New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-14

During the present war we have heard
good deal of the good nature OF the turks
vet they have pursued the most devllish
rolicv that even this war has seen. The Ar
menians have been mastered, assassnated'
marched 20 death. starved and exposed 20
rzvaees of disease unit. perhaps 100000 men.
women and children have met with untimely
ends. In the Lebanon an artificial famine
has swept away more than half the popula-
ton. who died within sight of plenty; the
Moslem Arabs Of Syria have been robbed o.
their noblest families sullied, crimped and
taxed 20 the last penny; the Jewish colonists
have been impoverished. conscripted and
subjected to vile indignities. The British
prisoners of war have persisted oy the road
side of hunger and thirst Some Of those
who survived are known to have been lett
"a die Of cold in unhealthy prisons, where
they arc denied garments, medicine and the
ordinary necessaries of life.
Nevertheless. the sportsmanshp ana chv-
airy of the Turks favorte theme OF
some writers How is the paradox TO be eX-
planned?
The plain fact is that the Turk as ruler
~
GINNING Byzantine; as soldier tough
fighter; AS a victor remorseless buily-but
when he feels he has met his match he IS
cbiyalrous: when be is defeated he is pa
tbetic and distressed gentleman. And so he
contrives that the Turk has never been IN the
wrong. no one has ever convicted a Turk OF
mean or cruel act
The Young Turk and the Old
The Turk has strewn the earth with runs
and has made the prettiest nursery rhymes
he has shattered civilization. both Moslem
and Christian; he has coined the most why
and delightful proverbs. He Is thoughttul
and solicitous host an easygoing master and
a mild landlord. but he is "a merciieSs mis-
Governor. q fecklcss squandcrer and as re-
vcngefu as a camel.
Uulacu devastated lrak and Syria and laid
Bagdad in ruins; he destroyed some eigh'
millions Of peaceful people but he wept when
bo heard Of his brother Mangu's death.
Ilulagu was very typical lur"' VIII" Wal III
heart and great feeling.
Timur ragged over Asia Minor and put
civilization back three centuries. but he was
exceedingly kind to the people who survived
the passage of his armies. Timur was true
Turkish gentleman. and it IS an hlstorlca'
libel to say that he imprisoned Bayezld III d
cage; he treated Bayezid as we'll as Enver
has treated General Townshend, and he eX-
terminated the population of Asia Minor al
most as thoroughly as the Turks have eNter-
minated the Armenians.
The good old Turk, with rosary, melting
eve. a long white beard, compliment on ms
lips. a LARGE turban on his reverend head, a
small child nesting in the folds OF his ample
gown is a picture which has bewltched many
a heart. philanthropic and gentle phlIo-
sopher, you will find him contemplating
vacuum in many mosque and SHRINE IN ASIA
Minor. and no one can deny that he IS good
old Turk. charitable. benevolent and KIND; l
have no doubt he would save Armenans from
pursuit if they came his way, though ne would
not 90 a ward 10 find them; he would sur
reptitiously convey food to English prisoners
lust as he would share his last crust with a
NANCY street dog for the pious must be KIND
even to unclean things; but his benevolence Is
individual and isolated; he is a sort of hermit
crab dwelling in rosy shell of personal
philanthropy; he counts for nothing, nor
would five million of him count for anything
The Young Turks Rearing
Take again the Young Turk with German
uniform. a German parade voice and German
technical education. lie has been reared IN a
Stambul harem; When ne was AOuI years "iu
his mamma helped him first at table and
taught his elder sister to kiss his hand; his
rapa taught him that by blood alone could
Christian subjects be governed, and that by
dinlomacv alone could the Christian powers
he set b. the ears; his German professors
taught him all there was TO be known about
mass-suggestion, Wetpolitik. and high ex-
plosives.
Breeding. environment and education com
bine 20 produce a very complete foil to the
passive philanthropist of the shrine. This
Young man is the embodiment OF ruthless ac-
ton and infeXble tyranny. His mother
taught him that whatever he wanted was his;
his father taught him to hold whatever he
got: and his German schoolmaster taught him
what he believes TO be the universal method
Of getting what he wants. Moreover, the
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