El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-30
SYRIA LOOKS
FOR FREEDOM
FROM TURKS
Full of Hope that Eng
land Will Crush TUr-
key in the War.
THOUSANDS ARE
EAGER To- FIGHT

TAIRO, Egypt, Jan. 3O.-It is i'm
possible to disguise the fact that
~ Syrians are full of hope that the
war will release them for ever from
the thraldom Of the Turk, and will
bring contentment n good govern
/ ment to Christian and Mohammedan
alike. To no class has the proclama-
ton of a protectorate over Egypt been
more acceptable tina to the Syrians,
many of whom found it impossible to
live in their own country, owing to
Ottoman extortion and brutality. If
this war ends the old, chaotic state
Of things, and no Syrian doubts it, it
viii have secured happiness to one OF
the most lew-abiding people Of the
world.
Having shown their delight over the
beginning Of a new ora for Egypt, the
people who a been Ottoman sub
iects in Asia Minor can talk of nothing
else than the prospects Of their cOun-
try's deliverance. They have been
taught the virtue of patience by long
trials at home, but the thought that
relief for their kinsman is at hand
made them anxious that the Turk
should rush at the British forces
guarding the Suez canal to destroy
himself.
Have Long Memories.
The Lebanese nave long memories.
They reCOllect how their fathers SUI
fered during the period from 1S45 to
1860, the Is years of Turkish tyranny
and massacre, when the majority OF
the male population were put to the
sword. That red period cam to an end
when the French sent an expedition
to Syria, but the work of the 5000
troops who pacified the country, built
roads, and made the Turk rebutld
urned villages and pay an indemnity,
not a sufficient penalty to exact
for the horrible crime of 10 years. The
full penalty has yet to be paid, and
not till the land has been relieved Of the
official Turk will the people believe
justice has been done
The efforts of the French are re-
with the deepest gratitude.
Children are taught that the french
soldiers saved their race from II
retrievable disaster.
In Lebanon Are 4OO,OOOs
In the Lebanon there are about 400
600 Maronites. mostly Catholics, VINO
recognize the pope as the head OF their
church, but in the administration OF
the church. Rome has little TO do, Some
Maronites belong to the Greek Ortho- :
dox church, other are Protestants- :
Between 10000 and $4,000 Of them are
capable of carrying arms. There are
few Maronites at AleppO and Damas-
and a number are in Egypt, Where J
they have a bishop. Prayers are OF
fered up in Maronlte churches LOT l4S
success Of the Allies. In one town in
Syria 500 Maronites volunteered TO 90
to Europe n fight but the French
consul could not accept their service
Druses Are Enemies.
Against the Maronites one must put
the Druses. They are probably al
employed by the Turks. There
are about $4,000 Druses in the Lebanon
and a similar number in the Haurah-
Formerly they were Anglophlle 10 d
man, but they are an unslaote; onou5n
warlike race, and they have fallen uh-
der the influence of German ottlcers.
the would not weigh heavily
in the scale against Britain
When the news reaches syria mat
Egypt forms part of the British en-
pire there will be JOY IN the Lebanon.
The Lebanese have always had a warm
place in their hearts for Egypt ana a
years ago, when prince Mohameu
brother Of the late khed1Ve, mace
a tour Of the country, he mad q
markable reception, on one occasion
nearly 5000 horsemen gathering IN
his honor, and escorting him through
q portion OF their territory
Aided the Egyptians.
It was the Lebanese who assisted
Ibrahim, the son of the great Mo-
Ali, the forefather of n new
of Egypt, to invade Egypt.
brahim almost had C|onstantlnopIe at
his mercy, and If at a later date Eng
had not ordered that Mohammed
should reduce his army $4,000 men
cease to employ his fleet, the rule
% the Turks in Egypt might have been
broken long ago. England has made
amends for that mistake, and IL she
axes a wide view of her responsible
for civilization she viii obtain in
syria a welcome from a people who
long looked for a helping hand.
IN the fifteenth century, where the
figures as 'hauffnitz."