Evening journal., 1915-03-19
EUROPE'S JEALOUS|ES
TURKEYS 'SSALVAT|ON
These Have Maintained the
Integrity Of MoSlem En-
pire for Centuries
ITS FATE IN
THE BALANCE


WASHINGTON. March 19.-'While
the fate of Turkey hangs in the bal
ance, her destruction, threatened by
the alliance of two countries whose
past rivalries preserved to her what
she has in Europe today" says
statement just issued by the National
Geographic Society, 1T is interesting
TO go back and follow her down
through the centuries that mark the
waxing and the waning OF the Cres-
cent in Southeastern Europe.
"In 1880 the map of Europe was
vastly different from what it is to-
day. Practically all Of what is now
Greece and European Turkey was
then the Eastern Roman Empire.
Constantinople was its capital, and
il was in control Of the Dardanelles
and the Bosphorus as much as Tur-
key has been recently. Russia at
that time did not approach nearer
than 150 miles Of the Black Sea.
Across in Asia, south of the east
ern half of the Black sea, was the
Sultanate of lconium and east of the
Mediterranean and in Eastern Africa
we're the dominions of Saladan.
"As the years went by the forces
Of the Crescent gradually extended
themselves through Asia Minor and
before the passing of many genera
tions they we're laundering at the
gates of Europe across the Bosphorus
and the Dardanelles. In vain did En-
peror John vi. appeal TO Europe TO
help stay the tide. and in 1853 the
cloud that had loOmed up across the
horizon of the East for several cen
turtles descended upon Constanti-
nople and Southeastern Europe
with a foothOld in Europe the
Turks realized that they could main
tain it only by a process Of expan-
sion. And European politics at that
! time just as in all the centuries that
have succeeded until now, prevented
| Christian Europe from uniting against
Mohammedan Turkey.
"But the several countries OF Eu-
rope were too busy with their own
particular affairs and too jealous OF
one another to unite in checking the
Ottoman invasion. The result was
that by the middle of the Sixteenth
Century Turkey included all Of the
Balkan Peninsula, Greece. Moldavia
Transylvania. Bosnia. Herzegovina
and that part OF Hungary east OF a
line drawn north and south half way
between Budapest and Vienna
"As the generations passed, how.
ever. Turkish power in Europe be
\ gan to wanc. In her stOck-takine
after the treaties of Utrecht ant
Rastadt. Turkey found her European
dominions shrunken considerably al
compared with what they were IN th'
middle Of the Sixteenth Century. Hun
gary had pushed back the invade
several hundred miles to the east
and south, and Russia had crOwdei
him out of one Of his footholds ol
the Black Sea. Where formerly TIA
Turk controlled the entire regiol
around the Black Sea, Russia had nov
driven him out Of the land of tn
Georgians and had gotten a shor
stretch of the coast Of the Black Sea
But Turkey was still left in posses
sion of the mouth of every river en-
tering that sea, including the Don
the Dnieper. the Dneister and the Dan
ube. She had lost Greece, but a
the same time had a sort of recon
pense in Crete and Cypress.
"In the century that followed man.
things happened. BY 1910 Russia ha'
lost control of the Georgian coas
of the Black Sea, but she secured IL
exchange the section of the coast oc
cupied by the mouths of the Don, tn
Dnieper and the Dniester. In the mex
FIVE years there was still another
story to tell-Russia had forced he
way around the Black Sea to tn
mouth of the Danube. on the ives
and almost to its fartherest extrem
ity on the east
"And tlen came the century tina
has passed since the remaking of tn
map of Europe after Napoleon ha
sent il to the scrap-pile Everythin
went fairly well with the Turk unit
the middle seventies. When Servi
and Montenegro revolted again:
Turkish rule Russia, then in a secr'
alliance with Austria for the divisio
/ of the spoils, encouraged the revolt.
After many negotiations betwee
the Powers. Russia finally went
4 war with Turkey with the unde
standing that IL she won. Austria wa
10 get Herzegovina and Bosnia in r
. turn for her acquiescence IN II
move Russia won and negotiate
: a peace with Turkey which was di
tasteful to Great Britain, German
and Austria They demanded tn.
they be permitted to have a voi'
In the matter, and Russia, with h
land route TO Constsntinople threa
ened by Austria and her Black s.
| route by the British Navy. acquiesce
"The result was the calling OF Il
! Congress OF Berlin. And that Co
gress was a great disappointment
Russia and greater blow TO Turke
| II did not give Russia what 81
thought she ought TO have, and y
IL took away from Turkey perhal
more than Russia would have take
II set up the Balkan States. Serv
among them. and by so doing start
that long chain OF diplomatic neg
tiations and intrigues that have be-
so disastrous TO Turkey in tho pa
third OF a century"