Norwich bulletin., 1915-09-15
THE WAR PRIMER
By National Geographic Society

The kurds, who. report says. are
again engaged in their faYorite occu-
patton of slaughtering Armenians, men,
women, and children, are described in
the war primer issued by the National
Geographic Society today:
The Kurds are survival from the
days when self-respecting men lived
only, or, at least, principally, by the
sword. Their wild tribes are scattered
throughout Asia Miner, acting to
land toward modern comfort security
and organization. Although once fab
ulously rich, the country has not been
able to bring forth a sufflciency
through all the years that the Kurds
have practiced their untamed house
keeping here, a housekeeping that has
consisted in abandoning the, summer
tent for the winter cottage. after pre-
| liminaries Of killing the owner and his
family and the replenishing of goods
stores at the point Of rifle, the tran
saction usually followed by the burn
| ing Of the looted shop.
| THE Kurd Is q picturesque citi-
zen. and. whatever his numbers may
beNcensus matters in Turkey are in
0ef1nite.-he Is much more in evidence
| than the Armenians and other peoples
amongst whom he lives. The Kurd is
the travellers first impression in Asia
1 Minor, and, in most cases, he remains
the predominant one. The Kurds wear
rags. that is, the poorer ones. Of the
most reckless nondescription. The
Kurds ride the best horses; they are
always armed; they bully the Armen-
ians, the travellers, and the overload
Turks. themselves.
The Turks have been unable to get
a complete mastery over their subject
Kurds, and have employed an admin
istrative policy toward them of let
ting them alone. Thus, the Kurd
massacres Arroenians rohs Armenians
and travellers. and considers both of
these occupations his just right. In
a useful state, the Kurd lives in the
. hills and herds sheep. He Is a pas
toral tent-dweller in the summer. In
the winter. he moves to the Mesopo-
tarnian plains, and either lives in his
; tent or turns the owner out of a Sc
. lected house. His tent is of black
homespun goats hair, and its furni-
ture is mats, quilts and cooking pots
His children go naked and his women
ragged. His board is set with soul
milk, and, when by chance he builds g
[ winter home. 1t consists of hole IN
: the ground with, a fiat roof Of waffle
and clay-airtight, moke-tight, light
tight There are small smoke vents
in the roof, but the whole effect is
! that of prairie dogs dwelling. With
!. in, it Is as light and airy as low
level coal mine.
ITO be of Ashirat' blood, in Kurd
s ish. estimation, is to be really worth
while. The Kurds have a conscious
superiority which gives them a GER
= tain bearing of noblesse and dignity
Z A Kurdish chief Is an impressive, Otter
an affable Individual These peopl
!. are not inclined to settle down, ant
they do not seem to want others t
isettle. In some districts, however
they have taken lands wholesale from
o the Armenians, massacring the owner
d and have become rich landholders
q Occasional Kurds attempt civilization
y Officially, at least, the Kurds. ar
Mohammedans. They reject the Gus
tom Of yelling their women, reverence
. fire. and arey on subjects of religion
" altogether liberal Many Of them ar
j. Kizilbasllis. hereto Moslems, an
q some few are Christians. Their httl
lN feudai organizations are their nation
2 ahties, and their patriotism is de
votton to the privilege Of being abb
" to live at the expense Of others. The
= are medieval, with all the headstron
Z irregularities of medieval times.
y was not until 1913 that the first Kurd
" ish newspaper appeared. This wa
= published at Constantinople.' As. how
ever, there is no such thing as a def1n
lite written Kurdish language, thi
~ paper is carried on under some diff
p Guilty. There was something called
"a Kurdish movement before the wa
but its labors seemed hopeless. TIL
- latest reports from the haunts of tn
Is Kurds tell of the massacre OF man
thousands OF Arnenians."