Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-10

Samuel w. Fleming, 1O4 South street.
Wants to Stay Neutral
DR.. Coan said:
Persia at the beginning of the war
and ever since has done all it could to
remain neutral in spite of every effort
on the part of Germany with its money
and emissaries to stir up trouble there
and draw her into the great war.
Disturbances along the western bor-
der of Persia began in October, 1914,
when determined attack was made
on Urumia, ostensibly by Kurds, but
1t was afterwards proved that the force
was made up of Turkish troops. The
timely arrival of Russian reinforce
mentS saved Urumia. The Turks were
driven back. About one month later
war was declared between Russia and
Turkey. In the month of December
two engagements took place about 20
miles south of Urumia between Kurd-
ish and Russian soldiers in which the
latter were successful; the other at
Meanduab, at the southern end of the
lake of Urumia resulted in the defeat
of the Russians at the hands of the
turks and Kurds. At the same time
Enver Pasha invaded Trans-C -Caucasia
Kars region.
Russ Ordered to Withdraw
AS this threatened to cut off Rus
sla's communication with Persia. or
ders were given for the withdrawal of
all Russian troops in Northwestern
Persia. The Russian forces withdrew
in January, 1915, and on the follow
ing day over twenty thousand Syrian
Christians in the plain of Urumia fled
TO the compounds of the American and
french mission, about seventeen thou
sand of these being in the American
compounds. The next day the Turkish
and Kurdish hords poured into the
plain, coming from the west and
south. The local Mohammendan popu-
latton was aroused and for five months
the plain and its villages were plund-
cred and looted, property and build
ingS were destroyed. About one thou
sand of the Christians who were un-
able to reach the mission yards were
massacred and many women and girls
were outraged and O large number of
them were carried off into captivity.
For nearly five months the small
force recruited from the eighteen
American missions, stood between the
twenty thousand helpless Christians
who had sought protection and their
wild, cruel enemies who thirsted for
The American flag was raised over
the mission gate and over the gates
OF other Christian yards that had been
annexed to the mission ward. and
there 1t floated for five months, back
ed by the moral force and courage of
that small band, who risked ali to
save the people they loved.
We thanked God that the flag was
respected, and while there was always
the danger that fanaticism and rage
might prevail, and the yards would be
invaded the flag was respected. AT
one time the French mission was in
vaded and six men were taken out. and
after being tortured were shot down.
For five months the mission had the
care of feeding, housing and protect
ing this large number of helpless ma
dves, besieged and cut off from all
communication with the outer world.
Started North
After remaining few days in
Urumia, the Turkish and Kurdish
forces went on further north against
Salinas and Ehoi, joining Turkish
forces under the cruel Djevdet Pasha.
the instigator of the massacres, The
campaign lasted until the first of
March and the Russian forces finally
drove the Turks out of that region.
The Turkish forces were finally
the Russians returned a week later.
With this the reign of terror ceased.
the poor people who had been crowd
ed into those narrow quarters, where
over four thousand died from the
epidemic that was inevitable after
such conditions, were able to return to
their villages again. But everywhere
they saw only the ruins of their former
homes. Every thing of value had been
taken and all that could not be taken
was ruthlessly destroyed, including
hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth OF food. But they were glad to
sit in the ruins of their homes rather
than endure longer the terrors and |
sufferings of the past, and only pray |
ed that the Turks and Kurds would |
not come back again.
More than ten thousand of the 35.-
900 Christians of Urumia and Salinas
perished by massacre and disease dur ,
ing the five months of Turkish occu- |
patton. Sixty thousand Christian Syri- |
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