New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-21
The German-Turkish Alliance ana
the Holy War.

A very COnlustu lONo VI
Epronean war is given in telegram whlch 'A'
Kaiser is reported to have sent 10 inc Oio"'
pr;uoo Frederick William a cable dispatch from
..,s+ordor, 70 "The sun" says that German
newspapers arriving in Holland contain the mes
sage in question. 1t informs the Grown rr'n'e
+ho+ the Sheik-ul-Islam has issued tetwa oe-
claring if to be the duty of every Mussuman 70
fight to the utmost against Great Britain NusSi"
and France. "the oppressors of ISLAM" Fur'her
ON the Kaiser is reported as saying: "IhiS means
Holy War of the whole Islamic world
The telegram may be an invention II II Is
yenuine there is an obvious contradiction III ue-
scribing the war preached by the Sheik-ul-ISl"in
90 one directed against three particular oppres-
sors Of Islam-a purely political undertaking
ona +bo, describing it as a Holy War, which
would necessarily be waged on a religious oasis
and no directed against all Christians. If turkey
were engaged in a Holy War-against all lhr'ueiS
how could the government at Constantinople
permit its troops and warships to be commanded
bv Germans? If the Sheik-ul-Islam were declar-
mo Holy War would he not be melting the Mos
len, subjects of Francis Joseph in Bosnia and
uorzegovina to rebel against the government at
Vienna? Would he not also be melting the Ma
bometans of Tripoli to rise against Italy!
Il is hard to see what the Kaiser was driving
at in giving Moslem activities both religious and
a purely political character. An entirely different
view of the matter is presented in the Budapest
newspaper. Poster Lloyd" which holds that Iur-
kew is not championing the cause Of Islam against
the European and Christian world, but Is really
irving to bring Islam and Europe into closer rea-
tons It holds that "the Young Turks are acting
in Egypt Arabia, Morocco and Tuns as cham
mons against the enervatng intrusion OF super
fetal and corruptng foreign dominion" In these
countries it is held to be Turkeys duty to spread
the European culture withheld from them by
England. France and Russia-that is German
and Austro- Hungarian culture. Therefore, when
Germany and Austria-Hungary approve Tur-
kev,s honorable war it is their object, by the
maintenance in Turkey of nationality strong
and vigorous in its civilization, 10 open door
caroueh which the civilization of Europe will
stream over and enrich Asia and Africa-that
Asia and that Africa in which the powers Of the
Triple Entente have hitherto succeeded only in
promoting hatred of European culture"
So, according to this Austro-Hungarian view
the alleged Holy War is merely war waged by
the Moslem world for the privilege of setting
aside one form of European and Christian civil
cation and replacing it by another.
Up to date Turkey has conducted the war
chiefly on a political basis Her activities have
been such as would be of greatest direct assist
ance in a military sense to Germany and Aus
tria-Hungary. We doubt if the fetwa has been
circulated at all among the Bosnian and Here
govinian Moslems. Turkey has gathered army
on the border Of Egypt and threatens to seize
the Suez Canal. She has another army operat
ing against the Russian Caucasus. Her wal
vessels are trying to take control of the Black
Sea- The Goeben has had battle with a Rus
sian squadron near Sebastopol, in the Crimea
and IurklSh deSTOyers nave Deen cruising OH
:he mouths Of the Danube.
There is no particular evidence of Holy War
in these operations. They are such as would
have been planned for the benefit of Germany
and Austria Hungary, Holy War or no Holy
War. Had Turkey been Christian power her
resources could not have been employed so far
with greater disregard of the requirements of a
war Of religious bigotry. As long as Germany
is the Sultan's financial hacker and tho conduct
of the war is in German or pro-German hands
it is not very likely that the religious interests
of Islam will take precedence of the political and
military interests of Germany and Austra-Hun-
gary.
Yet there is a considerable danger that fanat-
;cism may get out of hand and upset plans for
keeping the war within political limits. Turkish
agents have started an uprising in Fripoli and
Italy has taken alarm. al ?rogresso ltao-
Americana" of this city, published cabegram
from Rome yesterday which said that the italian