The Detroit times., 1909-05-10
ESCAPE MASSACRE
BY JUST ONE DAY
DR.. Nora Mills Patrick Tells How
Abdul Hands Plot to Kill For
eigners Was Frustrated.

The dawn OF liberty for Turkey was
pictured vividly by DIR. Nora Mills
Patrick. president OF the Girls col
lege in Constantinople. In an address
in the First Congregational church.
Sunday night. She made the start
ling statement that Abdul Hamid,
who ruled Turkey for over 80 years
with despotic hand. had planned the
massacre Of all the foreigners In Con-
stantinople Immediately before he
was deposed. Abdul Hamid. DR.. Pat
rick declared. had the bombs ready
to lay the foreign quarter In waste,
and only the unexpected arrival or
the reform troops. the Young Turks.
on Saturday morning. instead OF Sum
day, prevented the wholesale massa-
ere.
The wonderful revolution OF last
July" said DR.. Patrick, was a blood
less revolution. The Young Turks,
representing those who stand for po-
litical and constitutional liberty, sue
ceeded In having constitutional gov.
ernment established. Abdul Hamid.
the despotic sultan. thought. though,
he was losing his power. He start
ed reactionary movement. The
Young Turks were dismissed from
the parliament and the old conditions
threatened to return. The sultan
started the massacres In Asia Minor
and he planned the wholesale massa-
ere OF foreigners In Constantinople.
but the arrival of the reform troops
on Saturday morning, instead of Sun
day morning. prevented 1t.
In the last century over 100000
Armenians (Christians) have been
massacred by the fanatical Moham-
medans. Abdul Hamid Is RESPONSE
BILE for the deaths Of a large portion
OF this number. Fifty thousand lives
were sacrificed In the last massacre
to satisfy the thirst for blood Of the
fanatics who were urged to kill the
Christians by Abdul Hamid.
But the Young Turks. who march
ed on Constantinople. captured the
city and deposed Abdul Hamid, stand
for progress. 1t means the dawn OF
a new era-freedom and constitution
al government, for the people OF Tur.
key. There are serious problems con-
fronting those who have the task OF
solving state problems. In the Turk
ish parliament there are many differ-
ent races-Turks, Albanians, Bulgar-
ians, Greeks and others. Those who
come from the adjacent countries are
nominally Turkish citizens but they
love their native country best. With
the spirit OF progress impelling those
who stand for a new and progressive
Turkey, though. the problems--racial.
financial and educational, ought to be
solved. and Constantinople. which has
remained almost tie only uncivilized
city Of Europe, ought to develop into
a modern metropolis"
Dr. Patrick told Of the work OF up
lift that is being done by the Ameri-
can college for girls, In CONSTANT
nople. OF which she Is the head. 1t
is the only college for women in that
section. The students In 1t represent
IS different nationalities. The insti-
tuition Is only one year behind the
best American college. The grad
yates have gone through Turkey and
adjacent countries, assisting greatly
in the work OF civilization and pro-
gress. Three members of the Bulgar-
ian parliament have married grad
yates from the college and another
graduate Is now president Of the col
lege for girls In Athens, Greece.
Abdul Hamid, the deposed sultan.
who has been succeeded by Rechad,
his halt-brother, Is a prisoner at Sa-
lonika, situated at the northern end
of an inlet Of the gulf Of Salonika, 14O
miles south OF Sofia