New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-06
NEW WINDOWS ON THE SEA"
Turkey Should Be Extinguished and Judea
Created.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Tho article by Mr.. Frank H. Simonds
entitled "Russia's New Windows on the Sea-"
which appeared in the Sunday Tribune, is a
most excellent exposition of an intricate sub
ject. Mr. Simonds should be complimented
for his noteworthy and exact knowledge of
the Near Eastern question: question so lit
tie known in this country-and also for the
skilful and logical manner in which he has
used the knife in Remembering the posses
sions Of the moribund Turk. That Turkey
was the principal cause, as she will be the
principal prize, of the Great War is too we'll
known a fact to need further comment here
That the success of the Allied arms will bring
about the reconstruction of the Turks do
minons, if not the total and immediate ter
mination of the Turks rule, is also a fact
that is recognized in all quarters. But
certain reasonable exceptions may be taken
to some of the arrangements suggested by
Mr.. Simonds.
The principal reasons for the dismember-
ment of Turkey are that the Turkish rule
from its beginning to this date has been
incompetent, incorrigible, oppressive to the
Moslem and unspeakaby brutal 70 the non
.Moslem; that the Turk has no valid title
TO the lands which he has so long
occupied, because he has created no i'm
provements; he has done absolutely nothing
for the wellbeing OF those in his custody;
that he has uniformly behaved as an ire
sponsible trespasser; that his record offers
no hope for Improvement in the future, and
that the sufferance of the Turkish rule for
over $50 years has become possible not by
the ability and fitness of the Turk. but be-
cause of the dsagreements among the Great
Powers as TO the disposition of the terri
tories in his custody. II these are good and
sufficient reasons to justify the dismember-
ment of Turkey, then they leave no justif
cation and excuse whatsoever for the main
tenance of any Turkish state at all
The territories allotted to England, Italy,
Greece and those assigned to Russia, with
the excepl on of Aexandretta, Armenia Minor
and parts of greater Armenia, and to France,
exclusive of Judea, are in accordance with
the principle of nationality and the recog-
nized rights and interests Of the powers in
question in the said territories.
1t is believed that the disposition Of Alex
andretta has not been definitely determined
as yet France wants it as a port, with the
best harbor facilities on the Syrian coast
Great Britain wants il as the only suitable
port to : Mesopotaman acquisition. Rus
the sea over 700 miles shorter than Constan-
tinople would be.
The creation Of an independent Armenian
state, under the joint protection of the En-
tente powers has already been agreed upon
in principle. The boundaries of the proposed
state are those roughly given by Mr.. Smonds
including the provinces of Adana, Sivas
Kharput, Saniak of Kaisserieh, northwest
corner of Aleppo, which comprise lesser Ar
menia, together with the southwestern end
Of Erzerum and the port of Alatcham, on the
Black Sea- The proposed state shall be under
joint protection, because single protec
ton, as suggested by Mr. Simonds, would be
an inducement to temptation and would thus
defeat its own object The massacre of the
Armenians by the Turks will not in the
slightest degree change the proposed plan, be-
cause the Great Powers would not constitute
themselves as the agents of the Turks by
urging the Turkish argument that in view
of the reduction in the number OF Ar
mcnians the claim of the Armenans should
be abated or deferred. II should be pointed
out that out of about 100000 Armenians the
world over about 100000 live under the
Turks rule, and that those now living in
foreign lands would eagerly return to their
own country, from which they were driven
away by the Turks misrule.
II the Entente Allies are TO respect the
principle of nationality then they must rec
ognize the claim of the Jews in Judea A
lcountry consisting of tho provinces Of Bay