New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-27
u. S. MAY SUPERVISE
THE HOLY LAND
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sessed in common by Roman Catholics
and Greek Orthodox Christians, but
the Armenians have a right for the
performance Of ceremonies on them
certain DAYS of the week. The Greeks
have another chapel, as have also the
Roman Catholics and Syrian Jacoblsts.
The Abyssinians have monastery
close BY. Part Of the Nativity Church
in Bethlehem belongs to the Greeks
and part to the Roman Catholics. The
length and the breadth Of the carpets
are iealously measured, the NUMBER OF
Iamps 70 be suspended in the churches
carefully counted, and the right to go
through staircase is the cause OF
armed conflicts between the monks OF
every denomination.
Religious Questions Important.
at may seem preposterous, all this,
but it shows how important religious
questions are and how they cant be
neglected. These perpetual conflicts
are tho real reason for Turkish SUI
nremacy. Over the Holy Land, with
every one wanting predominance but
unabIe 10 attain it, the Turks were
established by mutual fear of the 9TH
ers and kept there as sorrowtul ne
Turks; the Young Turks have lost these
virtues-are an honest, brave, peacetui
and tolerant people, as q whole. They
have long PLAYED on the Holy Land the
role of policemen, keeping peace among
the various congregations and Jalllng
those who menaced the public secur-
ity.
"If the Turk is ousted after the war
rono ~ tho Christians will allow his
reighbor to be his master, and some
one else must be put in his place. The
Latins would probably like to see
France take that place, but the Greeks
and the Russians would never allow 1t,
NOR would the Latins allow the Greeks
or the Russians. Taking some neutral
mower will be an absolute necessity.
II should be a Protestant power, but
a liberal one. America, being perfectly
tolerant and liberal, embracing every
congregation and denomination, with
out any prejudice against any religion,
would be certainly the least objection
able policeman to suppiant the Turk.
Then. too, America has no political in.
terests in that region.
at would not be a question OF es-
tablishing in Jerusalem an American
colony, but only some sort OF hlgn
protectorate or supervision. IL is GER
tain that something must be done. The
question is a big one. 1t cannot be
neglected, and while at first it may
appear rather early TO discuss these
matters their importance justlfies Sc
rious consideration"
Frances claim to the right OF pro-
tecting Roman Catholic interests IN
the East was acknowledged as far back
as the reign of Louis XIV. At that time
the Jesuit missionaries who sought
CO ,verts in the Ottoman possessions
and who established schools through
out Asia Minor were all-powerful.
France chung to the privilege for more
than 200 years. IL was not until Russia
entered on the scene in the last quar-
ter of the last century that disputes
arose. When the Car sought to ex-
tend his protection over all Christians
and holy places in Turkey the western
nations of Europe called a halt. The
Crimean War was partly the result Of
the dispute. After peace was declared
the status quo was re-established. Nu-
merous railway concessions to France
in Syria increased the French iniu-
ence in the East and business went
hand in hand with religion until the
break between the government and the
Roman Catholic Church. Since the re-
pudiation of tn. Concordat French
protection has been withdrawn from
the missions and schools.