Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-17
ADVISES AGAINST WAR
! WITH TURK AND BULGAR
Declaration Cannot Aid America
Cause and Would Kill Rising
Friendly Feeling.
DANGEROUS TO NON MosLE,Is
Germans Would Cause Molamme-
dams to Massacre Christians and
n lows, James l.. Barton Tells Sen
ator Lodge, Who Spoke for War.
tRy Associated Pressl


BOSTON, December l6.--Dr. James
!. Barton. secretary of tho American
Board OF Commissioners for Foreign
MISSIONS. to-day made public d letter
which he wrote to Senator Lodge on
the occasion Of tho Senator's recent
speech In favor OF IL declaration OF war
on Turkey and Bulgaria. Speaking
with tho authority of many years
residence in Turkey and OF familiarity
with tho situation gained from adj
mini3trative responsibility for many
American Institutions in that country.
extending over a period OF twenty -iivc
years. DR.. Barton set forth eight rca-
sons against such action by the United
States.
Stating that the Senator's chsracteri-
zation OF the Turk and the atrocities
no has committed were none too
strong" DR.. Barton said that after
long conversations with scores OF re-
-sponsiblc Americans who have re-
turned from Turkey since diplomatic
relations were broken OFF. he had been
led to these conclusions:
That both Bulgaria and Turkey arc
under the military rule and domination
of the Germans. without power OF
instance. the Minister OF War. Envcr
Pasha. is thought 10 be now and 10
!. bavc been for years an agent OF Berlin.
II Was through him that Turkey was
involved In the war without a vote Of
the Cabinet and without the approval
and knowledge or the Grand .Nizicr or
even the sultan himself
"Second, there has been almost a
universal protest among the Moham-
med2ns OF Turkey asains; the alliance
OF Turkey with Germany and abso-
lutely universal protest By the nom
Moslems of Turkey. The Intelligent
Turk is quite aware OF the fact that II
Germany wins all that she contemplated
al the outset OF tho var Turkeys &o"-
creiEnty would he sacrificed. VIC all
know tina, Germany began the con-
nict with her eyes directed TO tho East
and not TO the West. and that Berlin
o-Bagdad' did not mean simply rail!
connection between Berlin aud BaGdad.
but II meant German sovereignty across
the whole area.
TURKISH OFFICIALS
FRIENDLY To AMERICA
Recent rcpcrtS-a> late as into &C
tobcr OF this ycar--'nakc IL clear That
the Turkish officials arc Increasingly
friendly toward the United States.
They sec the Impending ruin OF their
country. The sending Of BcrnStorf to
Coustantinoplc Is interpreted As en- en-
dei..or on tho part OF Germany 10 stem
this rising tide OF friendship and try
20 convert this friendly spirit OF the
D. TURKS tnto Il spirit OF hatred.
III the Gated states should declare
war uoon Turkt there is every reason
10 expect lha; German officials would
AZ once see IA, large plants or Auicr!-
!. can college, auh institutions III Con
y sstanIinoplc. Sm"rHa. Beirut aud else
'whcrc and put thcm 20 military uses.
,hus materially Increasing their mill
,ary equipment.
'."Thera is grave danger that upom
The declaration OF war on tho par; of
tho United states. the remaining nom
MoSlcm population in Turkcy--thc Ar
mcuians, tho Syrians, the Greeks and
the Jcws-undcr German insi.tcncc
would be savaEcly maltrcatcd. t not
i generally nassacrcd. II is matter OF
'nbistory that Germany desired 10 rid the
. country OF these people in order that
the 'Bcrl;n-to- Eagdad' domination
might not have the problems OF various
unassimilatcd nationalities TO deal
with.
F" Turkey acted at the beginning un-
der the advice and direction OF Berlin
In starting dcportations and in perrc-
q Grating the atrocities which have
= shocked The civilized world But, in
spite of German pressure. these have
become less and less during the last
/. few months. H. however. war should
,rbe declared by the United State.
against Turkey. Germany would have
4 new argument to use TO arouse the
. Turks.
con the question Of declaring war
against the United states. there was
only ono member OF tho Turkish Can,-
--het that wcs strongly in favor or such
? 4 step. To declare war upon bulgaria
and Turkey now would be no help
whatever to our allies or TO the caus,
Tof America in this conflict. hut would
only hc destructive to tho innocent
people Of the empire. who arc suffering
=. At the hands of their overload almos,
as much as the people OF Belgium
Serbia and German Poland suffer-
spends W~ek-End In I,irhnond
Lieutenant William r. C;ilmer. of the