Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-17
DOES NOT FAVOR
WAR ON TURKEY
DR.. James l.. Barton Says
Country Is Powerless
Against Germany.
PROTEST GERMAN ALLIANCE
Declaration Of Hostilities
would Bring About Seizure
of Colleges.

BOSTON, Dec. 16.--Dr James L.
Barton, secretary OF the American
board of commissioners for foreign
missions, today made public letter
which he wrote to Senator l.o age,
! senior member of the foreign rellt .p,s
committee on tire occasion OF re
! senator's recent speech in faVOr Jt
q declaration of war on Turkey and
Bulgaria. Speaking with the author
| ity of many years residence IN Turkey
and of a familiarity with the situat"n
gained from administrative resporsl-
bility for many American institutions
IN that country. extending over pc
riod of-25 ysgrs. Doctor Barton set
forth eight reasons against such action
by the United States.
Nome Too Strong.
| Stating that the senator's character
| izution Of tl'L Turk and the atrochics
\ lie has cOmmitted were none too
| strong" Doctor Barton said that FER
long cou,c:'u'i Es with scores OF "e
sponsibla Americans who have re-
turned fcon. c'urkey size diplomsA;
\ 4 elations were broken off he has
been inevitably led" to the following
conclusions:
"Tha both bulgaria and Turkey nc.
under 'he military rule and DONNA
4 [ on of .ht f;crIn1ns, without power 10
throw off that rule. In Turkey, for in
stance. the mn lister of war, Enver
! Pasha is trci to be now, and to haN e
\ neen TO years. an agent OF Beriif
II was tau Inn that Turkey was IN =
vo we'd IA the war without n vote IF
ihc cabin y md without the approx al
and lsnowlcCrc of the grand VIII ar
| ar. OF M
I Second: There has been almost a
universal protest among the Moham-
medans of Turkey against the alliance
of Turkey with Germany and abso-
| iutely universal protest by the nom
Moslems of Turkey. The intelligent
Turk is quite aware of the fact that
II Germany wins all that she contem-
plated at the outset of the war, Tur-
keys sovereignty would be sacrificed.
We all know that Germany began the
conflict with her eyes directed to the
east and not TO the west. and that
| Berlin to Bagdad, did not mean sim
ply rail conenction between Berlin
and Bagdad, but IL meant German SOW
ereignty across the whole area.
Recent reports--as late as October
of this year--make II clear that the
Turkish officials are increasingly
friendly toward the United States
They see the impending ruin of their
: country. The sending of Bernstorff
10 Constantinople Is interpreted ms an
endeavor on the part of Germany 10
stem this rising tide of friendship and
to try to convert this friendly spirit OF
the Turks into q spirit OF hatred.
Would Seize Colleges.
'If the United States should declare
war upon Turkey, there is every rea-
son to expect thut German officials
would nj once seize the large plants O!
American colleges and institutions in
lConstantinople, Smyrna, Beirut and
elsewhere and put them to riSlitary
uses thus materially increasing their
military equipment
There is grave danger that upon
/ the declaration of war on the part ol
the United States the remaining non
Moslem population OF Turkey-the
Armenians, the Syrians. the Greek,
and the Jews, under German insiE
ence would he savagely mdltreatedf If
not generally massacred. 1t is n mat
ter OF history that Germany desires tC
rid the country of these people m
order that Berlin to Bagdad domina-
tion might not have the problems OF
various unassimilated nationalities to
deal with
! turkey aNteu AZ the btslHil3nG un'
der the advice and direction Of Berlin
in starting deportations and in per.
petrating the atrocities which have
shocked the civilized world. But In
spite of German pressure. these have
become less during the last few
months. IT, however, war should bt
declared by the United States agnins'
Turkey. Germany would heve n new
argument TO use TO arouse again tn,
i Turks, even III Germany herself did
not take a more direct hand in com.
1 pleting the work, of destruction OF
these nom Moslem races.
I at would he impossible for tn,
, United states. under present condi-
tiCns, TO send an expeditionary force