New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-05
THE PEOPLES COLUMN

ton being as much at the bottom of
this decision as their antipathy for all
that is Greek. II has been denounced
also as boycott. If it is a boycott the
same name should be given to the atti
tude adopted toward their Mussulman
compatriotS by the Greeks, who for five
centuries have silently but none the less
perscveriugly and effectively refrained
from allowing their money to go into
Turkish hands, except as loans placed
at such remunerative rates that spe-
cial name could be given them.
Higher UP spoke OF antipathy being
felt by the Mussulmans for all that is
Greek. will 90 to the length OF calling
il hostility ana admit that It has been
the cause Of regrcttable excuses. But
is this strange?
To appreciate the situation it is nee
ossary to study Turko-Grcek relations
from the time OF the conquest of Con-
stantinople by the Turks. in 1852. Until
tho middle Of the nineteenth century
the subsection of one nation by another
was a very common practice, giving rise
10 no reprobatiOn; but whereas every
other country aimed at enslaving or
derationalizing or forcibly converting
those it had conquered, Turkey granted
a very liberal autonomy yes, Nine.
Vaka, great big facts are there 10 prove
ito her new subjects. They were al
lowed to form a separate community
under the ecumenic patriarch a com
munity Of which the members were
granted the liberty to practise the re-
ligion and to use the language of their
fathers, &c owr property and to admin
go k.p 1,ray 50, h., Of ODD
cation. of marriage, nay, even of in
heritancc. This community enjoyed the
further privilege of immunity from
military service. will grant that
Turks, being imperfect. like all human
beings. the Greeks, with whom they had
been warning for centuries before the
conquest AID who belonged to a differ
cnt religion, had somewhat to suffer in
their personal and social relations with
their masters. But, on the whole, they
were well treated. especially as com
pared to other subject races IN the
world. and. developing along racial
lines. blossomed into q happy. pros
porous community, whose high stand
ard Of wealth is sufficient to disprove
the accusations Of rlpacity and eXtor-
ton they have been in the ungcnerOus
crnmcnt. From maladmiuistration they
certainly suffered. but no more than
the Mussulmans. and only as a result Of
tho general incfiiciency which marked
the three last centuries of the despotic
regime in Turkey. II Is interesting and
instructive to note that all the war cor
respondents with the Greek army dur
ing the second Balkan war spoke OF the
Hundreds Of happy, smiling and flour
ishing Greek villages and townships in
Macedonia devastated by the Bulga-
rians" testimony eagerly corrobo-
rated by the Greek authorities. Well,
then?
All these privileges the Greeks in
Turkey misused and abused TO nurse
designs aud ideals hostile to tho Turk
ish state. On every occasion they sided
with their enemies and never ceased
carrying on i'm secret a campaign of
SANDER against her. And, if it be con-
tended that union with independent
Grcece-thc latter being the first result
Of the revolutionary activity of the
race was a Legitimate object to pur-
sue, no matter what the means en-
ployed. by those of its members who
still remained under the rule of 'fur-
key, it must be granted that 1t was
just as legitimate for the latter to mis-
trust them and TO guard against the at
tainment of their object. That is why
they we're not granted full political lib
erty b. the Young Turks.
When the war broke out between
Turkey and the Balkan coalition Tur-
keys Greek subjects. who, as | have
shown, had no reason 70 complain. did
all in their power TO help Greece, en-
listing in large numbers under her ban
ner, deserving from the Turkish ranks,
acting az spies in regard to both mill
tary and diplomatic natter and jccr-
ing IN the streets of Constantinoplc a.
the wounded soldiers returning from
the war.
Then came the terrible butcherics of
Mussulmans by Greeks during the war.
and finally the treatment OF the Mus
sumans in Macedonia after the sigma
turc of peace y treatment so cruel
that. abandoning all their possessions,
q