The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-03-09
IS HESITATION SAFE?
(The Outlook.)


OF these there because they feel themselves un-
der great responsibility for Others They cannot,
In many cases. leave without accusing themselves
OF being falce to duty, unfaithful to n trust. In
one institution or group of institutions, founded
and conducted by Americans there are now quar-
tered many Turkish soldiers and in the neighbour
hood other soldiers and community Of refugees.
OF the ten buildings. seven houses controlled
by Ottoman officials There typhus, syphilis.
smallpox and cholera among the soldiers. There
has been death list OF forty day. All vaccine
was long ago exhaused It is question whether
some Of the structures be wholly disinfected.
The girls OF the school have been most helpful in
nursing.
One Of the men associated with this institution
has informed us that there Americans still
there explaining that each who remains does so
as a volunteer and his comment on their conduct
Is that "thc eleventh chapter Hebrews ought to
be heightened to include the OF these heroes"
What those experiences are may be imagined in
part from what happened when official called at
the institution with three officers placed armed
guards at all gates and patrols in the open
Of the campus and gave those in charge of the In
stitution half hour in which to turn over all the
grounds and buildings to the officials and to get
ready to leave. The pretext was friction" be-
tween the American and German governments.
The censor CT kilograms told the party of Ameri-
cans that they might send many kilograms as
they pleased. but they could be assured that no
message would get out of town and no MESA ge
intended for them would be delivered.
From this American connected with the institu-
ton we have received the following words in rela-
ton to this situation:
As for the policy that ought to be followed by
our government. it is difficult to urge an opin-
Ion. In general. it Is certain that strength and
steadiness are always better than any policy Of
hesitation or fear In April 1t will be three full
years since Turkey began to mobilize. and her
leaders have pursued a very high handed course
| all this time. 1t is a question how far Ameri-
can methods should change in the crossing of
such a torrent. More than once last year I
heard our city governor speak in this strain:
1--WE Turks are in the midst Of life and death
struggle. We must and shall do what we think
| necessary to national welfare If you
| Americans don't like it--well, we did not invite
you here: you might 60 home Suppose your
| government takes issue with what we do.
What will happen? VIII you send fleet
here? Send it right along. Send it to the
| Dardanelles. and will give 1t Just the same
| reception we gave the British fleet in those
| waters. You don't think your American fleet
| better than the British, do you? Or will You
\ send an army? Send 1t right along. Send it
| by the Gallipoli Peninsula, the British did.
| and your army will meet just the same fortune
that overlook the British there" Once this
challenge addressed to an American con-
sular agent in conversation at which I was
present and the governor boosted of 1t to other
Ottoman officials in another conversation at a
| later time.
This American representative of those who hav
been spending their lives in the service of the PEG
pie Of the Ottoman empire gave 1t as his opinion
that the surest way to bring danger to those Amer
leans who still in Turkey would be by hesita
ton and wavering: and he has added as his con
clusion: certainly in the present grave crisi
our American officials need combination Of wis
dom, strength, and tact in dealing with the Turks
situation. il ever in our history men needed thes
high and delicate, qualities"