Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-10-30

the strength Of the battle Split which
is felt al the National Capital. and in
avery city and tosp ia the United
States. where Greeks, Bulgars, Serys,
Or MortenegrinS, or their descend.
ants live and thrive. Those who have
spent any considerable time in the
Far East, and have studied the SIT
uation there, agree that IL Is simply
impossible for a WesteTnar 20 realize
the depth, the INTENSITY, and The per
y~asviness OF the religious motive in
near Eastern life.
In this part Of the civilized world
there is no state church. and q mans
religion Is separate from his politics.
In the Leyant, however, raiigion is
all and in although by religion is
not necessarily meant personal piety.
Everybody adheres 10 some form OF
religious faith. In the four little ma.
ticns which are now turning a war.
like front to Turkey. the Greer CItho-
dox church is the state religion. Hav.
ing this in common, Bl,gacs and
Greeks, who not so many years ago
talked and breathed war against each
other, find the tie that binds" strong.
er dnan all considerations that sep.
arate.
There is a romantic touch to the
situation. for the Balkan Christians
all dream OF the day when Constants.
Eople. the city which bears the name
OF a Christian world empire, shall
be wres.ed from the Turk, and shall
be a Christian city. What is one OF
the greatest churches in the worlt
3 now a Moslem m~osque-the church
OF st. Sophia in Constantinople.
A traveller through the balkans
finds pictures of st. Sophia in the
homes of the people. 1t visulizes
their political aspirations. One hears
talk OF the great idea" which rules
the big hearts OF these men; snd
when interpreted, the great idea :.
found to be the return Of the Cross
to st. Sophia, which is now surrnornt.
ed by the crescent.
Religion regulates life in the Le-
want. 1t separates the adherents OF
different religions in a single city in
to their own particular quarters. 50
that there is a Greek quarter. an
Armenian quarter, and a Moslem
quarter in Constantinople. Servants
Of different religions VIII frequently
refuse either to eat or work together.
The Moslem Circassians have moved
from ussia into Turkey in immense
numbers, simply becaue they want
to be under the caliph. On the other
hand. the Christians in Crete are in
constant ferment and protest, because
they do not want to De under the
Turkish government which favorS
Moslems and Expresses. outrages.
murders and ravages Christians and
their property wherever it gets an
opportunity. ~.
Readers OF the Bismarck Tribune
will scarcely credit the true stories
that come out OF European Turkey
every day in the year. for, in out
stage Of civilization, the yare SO hor-
ribly bloody, so %dastardly, brutal and
ruthless as TO be almost beyond hum
an belief. The monotony OF it all has
kept this constant succession OF aW-
full ousrages from becoming news,
and thus reaching enlightened Am
erica.
But the Greek clergy have made
sure that their co-religicnists learn
the news. That's the real reason
why the truthful explanation OF how
it is that, taking advantage of Tur-
keys hour of internal distress and
war with Italy, the Macedonians have
lifted anew the cry that Paul heard
in a dream, and the Balkan Christian
powers have raised their united voices
for war.
The religious tie OF the, Balkan
states. is strengthened by the racial
lie, for, as one OF our diplomats says:
"Panslayism is as real an isue as
Paislamism." :
Russia has been steadily at work
Strengthening the consciousness OF
these Balkan peoples OF their religt-
Gus identity with her, and of their
racial identity with her. The many
enthusiastic Christians in the Balkans
thought that Russia would at this time
make common cause with the nations
to whom she has taught the art OF
war in driving Turkey from the Bos-
phorus. Diplomats say that is not yet
to be.
They agree, however, that it is per
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