Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-29
THE PERSIAN EiDAts.
Christian Armenians Fighting for a
Mohammedan Government.

Who are the Ifidais? is a question that
mas occurred to many persons after
reading the dispatches from St Peters
burg, Teheran and London about events
in Persia, all of (which seem to agree ON
one point, that the invading Cossacks
met with surprise when they encoun-
tered the Persian Fidais at TabriZ and
Resht. From whatever angle they are
written, the dispatches lead to the be-
lief that the F'idais fought with a fur
born OF fanaticism rather than bravery.
and yet one man in New York who
should know says that the Ffdais are
really Christian Armenians fighting for
a Mohammedan government, but doing
1t because they have no thought of re-
ligion when their country is threatened.
This man is Col Mesrop Newton Khan
now one of the secretaries of the Armen-
ian colonial association at 81 Lexington
avenue, who was for many years an off
Ger in the shah's army and was secre-
tary of the Persian legation at Wash
ington until about two years ago. Col.
Nevtons opinion of the Persian army in
general he summarized I'm three words.
Nothing a all, but the Fidais are
under no circumstances to be confused
with the army.
THE Fidais are what you would cali
in America the volunteers" said Col.
Newton. with the meaning of 'devot-
ed the word is used constantly in Per-
STA
When the Persian tells you that he
is grateful to You for Kindness, he
says, Fidat shevcm,' which means II
am your devoted slave For that rea-
son the tenn F'idais came to mean per-
sons devoted to cause, and now it is
understood in Persia to mean those
volunteers who viii spring to arms
when their country is threatened and
who require only the word of a man
they trust TO lead them into battle 10
defend their homes.
"The Fidais are Armenians praeti-
cally to man, because it is only the
Armenian who has sufficient patriotism
to fight like a real soldier although he
is only a volunteer and in time of peace
he Sends his wares and follows his
trade. The average Persian soldier Is
not brave man and for that reason II
it We're not for the Fidais the country
would be helpless against her own brig
ands.
1T is only these volunteers who keep
the robber bands under any sort Of sub
lection, and even as it is the caravans
are robbed constantly by brigands, who
make off with eonsignmenfs of rugs
and other merchandise and sell them fof
whatever price they can get. The Per.
sian soldiers will not give chase to the
brigands, but l have known five I7idai.
to scatter a band Of 80 robbers in j
hurry
Col. Newton said that the term Fldais
really came to be applied to volunteer
soldiers during the past year, when the
government called for volunteers to de
fend the country against the efforts OF
| Xii Mira, the deposed shah, to get back
on the throne. This was necessary be,
cause the Persian army is a farce.
| on paper Persia has an army of about
| 91,o00 men, including nominally 20 bat.
| talions of infantry numbering from 4G
| to 1900 men each. with about 1900 irregu-
| lar cavalry, 5000 artillery, 5000 road and
! frontier guards, and most important o.
all, the Cossaek brigade, composed Of
artillery, horse and foot, of about 1891
men.