The Washington herald., 1918-10-25

SIXTH ms
Suppose a few ArInenians did be-
tray you" said. rs that a reason tor
destroying a whole race? Is that an
excuse for making innocent women
and children suffer-
Those things are inevitable" ne
replied
This remark to me was not quite so
Illuminating as one which Talaat
made subsequently to a reporter OF
the Beriiner Tageblatt, who asked
him the same question. We have
been reproached," he said, according
to this interviewer. for making no
distinction between the innocent Ar
msnisns and the guilty; but that was
utterly impossible, in view Of the
fact that those who were innocent
today might be guilty tomorrow
My repeated protestations evidently
persuaded TaIaat that at least 7 was
entitled to an explanation of the Of
fcial attitude OF the Ottoman gov
eminent In the early part OF August.
therefore, he sent a personal messen-
ger TO me. asking il 1 could not see
him alone as he wished to go over
the whole Armenian situation. This
was the first time that Talaat had
admitted that his treatment of the
Armenians was a matter with which
had any concern. The interview
took place two days efterward. It
so happened that since the last time
had visited Talaat I had shaved my
beard As soon as 1 came in the
burly minister began talking in his
customary banteriug fashion.
Exchange of ComplImentx.
you have become a young man
again" he said; you are so young
now that ] cannot go to you for ad-
vice any more"
I have shaved my beard" I re-
piled because it had become very
gray-made gray by your treatment
OF the Armenians."
After this ex ,Eange Of compliments
VIC settled down to the business in
hand I have asked you to come to-
day began Talaat, so that l can
explain our position on the whole Ar
menian subject. We base our obiec-
lions TO the Armenians on three dis
tinct grounds. In the first place. they
have enriched themselves at the ex-
pense Of the Turks. In the second
place. they are determined 10 DOM
ineer over ~ and TO establish a sep
arate state. In the third place. they
They have assisted the Russians in
the Caucasus and our failure there is
largely explained by their actions
We have therefore come to the ir-
r~vOcable decision that We shall make
them powerIess before this war is
ended"
On ever one or these points I had
plenty Ot arguments IN rebuttal.
Talaat.s first objection was merely an
admission that The Armenians were
more Industrious and more able than
the lhiCkwitted md lazy Turks. Mas
SHrTe a. "a means OF destroying bust
u"ss competition was certainly an
original conception. His general
charge that The ArmenIanS were
'conspiring against Turkey and
that they openly sympathized
with TurGrys enemies merely
meant. when reduced to its original
elements. that the Arnenians were
constantly appealing to the European
powers TO protect them against rob-
oeTy. murder and outrage. The Ar
rrenian problem. like most race prob
lens. was the result Of centuries Of
il-trea tment and injustice There
could be only one solution for it, the
creation Of an orderly system Of gov
eminent. in which all citizens were
TO be treated upon an equality, and
in which all Offenses were to be pun
ished as the acts Of individuals and
not as Of peoples. I argued for a long
time along these and similar lines
Already Disposed of ArmenIans.
1t is no use for you to argue"
Talaat answered. we have already
disposed of three quarters Of the Ar
meuians. there are none at all left in
Biuis. Van. and Erzeroum. The hatred
between the Turks and the Armenians
IS now 50 intense that We have got
10 nnish with them. II we don't. they
viii plan their revenge"
IF you are not Influenced by hu-
name cons ideratiOns." replied.
think Of the material loss. These
people are your business men. They
control many of your Industries. They
are very large taxpayers. What would
become Of YOU commercially without
-lRsm?"
We care nothing about the com
merCial loss. replied Talaat. We
have figured all that out and We
know that 1t Will not exceed 5000 900
pounds. We don't worry about that.
have asked YOU to come here so
as 10 let you know that our Armenian