The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-20
Turk and TeutOn
Ambassador Moraenthau's story Of
Great War Plots
BY HENRY MoRGENTHAu.


In the course of time these Turks
might learn certain things from their
european n Arabic neighbors, but
there was one idea which they could
never even family grasp. They could
not understand that a conquered people
were anything except slaves. When
tHey LOOK possession of a land, they
found 1t occupied by a certain num-
ger Oh camels, horses, ~buffaloes, dogs,
swine and human beings. or ali these
living things the object that physically
most resembled themselves they re-
garded as the least important. 1t be-
came a common saying with them that
a morse or a camel was far more valu-
money, whereas 'infidel CHRISTIANS"
were plentiful in the Ottoman coun-
trles and could easily be forced to la
Dor. 1t Is true that the early sultans
gave the subject peoples and the Euro
peans in the empire certain rights, but
these in themselves really reflected
me contempt in which all non-Moslems
were held, | have already described
the 'Capltulations," under which for
elgners in Turkey had their own courts,
prisons, postoffices and other institu-
IONS. Yet the early sultans gave these
privileges not from a spirit of toler-
ance, but merely because they looked
upon the Christian nations as unclean
and therefore unfit to have any con-
tact with. the Ottoman administrative
- JuuioidI system. Inc SultanS SIM
larry erected the several peoples, such
as the Greeks n the Armenians, into
separate "millets'-or nations, not be-
cause they desired to promote their in
dependence and welfare, but because
Trey regarded them as vermin, and
therefore disqualified for membership
n the ottoman state. The attitude OF
the government toward their Christian
subjects was illustrated by certain req.
uIatlons which limited their freedom Of
actlon. The buildings in which Chris
tians lived should not be conspicuous
and their churches should have no hei9
n.y., Christians could not ride a horse
IN the city, for that was the exclusive
right of the noble Moslem. The Turk
had the right to test the sharpness of
MS sword upon the neck of any Chris
tian. "
Imagine a great government wear
IN and year out maintaining this atti-
tude loWard many millions Of its own
subjects! And for centuries the Turks
simply lived like parasites upon these
Verburdened and Industrious people.
Ihey taxed them to economic extinc-
tlon, stole their most beautiful daugh-
ters and forced them into their har-
ems, TOOK Christian male infants by the
hundreds of thousands and brought
mem up as Moslem soldiers. l have
no intention of describing the terrible
vassalage and oppression that went on
lor i've centuries; my purpose is merely
to emphasize this innate attitude Of
the Moslem Turk to people not of his
own race and religion-that they are
not human beings with rights, but
merely chattels, which may be per-
mitted to live when they promote the
interest Of their masters, but which
may be pitilessly destroyed when they
nave ceased to be useful. This atti-
tudei S intensified by a total disregard
Tor human life and an intense delight
IN physical suffering which are the not
unusual qualities of primitive peoples.
Such were the mental characteristics
OF the Turk in his days of military
greatness In recent times his atti-
tuue toward foreigners and his sub
lect peoples had specifically changed.
HIS w military decline and the ease
with which the infidel nations defeated
MS finest armies had apparently given
the naughty descendants of Osman a
respect at least for their rowess The
rapid disappearance Of his own empire
IN a hundred years, the creation out Of
the Ottomon empire Of new states like
Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Roumania,
ana the wonderful improvement which
mad followed the destruction OF the
Turkish yoke In these benighted lands,
may have Increased the Ottoman hatred
Tor the unbelieVer, but at least they
had a certain influence in opening his
eyes to his importance. Many Turks
also now received their education in
Hul' l'Cdh univ SllltS, I1eH SIUOlGO IN
their professional schools, and they be-
came physicians, surgeons, lawyers, en-
glneers, and chemists Of the modern
KIND. However much the more pro-
EressiVe Moslems might desplse their
Christian associates, rney could not
ignore the fact that the finest things,
IN this temporal world at least, were
the products of European and American
civilization, And now that one develop
ment Of modern history which seemed
to be least understandable to the Turk
began to force itself upon the conscious
ness of the more intelligent and pro-
gressive. Certain leaders arose who
began to speak surreptitiously' Of such
things as "constitutionalism," 'liber-
ty,' "self-government,' and to whom
the declaration of independence con-
tanned certain truths that might have
a value even for Islam. These daring
spirits began to dream or overturning
the autocratic sultan and Of substituting
a parliamentary system for his ire
sponsible rule. have already described
the rise and fall of this Young Turk
movement under such leaders as Ia
laat, Enver, Djemal, and their associ-
ates in the committee of union and
progress. The point which ] am en-
phasizing here is that this movement
p|resupposed n complete transformation
Of Turkish mentality especially in it's
attitude toward subject peoples. No
longer, under the reformed Turkish
state, were Greeks. Syrians, Armen-
ians and Jews TO be regarded as filthy
Giaours." All these peoples were hence
forth to have equal rights and equal
duties. A general love feast now fol-
lowed the establishment of the new
regime, and scenes OF almost frenzied
reconciliation, in which Turks and Ar
menians embraced each other publicly,
apparently signalized the absolute UNI
ion Of the once antagonistic peoples.
The Turkish leaders, including Talaat
md Enver, visited Christian churches
and sent forth prayers or Thanksgiving
for the new order. and went to Arme-
nian cemeteries to sneG tears Of retri-
button over the bones or the martyred
Armenians who lay there, Armenian
priests r~eciprocally paid their tributes
to the Turks in Mohammedan mosques.
Enver Pasha visited several Armenian