New-York tribune., 1918-07-07
BY P. w. Wilson
Americam Correspondent Of "The
London Dnilu NeaCs'

LOnuOH Duly NeaCS
TITS suggested that in November
there might be throughout the
l. United States "a drive" for the
purpose of raising no less a sum
than s30,O00,OO0 for the relief of
Armenian and Syrian sufferers un-
der German Turkish misrule. When
one considers that during this same
autumn $l00,OO0,000 must be col
ected for the Y. M. C. A., S15, 5,000,-
900 for the Y. W. C. A. and
triAe of $4,o00,000,Ooo for
the fourth Liberty Loan, one
begins family to realize the
boundless resources and equally
unbounded generosity of Americans
at this crisis in the worlds history.
The Armenian fund has already
spent S12,000,000, and this money is
no. a loan but free gift. No re-
turn is expected, whether of capital
or of interest. 1t is a splendid ex-
ample of national, voluntary LIBERAL
ity-simple, direct and impulsive.
We Think Of Peoples
Instead of Places
No one doubts that the drive will
succeed. But it will mean far more
than money. In every city and state
Of the Union the human aspects of
the Near Eastern problem will be
discussed. This tortured region is al
ready familiar to every child who
attends Sunday school. He learns
that the Ark rested on Mount Ara
rat, that the Garden of Eden lay in
the Euphrates Valley, that Babel was
built there, that Abraham set forth
from Mesopotamia and journeyed by
way Of Damascus, where Paul was
converted, and that Palestine was
the promised land. The great
Apostles most perilous travels lay
through Asia Minor; he was sum-
moned to Europe by man of Mace
donia, and his first companion, Bar
nabas, was landlord or squire from
Cyprus. Generations of crusaders
we're moved by these memories, and
in days earlier than our passion for
democracy they sought to win back
sell and shrines from the domination
of the infdel. We are less concerned
with the show places. We think of
the people who dwell there. Our mis-
sion it is to liberate the downtrod-
den temples of living flesh and blood.
German View Of
Eastern Problem
There are three possible solu-
tons of the Near-Eastern question.
The first is proposed by Germany.
She claims that the entire Ottoman
Empire be restored to Turkey.
Heaven knows that European d.
plomacy has been cynical beyond be-
lief, but Won Kuhlmann's notions go
one worse than any recent precedent,
for it has always been held that
when the Turk as ruler has once
been elected from any area he must
never come back, except as private
citizen. | dismiss, therefore, the
idea that Bagdad and Jerusalem
should be evacuated by the Allies
and the old regime of massacre and
corruption reestablished. Inevitably
the administration would rot and de-
cay. Around it's carcass the vultures
OF rival ambitions would gather.
Among statesmen. the fate of the
falling empire would provoke as
much animosity as the Balkans or
Morocco in past years. After con-
slant disputes, it would involve US
again in world war. The Near East
must now be cleared up, once for all.
A Second View
Of Regions Needs
The second solution is to divide
'aese territories among the COM
pstely civilized powers. In the now
obsolete confidential treaty with
Russia this was the plan. Italy,
france, Britain and Greece were all
70 have a share of the so-called
plunder," and all are equally SUBJ
lect, therefore, to the hint of "im-
Mrlalism." Every one will admit
mat such partition, however Sc
Serely criticised, would have added
not a little to the sum total Of human
happiness. The boundaries would be
clearly defined. There would be
law, order and industrial develop
ment. France would assume once
more her ancient suzerainty over
me Holy Land. Britain, presuma-
wy would deal with the Tigris and
Auphrates Valley. 1t would be in
wrestlng to see which power made
we best use of it's responsibilities.