have herself without being seriously
called to book. The recent horrible
massacres of Armenian Christians in
her dominions have aroused the tenn
per of Christendom TO an unusual de-
gree, but beyond feeble protests moth
ing has been done, and nothing would
have been done had not Greece step
ped into the arena. Greece was for
merly a province Of Turkey and
achieved her independence in 1921.
She has felt the ignominy of Turkish
oppression and misrule. She has
many grievances against her former
oppressors, and her people have long
nursed her wrath. They are intensely
patriotic. They have felt cramped
and starved for the reason that when
they achieved their independence, by
the intervention of the powers, much
of the territory that really belonged to
Greece and which is inhabited by
the Greek people was not included in
the cession, but still remains under the
rule of Turkey. Crete, which is an
island near the Greek border, and in
habited mostly by people who speak
the Hellenic language, and are to all
intents and purposes Greeks, has been
one of the worst governed of the many
misgoverned provinces of Turkey. 1t
has revolted many times and in conse-
quence reforms have been promised,
but the promises have been uniformly
broken. As result of these broken
promises the last insurrection took
place, and as there was a terrible state
of disorder on the island and as Chris
tians were being massacred, public
sentiment in Greece forced the govern
ment to do what none of the great
powers had dared to do-namely, to
interfere.
A portion OF the navy and army of
Greece was sent to the island and it
was taken possession of. Previous to
this action the Greek Premier thus ex-
pressed himself on the situation:
"There must be an end to the pres
ent state of things in Crete. The inn
preston made by the recent massa-
cres, devastatians and plunder has
created public opinion which can
not be overlooked by the Greek gov
ernment. We can not always act as
guardians to Turkey and endeavor to
suppress the sentiments Of our broth
ers by postponing indefinitely the full
filment of their most cherished aspira-
tions."
That this fully expressed the senti-
ment or the people was shown later
when the pressure became so great
that the Greek government would
have been overthrown had it not yield
ed to the demand of the people that
intervention take place. When it was
decided to send fiotilla to Crete the
Greeks went wild with enthusiasm.
The act of taking possession ofa portion
of Turkish territory with an armed
force was sufficient cause for war and
was so recognized everywhere, and the
actual war would have been begun
sooner had il not been for the action of
the powers, who were frightened out
of their wits by the bold action of this
little bantam among the nations.
Now that war is actually on there Is
no knowing where il will end. Greece
will fight for glory, for the building OF
an empire and for the conquering of
all the territory inhabited by the
Greek people. She will fight for her
religion and she will represent in her
battles the c)n5inel hItrel of Elrope
against the Turk and his practices.
Numerically she is inferior TO Turkey,
and the contest seems an unequal one.
But there are other features which
may make the contest not so hopeless
for the Hellenic patriots, who expect
an uprising of the people in Macedonia
and possibly of Servia and Bulgaria
and other provinces
On the subject Of the relative fight
ing strength of the two nations Col.