The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-10
THE FIVE PROVINCES
Of TURKEY DIFFERENT


Washington, Nov Sin war
typography bhiietin issued today, the
National Geographic Society gives a
brief account of the five provinces or
districts into which tsiatic Turkey
may be roughly divided. The bulle-
tin which is based upon a communi-
CT ton to The society from William II.
Hall, says:
"Anatolia tthe name is from a
Turkish word meaning the dawn
lies between the Black and Mediter-
'ranean seas. This district is the home
of the greater part of the Turkish
population, perhaps 100000 in ALI
Here is a case where tire people can
be distinguished from the government
Even the so-called subject races have
suffered but little more at the hands
of the governing officials than the
common Turkish people,
When one remembers That All
government of the pire lies solely
IN the hands of = group Of not more
han 100 men. and that they impose
heir selfish wifi on Turk and Chris
tain alike, one readily understands
how a distin ctfon can be made be-
tween people and government. In
spite OF a constitution having been
proclaimed and parliament. SUM
.rnoued, the people, whether OF
Turkish or other race, have absolutely
no voice in the affairs Of the nation.
Armenia east of Anatolia. extend
ing 20 the reE.a "a of the Caucasus and
the Persian border. is the site of the
ancient Kingdom NJ Armenia. The
population IS not wholly Armenian
in fact. before the war tiza majority
OF The people were Turks and kurds---
but here the bulk Of the Armenian
race was found
at is a rugged land. a succession OF
mountains and valleys, where the
people have had TO contend with
nature for the establishment and
maintenance Of their homes: but. like
ali highland countries. ii has been the
means OF producing religious, tree
dom lowing people.
They we're the first nation to en-
brace Christianity when. in the latter
half OF the third century. their king,
1iradates accepted the new faith,
and most of the nation followed him.
throughout all the succeeding eentu-
ries they have remained steadfa-st
against wave after wave OF persecu-
ton, until this last storm OF hate and
fanaticism has swel- the greater part
from their homes and has destroyed
at least a rnilIion--~t wo- thirds of the
entirq people.
"Kurdistan, a hin country north OF
the Tigris river. is the home of
brave, yiriies largely illiterate series of
tribes and clans known az the kurds.
They are tn. descendants OF the Car
dushi, who gave Jepnphon and his
ten thousand SO much difficulty on
their march across these same hills
on their way TO the sea.
''Nomiually they are Moslefn in re
lieioa, but they have retained many
elements Of heather worship, .>ome
Of their tribes are 'Yesai or devil
worshippers. They are home flowing,
frugal and capable of enduring great
haroa hips. They practice strict mo-
nogamy ana their women occupy an
equal place with their men in the
family life
The kurds have furnished at least
one great man TO history, for Saladin
the cfivalrous leader of the Saraccn
hosts, TIE compeer of Richard Occur
de Lion was from this people.
Mesopotamia, Upper ard Lower,
vies with Egypt in claiming he honor
OF being the home of ancient ciNiIiza
Etion. 1t comprises the valleys of the
Tigris and Euphrates rivers Here
fiouriShed the Chaldean, Babylonian
and Assvrian empires. The city of
Dagdad. with all It's glamour Of mys-
terry and magic, IS in the heart OF
Mesopotamia.
This was the richest land IN the
world the Eranarv OF the tnctents:
vet, in spite Of all that it has been,
il today lies largely waste. tho desert
saFffas barre er7rroac,frti upon t7e fer
tile fields. while the clogged canals
have turned other portions into
swamps and marshes.
What population there is--not
more than one millions OF Arab
origin and the Arabic iars-tfare Is