New Britain herald., 1918-12-21
Loyalty of Persian .AssyrianS.

Editor New Britain Herald:
 As was boar9nc the train last Monday, a copy of The Hartford Couv1nt, of the 16th was shown to me where on the first page disclo- sure was made of the fact that the fed eral authorities were on the trail of a swindle in New Britain with regard to.-the draft business among the Persian Assyrians.
 The blood of some of us has been boiling over the wrong impression that has been gotten in tho draft board of New Britain as to the fight ing qualities of the .Assyrian young, 1nen as reelected in the action of a handful. who. we are afraid had been seduced aud debauched to run away from rendering a most glorious service indirectly to their own coun- try. and directly to the American and Allied cause. The average man in Hartford and New Britain and all over Connecticut on seeing such prominent place given to this charge would think that all the Assyrians in the east have been made of the same stuff. and so are unworthy of conf dence, and unwilling to have their own share in the privilege of winning the war for the Allies. But Sir, I had only an hour ago an American gentleman in my office who has just recently come from the very regions where our people have been fighting for the life of civilization In the northwestern part of Persia. and pre- venting the Turks for number of months from having control over the Caspian regions. I cannot disclose the character of the gentleman, but he speaks from experience and with authority. and his voice is entitled to be heard. And here is what he says of the magnificent qualities of our men in the east as fighters: "Assyrian forces under the leader ship of Mar Shimun. Agha Pctros. and other leaders on several Occa sions met and badly defeated the Turkish forces in this district. The British military officers expressed the opinion that if these Assyrian batta- Hans were provided with arms and ammunition they would be able effec- tually to hold back the Turks at tempting to occupy the Urumia dis
  highly of the fighting qualities of the Assyrian soldiers who have been and were holding their own under the grea test difficulties. The work done by th ese Assyrian battalons un- doubtedly so delayed Turkish occu- patton of the Aderbaijan province that they were prevented from car- rying out with any success. plan to secure the control of tue Caspian Sea during the past summer, and thus carry the Pan-Turanian move ment across into the trans Caspian province, which would have been of the greatest danger to the Allied cause. These Assyrian battalions to the number of seven or eight thou sand men were organized in the Urumia district by the Russians equipped and trained by the Russians and French officers and for many months during the present year block ed the Turkish invasions of that part of Adebaijon province in the north western part of Persia
 Then. 3, few days ago, letter ! came from Teheran, the capital of Persia, written by 8 prominent As 1 syrian clergyman, Rev. Abraham Moorhatch familiar with the whole 1 situation and who can speak With [ authority. He says that the courage and endurance of our army under | the leadership of a few officers has | been ma gnif1cent. Under the leader ship Of Agha David, the brother of l the Patriarch and of Agha Petros l and ofMalick Khoshaba, more than 1 l , battles were fought in the re- gions of Urumia and Salinas. and everywhere the AssyrianS were vic torious They fought one against ten |; and when the Moslems attacked. the ! Moslems were defeated and when the l Assyrians attacked the MoSIems were 1 defeated again. At one battle near ! the city two of our leaders with !, small force hurled back 10000 ! Turks. captured 30,000 rounds of | took many guns and l