Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-07
MISSIONS IN DANGER
Americans Among Those
Menaced by War in Turkey.
BIGOTRY OF THE MOSLEMS
Massacre of Foreigners in Remote
Places Regarded as Probable.
RELIGIOUS FANATICS BITTER
Formal Peace Between Nations No
Bar to Hate-Secret
Stores Of Arms.
By the Religious Rambler.

| major passions of the Turkish empire
have been aroused-religious fanaticis1n
and zeal for the territorial integrity OF
the nation.
On this latter issue the Young Turk
party has staked its existence The ad-
vent OF the constitution deeply stirred
this feeling for the integrity of the en-
pire among all Ottomans. Even British
control of Egypt over which the sultan
exercises nominal sway became at once
sensitive subject. Now the loss OF
Ir1poH to Italy is a ranking wound that
Will not heal SO long as Turkey remains
a nation-which may not be for long
America and Europe take their religion
so casually. and tolerance is so thorough
~ ingrained in the western character
That 1t is difficult for jewellers in this
part OF the world to realize the intensity
ana bitterness of the religious bigotry
that exists in the Turkish empire. Re-
iigion is the first consideration to
o ore Especially is this So in the
taught enmity to other religions as a
cardinal article of the faith The short
est prescribed route to Paradise was by
the slaughter of unbelievers Islam
the sword. and the devout and orthodox
among the faithful believe that program
cannot be improved upon.
Two Glasses in Turkey.
The one sharpest line of cleavage be-
tween the people Of the Turkish empire
is religion. Fundamentally there are
only two classes In the sultan's domains,
Moslems and non-Moslems. The color
line is practically nonresident: the black
and white go to the mosques as brethren
ana unite In common worship at Mecca
Racial lines mean little. and the most
ably that about the kaaba at Mecca. The
Moslem's religion Is all in all to him, and
tnere are many signs that this Islamic
consciousness Is growing steadily
stronger.
1t Is always possible to make a religious
appeal In the affairs of Turkey. holy
war Is q grim possibility in its largest
relation to world politics. but what is
more tangible, 1t is dreadful reality to
the Christians in many parts of Turkey.
The Adana massacres Of only three years
ago show that these feasts Of blood are
possible even under a constitutional form
OF government Asia Minor is sprinkled
with Armenian orphans whose parents
have been slain because they were Chris
ttans. The fact that the present war has
broken out during Ramadan, the Moslem
Lent, when the people are most fanatical,
increases the delicacy of the present sit
very close today to the fire of near east
ern politics.
Fanatics Store Arms.
The Moslem is not a dreamer; he be-
lieves in the argument of the sword, and
In the Turkish empire two out of three
Moslems habitually carry either a sword,
q gun or a pistol. When aroused the re-
suit will not be protracted argument, but
swift blows Close students of the Islamic
problem know that the two militant and
orthodox wings of the faithful are both
desert people-the Wahabis of Arabia and
the Senussi of North Africa. These des-
ert rangers hold to the holy law in it's
simplicity. They scorn the tolerance and
compromises Of city Moslems. They would
make no peace with unbelievers. and they
still cherish the ancient dream of world
conquest by the sword.
What makes TripOli a special danger
point at the present time is that it Is the
home of the Senussi movement This
organization, modelled somewhat on the
lines of secret society, has existed for
nearly hundred years. and its center
has been an oasis called Jerabub. in the
desert of TripOh. From this remote spot
Its emissaries have reached out to the
bounds of the Islamic world. High and
low, statesmen and dervishes, have been
enrolled in it's membership. 1t has wealth
and power beyond the imagination of
those who look upon 1t as a mere aggre-
cation of fanatical Arabs
For several years past the Senussi have
been gathering a great store of modern
weapons at Jerabub. These have come
in from Europe through the port OF Trip
oil, and their number and character are
known to no white man by actual sight,
for no Christian has ever gone to Jerabub
and come out alive. The secret services.
however, of the French, italian and Brit
ish governments are well aware of this
desert arsenal. Latterly the aggressions
of France have caused the removal of
the Senussi quarters from Jerabub to
Kufra, an oasis in the Sahara desert
under the Egyptian flag.
This ominous fact let's flood of light
in upon the news dispatches that hosts
of Arabs whose delight is blood letting
have gathered in the hinterland OF Trip
oil. These care little for the peace pacts
of nations. Italy is Christian power;
1t has affronted the sultan, who Is the
caliph of al 1.-The faithful; therefore they
will fight. Woe unto any European
caught in the interior Of Tripoli.
Menace to the Christians.
The fires Of religious hatred are being
assiduously famed by Turkish leaders
The people have been gathering in the
| mosques for their mass meetings. which
Is a dangerous sign. Even the Moham-
medans of India have been stirred to the
point Of appealing to the British govern
ment to come to the help of Turkey. This
deep religious fanaticism may break out
upon travellers. missionaries and consuls
| scattered throughout the remoter portions
| Of the Turkish empire. For bigotry is
| unreasoning and the average Moslem is
| ignorant beyond the understanding of the
| west. The first to feel this Mohammedan
| fury, especially in Asia Minor and Syria,
| will be the Christians known as 'Latns. Z"
| socalled to distinguished them from the
| Greek Catholics who are even more nu-
merous in Turkey. Italy Is the capital of
| the Latin church. The Roman Catholic
| orders have long chain Of successful
| missions and schools in the empire,
especially in the Holy Land. The danger
| to these Is very real at the present time
While these distinctions between Chris
| tan bodies are sometimes made by Mos
| lens as a whole. the one broad and suffi-
cient classification Is Christian All
Christians in the Turkish empire are in
more or less danger at the present time
whether they be Latins, Greeks, Protes-
tants. Armenians. Maronites. Syrfacs,
Copts, Chaldeans or Abyssinians. In such
q critical time as the present all who hold
to the cross as a symbol are menaced.
Americans in Danger.
AS is well known, American missions
are the most widely scattered in Turkev