Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-02
ASSYR|AN LEADER
DIES FOR PEOPLE
Mar Shirmun Always Observed
Lent With Rigid Forty
Day Fast.
TURKS MURDER IN PERSIA
Christians Fight Desperately
Against Annihilation by Mos
lem Allies of Germany.

dead, and the fate OF his race liz being
weighed in the balance.
For fifteen years Mar Shimun has
been the idolizcd leader Of the Assy-
rians. nlling at once the role Of civil
ruler over the little highland state
and Catholics or Patriarch of the AS
syrian Christian church. AT the age
OF sixteen he was elected successor TO
his uncle. Ruwel- Reuhen-Mar Sh!mun.
and no crown prince was ever better
prepared to assume his regal duties
than was he. The national character
OF Assyria has bee maintained for
centuries through the unity of her
church alone. SO that TO the .Assyrians
the Catholics Is virtually king. But
no king, recognized az such by the
world at large, could surpass In educa-
ton or character this pricstly monarch
of the Eastern highlands.
From early childhood he was taught
the wisdom OF ancient seers. the
poetry OF the East and the science OF
the West. the technique of the present
day and the religion Of the Nazarites
of old. In the beginning. native teach
ers jealousy guided the boys mind
but in later years he came under the
established by Archbishop Benson, Of.
Canterbury, at Kurdistan. Persia, the
patriarchal sea-,
In 1903 his study was interrupted by
the call OF his people. and nc became
the l3Sth Catholics Of the East Con-
secrated from birth TO the service OF
God. like the ancient Xians. Mar
Shimun never ate meat lie always
"a,
day fast, Sundays included. Chris,likc
the SANITY patriarch taught his poo
pie the blcssedncss OF peace; yet he
died lighting.
Early in 1915 the Turks were lot
loose. Germany. busy elsewhere
turned her back on the Orient. while
her Turkish ally. connoisesur in
Oricnta! warf:rc began TO prepare for
the future an easy road through Asia
Tor her Prussian Chum. 1t was q well
come work the Moslems were given TO
do--once more a chance for massacre
and loot and promise Of utter an
initiation to her hated Christian sub
tccts and their near neirhhors. Her
Armenian subjects suffered terribly
civilized minds cannot conceive OF the
fortunes endured by that inartyrcd race
tor'ures 10 be continued and extended
II the heroic resistance Of Armenians
In the Caucasus cannot hold
Not content with murder within her
gates, Turkey iniruded her crime east
OF her borders into Persia In June
1918. wild band OF Turks and Kurds
swept up the narrow valley where the
Assyrian Christians make their noun
tam nome Assyria knew the fate OF
Armenia. Then $4,000 Assyrian high
landers were called together by Mar
Shimun, and right valiantly they de-
tended their valley. The Turks. how
ever. had them outnumbcred. and the
Assyrians. taken unawarcs. soon found
themselves in state of siege Every
ancient castle and sacred church was
battered down by Turkish guns before
Mar Shimun advised his men to re-
treat TO their mountain Businesses.
here was at leas: "A temporary refuge
for their women and children
All went we'll until their supplies
gave out. The Russian lines n, mat
time extended as far south and west
in Persia as Salinas. With a handful
of his men, Mar Shimun made the dan
gerous way to this point to ask as
sistance The Russians, however. were
In dire straits themselves, and could
send no aid The brave little rroun
returned TO give the sad news to the
defenders Of the mountains. There
was nothing to do but abandon their
homes and retreat to compara,jva
safety. During the winter of Ie15-1s
they wandered over the plains of Sal.
mas and Crumia. trying somehow IN
gain livelihood. But IL was a hit,ar
winter, and there was war in the moor
land OF Persia. Fifteen per cent OF
their number had persisted from hunger
ans cold bteore spring came
TEshia Lsaish, Mar Shimun's brother
died OF the hardships of that wear In
1915, too, came the news that Horz-
mud, another brother of the patriarch
at the time studying in Constantinon,.
had been imprisoned. No news b,s
been heard of him since
Early in 1916 there came raw oe
hope TO the Assyrians. Mar Shimun
again appealed 10 the Russians ,nh
was received by Grand Duke Nicholas
commander OF the Russian army in the
Caucasus with all honors due to ,
prince. As result Of the interview
the Assyrlan highlanders were asked
by the Russians to help against tho
Turks and kurds, and up until October
1917. they held the Castle OF Chal 6ftv
miles from Mosul.
Now. since the Russian troops have
been Withdrawn from the district west
Of the Turco-Persan border, the Turks
again are free TO persecute. But some
how the rule of self determination"
cannot be applied against the Ar
menians and their Assyrian neiChbors
as easily as Germany and Turkey had
hoped for. Tho Moslems find the Chris
tians unwilling to be utterly wiped out,
or even to be forcibly Converted" The
men fight for the honor OF their women
ard children as they never fought for
their lives. and in that fight Mar
Shimun has been killed--Mar Shimun.
the love and inspiration Of all his
suffering people