The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-05-08
Mecca Will Be the Future Seat
of Mohammedanism, Says
Saith Bey Gourdji-Zionism
as Peace Move.

as Peace Move.
New York, May 7.-Self-government
of Armenians, Arabs, Jews, and other
peoples in the Turkish Empire Is the
only possible foundation for a perma-
nent peace which depends on peace IN
the Orient, according to Salih hey
|Gourdji, a leader of the Young TURK
party, exiled for his opposition to
German influence in Tudkey, who IS
now in this country lecturing on TURK
ish politics and it's relation to the war;
Mr.. Gourdji called Pan-Islamism
dream with which the Germans had
deluded the Turks in order that tney
might make a colony of the Turkasn
Empire, and he predicted that Mecca
would become the, Vatican or the MO-
hammedan world, and that lsiaIn
would no longer look to Constantine
lple.
There are in the world about three
hundred million Mohammedans," said
Mr.. Gourdji recently. England,
France, and Russia are the powers
which have the largest number OF
Mussulman subjects in their colonies
Granting that the Su1tans of Turkey
are considered the spiritual heads. the
CaHphs of Islam. and that they have
under their rule the holy places of
islam, The object of -Islamism was
a propaganda among all the Moham-
medans in foreign countries, in order
to develop among them poHtico -relig-
ious union, and eventually to make
use of this as a threat against the
powers which were hostile to Turkey.
1t was a bad imitation of the Pan
- I1%% WHY
only with the solid support given by
Bismarck and a united Germany.
1.-THE Pan-Islamism Of the Young
Turks, even if it had begun to be real
lied, an almost impossible superstition,
could have been nothing but colos-
sus with feet of clay, for it could only
have increased by it's weight the evil
dence of the crunrbling of the Turkish
Empire. The Young Turk party by
this foolish policy alienated the >Cabi-
nets of London and Paris, which had
saved Turkey again and again in the
course Of the nineteenth century. Gen
many certainly inspired and took adj
vantage of the childish Pan-Islamic
Iromanticism. 1t is upon this that she
played with all her strength to break
the secular ties which united France,
England, and Turkey.
r Inc bIIllSu EMIVp1I0 IlSta1 lIC SIA O1i6-
est reasons for being uneasy over the
results Of the reaction Of the Turkish
national movement on the fate of
Egypt France herself could not be
free of uneasiness over the future of
her Colonial possessions. The policy
of the Young Turk committee maui
tested itself. in. missions more or less
secret to Mohammedan countries. Pan
Germanism counted on these circum-
stances until now, identified itself sue
Icessfu1ly with the movement, and
worked forts success.
| ut would not he too daring to
lphophesy that, whatever the outcome
of the European war, this idea Is des-
tined to certain check. The Mohanl-
naedan world is divided in two camps,
one of the Allies and one of the Gem
trail powers, and the former prevails
over the latter. The only group about
the Central powers were the Moham-
medans of the Ottoman Empire, with
the result that in the eyes of the mass
Of Arabs fighting under the Turkish
flag this war is essentially repugnant,
in spite of. and perhaps on account of.
the declaration Of a holy war which
no law Of the Koran could Justify.
1.-THE creation of the Independent
kingdom Of Hedjaz, that is, a verita-
bile Mohammedan Papacy, henceforth
puts an end to the Pan-Gslamtc idea
Islam will look no longer toyards Con-
stantnople. Just as the Catholics, SO
now Islam will have a spiritual head,
the Sheriff of Mecca Mecca will be
the Vatican of, the Mohammedan
lworId and Mussulmans of all nations
tons and Jews of all countries, the
! 10uo1 c111o DC Of Iniy. INofI
this they have already given proof in
the present war;
Mr.. Gourdji said he was in favor OF
Zionism and the creation Of a Jewish
state in Palestine, and declared that
"As to the Jews, what they have ac-
wonderful progress had been made by
1 the Jewish settlers there
lscomplished in Palestine in the last sc
years gives proof of what they would
be capable of doing in the future. II
they were able definitely to establish
a centre there Of Jewish 1ife," he said
''All who have visited Palestine, ever
those who are hostile to the Jews, are
astonisheid and bow before the gran.
deur of this work of progress. 4
might be said that they had infused
new blood, their own blood, into the
land of their ancestors in order to re-
love for it. They have formed pros,
porous agricultural colonies wher;
, there were only deserts. They have
/, created whole towns and villages
founded schools, workshops, art insti
tutes, and commercial and industria
: enterprises in a land where there wa.
nothing.
eAnd all this in spite of all the diff
culties with which they had to con
tend. The Jews had given a consid
cradle stimulus to the economic, art
and Intellectual development of Pal
estine. In addition to the histori
claims which they hold over thes
countries, they have added new claim
(which 1t would he an injustice to den,
them Al Jewish republic would Ger
tainly be an element of progress. an,
: peace. It would he an inteIlectua
centre, would contribute to the re
juvenation of the East, and woul.
, serve the cause of civilization.
ssThe Eastern nations resembI
> somewhat beautiful trees planted
: little too closely to one another. who's
branches are broken by the close con
' tact, finally causing their deaf
3 through lack OF opportunity for de
1 velopment. The land must be re
: planted for such trees, and likewis
D each of these nations whose expan
sion contributes ito the wel1-being @
6 the world demands its place in tn
!. szlln This yxou1d he to the adyo