Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-04


international decided by Great Britain.
Wa c1oud Russia, France and Italy
to withdraw in July the
international troops which, under the
high commission. have maintained order
in Crete since 1898 This final withdrawal.
1t was feared, would be the signal Of
trouble both within and without, ana the
fear Is not groundless.
1t was announced from Constantinople
June 10 that the Turkish minister Of
foreign affairs had declared in the cham
Der of deputies that II the troops were
withdrawn the Turkish government would
re-estabish Turkish sovereignty in Crete
Turkey has no inclination to interfere
with the privileges granted the Cretans,
and the minister recalled the promise Of
the powers that Crete should neither be
annexed nor occupied by Greece. The
Turkish press reiterates these expressions
The famine declares that the situation
of Greece regarding Crete is diflcult.
The Berlin press affirms that Germany
desires to leave the Cretan question to
the initiative Of the protecting powers
1t was rumored in Berlin that Germany
was urging Italy to action and that EN-
peror William had discussed the question
u.
also with NJ Tittoni, the italian minister
of foreign affairs.
Whatever value there may be attached
to those rumors 1t is certain that the
powers are aware that they are face to
face with a situation which may permit
Austria and Germany. with Turkeys as
s1stance, to renew the lesson administer
ed the same triple entente only recently
in the affair of Servia and Bosnia-Her-
zegovina. Both Austria and Germany, II
is significant to remark, have abstained
from all interference In Cretan affafrs.
and perhaps with method. II 1t should
come about that the four European DOW
ers should undertake to fulfill their prom
Uses to Crete that they would favor the
union of Crete with Greece, 1t is quite
probable that we shall be treated to the
spectacle OF Austria and Germany as the
defenders of Turkish suzerainty in Crete.
No one believes that the triple entente
would insist upon defending the union OF
Crete with Greece with
Yet War Is arms. Such a situation.
Not r,ikelv coming upon the back OF
the recent action OF Aus
tria and Germany in the matter Of Servia
and that OF Bosnia-Herzegovina, would be
a catastrophe full Of all sorts of compli-
cations and probably war, which would
be precipitated by overexcited peoples IL
not by governments. 1t Is incredible that
four powers in Europe should voluntarily
have committed themselves to a policy
which exposed them to an accident.
The protecting powers took Crete ION
deposit On the one hand they promised
Turkey that Ottoman sovereignty would
be invariably maintained on the other
hot cl, Ve1,&
hope to be joined to Greece. From this
dates the principal difficulty, and Europe
Is nanifestly responsible. Europe has
thus positive obligation with Turkey
and moral obligation with Crete. The
one is not to be reconciled with the other.
The first excludes the second. The Temps
says editorially: 1.-The events of the last
month indicate the necessity Of choosing.
The Cretans will not admit that they may
be refused independence which was recog-
are now strong in their liberal ideas.
nevertheless hold on to their nationality
and refuse to admit further dismember-
ment. According to normal arrangements
undertaken before the crisis in the au-
tumn, the last contingents are about to
quit the island. Everything thus conjoins
to prepare a conflict the gravity OF which
should not be misunderstood"
In July, 1905, the four protecting pow
ers informed the Cretan government that
drawn as soon as the Greek officers
charged with the organization OF the
militia and gendarmes. primarily organ
lied by Italian officers. should have &C.
complished their task. In April, 1903. that
promise was renewed by a new note
against which old Turkey protested three
different times. In this note it was said
that the recall of the troops would be sc
arranged that the evacuation Of the island
would be effected one year after the de-
ma RI Of hn fret Loft oh In 1y,1t
1903, consequently the last soldier should
now quit Crete. 1t was reported that
England thought of prolOnging the date
but the conditions of the note Of July %
1906, having been fulfilled. II Is though,
that the exact date of the evacuation
will soon be fixed
A writer in the Empire Review, an En-
glishman with Germanic sympathies
says:
4
AFTER the great instruction Of 1897.
in which the Mohammedan tnhabitants
Of the island fought q
Continued drawn battle against
their Greek FELLOWSHIP
jects though the latter
were reinforced by officers and troops
from the Hellenic mainland, the moral
sense Of Europe was outraged by the
continuance of an internecine massacre,
which led to active Intervention on the
part Of England. France, Russia and
Italy. The influence Of Mr. Gladstone
and the Bulgarian atrocities agitation was
then still all powerful in respect Of our
relations with the 'unspeakable Turk,
and popular sentiment regarded our inter-
vention as being intended to bring about
the liberation Of Crete. AS a matter of
10 lrc~ 0~k a. Af,A
arrangement concluded for the so-called
pacification Of Crete. The Turkish Ru-
thorities were driven from tho island and
into exile and their places filled ex-
clusively by Greeks. An autonomous gov
eminent was established. Prince George
Of Greece was invested with supreme au-
thority, acting as high commissioner OF
the protecting powers under the nominal
supremacy Of the sultan. By these ar
engagements the followers Of Islam were
placed at the mercy of their hereditary
enemies, the Greeks. The latter made
the Bulgarians and disregard their prom
Uses to deal out equal justice to Christians
and Mohammedans alike, and did every
thing to drive the latter from their
mother country"
The Greeks resorted to all manner OF
devices to prevent Mohammedans from
exercising their religious rites. False
charges were laid against their Mohan-
medan neighbors. for which there was no
redress, justice being administered by
medan residents sold their lands and
abandoned the country. The Greek popu-
lation Increased, while the Mohammedans
decreas
In Crete, as elsewhere. It 10 accepted
SOME COLLEGE PROFESSORS.