Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-14
VlLAYET OF VAN RELIEVED OF
TURKISH RULE MAY BECOME AN
INDEPENDENT STATE OR PERHAPS
Annexed BY THE RUSSIAN GOVT


Van. Turkish Armenia. June Is
The 600-year reign of the Turk has
been brought to an end, for the pres
ent at least. in both the town and the
vflayet Of Van. 1t is no longer strict
ly correct to date this correspondence
as coming from Turkish Armenia"
at the same time it is question
whether Van may yet be considered
an Independent state or whether it
will be annexed by Russia. foun-
dation of Armenian autonomy has
been laid, however. by the naming OF
one of the Armenian leaders, Aram,
who was a former supervisor OF
schools, as civil governor and the es.
tablishmentf of a provisional admins
trstion.
The vilayet of Van has an area Of
about $1,000 squale miles with a
population of several hundred thou.
sand. The story of the revolt. by
which Turkey has lost control of this
ancient region. has not hitherto been
told with much fullness. In the midst
of the racial war. with its innumer-
able massacres and scattered disor-
ders. it was impossible to gather a
comprehensive view of the situation.
and even now the story Of the burgh-
ers' fight for freedom must be dis
counted by the possibility Of tho
Turks return-although that is re-
garded as remote.
The origin Of the revolt. Of course,
is found In the hereditary discord be-
tween the races and religions Of Van.
but the uprising Of the Armenians was
more specifically due to the conduct
Of Jevdett Bey. the Turkish governor
general Of the vilayet of Van, in de-
manding Armenian recruits to the
Turkish cause and in the severe meas
ures he took when these recruits were
not forthcoming.
During the Turkish mobilization,
the Armenians were singled out to do
mental work. and were not well-fed.
Disarmed. they were exposed to the
fury of their hereditary enemies. the
Turks and Kurds, and an uprising be-
came inevitable. although it was
neither sought by the revolutionary
leaders nor by prudent Turks. Even
Jevdett Bey, who is a brother in law
of Enver Pasha, the Minister OF War,
seemed at first disposed to peace. He
consulted the Armenian leaders fire.
quently and they trusted his pro-
fessed sincerity. but when he re-
turned from the Turkish front facing
the Russians at Sarai. early in the
spring. he suddenly demanded three
thousand additional Armenian re-
cruits The men were promised, but
perhaps not sincerely.
Trouble first arose between the
sturdy Armenian mountaineers of
Shadach and their Kurdish neighbors
Jevdett Bey then said that if the Ar
menians of Van stirred he would make
an end Of the race throughout the
empire There was shortly war be-
tween Armenian and Kurdish VIII
layers in all parts Of Turkish Armenia,
mutual pillage and massacre. though
the Armenians then suffered incom-
paratively more than the Kurds. The
Armenian leaders counseled patience
and submission and Jevdett Bey per-
suaded 1shkan and three other revolt
tionists to undertake a peace mission
to Shadakh On the way they were
treacherously murdered. by order Of
Jevdett Bey, as the Armenians assert.
On April is, Jevdett summoned
vremyan. another Armenian leader.
for a conference and bundled him off
to Constantinople. Aram barely es-
capped seizure. The Armenians now
aware of Jevdett's hostile intentions.
declared their inability to supply 5000
recruits, but offered 400 and gradual
payment Of exemption charges for the
remainder.