New-York tribune., 1916-07-19
"a Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: In nv letter to The Tribune, which
you kindly gave space to in its issue OF June
20. mention was made OF the starving Oh the
Lebanese By the Turkish authorities in Syria
for the purpose of exterminating them. Un-
fortunately, whatever hopes there were that
the reports might have been exaggerated
have now disappeared after Lord Crewes
statement in the House Of Lords. Similarly,
the State Department, by it's recent note re-
peatng its protest against the afront TO
the American seal that was attached to the
French Consulate at Beirut, has ofhclally
confirmed Turkeys violation OF the rules OF
international law. also referred TO in the
letter.
What still needs to be made clear is wheth-
er the Syrian executions are the result OF the
seizure of the consulate's archives May
once more encroach on your columns to give
nv information on this matter? But be-
fore | come to this point, it will not be out
of place to say few words with regard to
the papers seized which may be of interest
to the reader.
When the constitution was declared In
Turkey. the Syrians, like the Armenians, were
most enthusiastic over it, viewing it as the
beginning of happy era. Soon, however,
came the Adana massacre Of April, 1909,
which, even though it may not have been
due to Young Turks instigation, was never
theless winked at by them This first shock
to the dreams of millennium was soon fol-
lowed by attempts on the part of the Young
Turks to enforce on the subject races pro-
gramme which only men of their mental mar
rowness could conceive. their plan was no
less than the Turkeyfying of the non-Turkish
Moslem peoples and the Moslemizing or the
elimination from the empire, through segre-
CATION and enforced emigration, of the Chris
tian element.
OF course, all this was done in an under
hand way, so that, though merclessly
methodical, it should not occasion possible
protest by one or the other Of the European
powers This double attack on the Moslems
and Christians brought these elements, in
Syria at any rate, closer together, and fur
ther repressions by the Young Turk govern
ment led to the formation of a Moslem-
Christian organization, known as the Beirut
Reform League. This league soon had
duet it's reform endeavors on strictly con-
stitutional principles.
But it no sooner submitted its project of
reforms TO the government than its club was
confscated and the members sent to prison
by an order Of the Minister of War, then
Shevket Pacha. Viewing the desperate con-
dtion to which the country was reduced
through over-taxation and the complete
paralysis of business due to misgovernment
and the ever-recurrng foreign wars the ex-
ecutve committee of the league in despera-
ton. submitted to the French Consul at
Beirut, then Mr.. F. Couget, petition, dated
February 81, 1918, calling the attention OF
the French government 20 this distressing
state, and more especially TO the govern
ment's pan-lslamic Vaccinations among the
more ignorant of the MOslem masses, with a
view to intensifyng their fanatcsm against
the Christians. II was only natural that the pc
tition should be submitted 70 France rather
than TO any other power, considering the
preponderance Of French interests in Syria
and, above all, Frances traditional and tried
friendship to the Christians of Syria when
ever they were in distress.
Now, the petition mentioned bore the sig
natures of the six Christian members of the
executive committee. sentence Of death
was passed last May on all of them, and Mr.
Joseph Hani, being within Turkish jurisdic-
tion, was executed. Furthermore, the proc
lamation Of the court martial, containing the
form Of the sentence passed, quoted an ex-
cerpt from the petition, in the way of evil
dence, which is an exact copy from it.
As the petition delivered at the consulate
and the original draft (which is in a safe
deposit vault in New York; are the only two
copies in existence, it is evident, therefore,