New-York tribune., 1918-02-17

I taught that the significance Of
the Russian revolution does not
centre at Petrograd; events may yet trans
prc which shall further remove our in
difference to the Eastern half OF that which
was once the Russian Empire. IN April last
q "Pan-Caucasian 1Iahometan Congress" met
at Baku, followed shortly by "Conference
of Mahometan Women at Orenburg; in May
An "All-Russian Mahometan Congress" de-
liberated at Moscow, and early in August d
Mahometan Military Congress- sat at kazau.
There have been but fragmentaly reports Of
these conventions, but the very fact that they
have taken place proclaims the old eXpecta-
ton; If the Russian Empire falls to pieces.
one of the first great blocks to break OFT will
be the Nahometan East twenty millions
strong. 1t is the supreme opportunity for a
movement which has been gathering strength
and assistance during the last two decades;
it may also prove the supreme opportun
for Germany.
The world was at war with Germany two
years before Europe, and still later America
awoke TO the unconcealed Mittleeuropa
scheme and the Pan German propaganda. The
Pan-Turanian movement is still practically
unnoticed; our "eXperts" and "authortias"
are daily Interpreting the Russian cables and
discussing the prospects of German trade
after the war, but with no word Of that great
closer looming dream for an empire which
shall stretch from Finland to Bokhara, from
Sophia and Constantinople to Manchuria. and
hearing we know not what relation to Berlin
Links All Of
Turkish Blood
The Pan-Turanian purpose looks 10 the
uniting of all the Turkish "race.' It is not
Iah-lsamlsn; 1t is even moro than pure Pan
lurkisn l. proclams the knship not only
of the Turks Of Europe. of Anatola Northern
Persia, Afghanistan and Turkestan The Chu-
washes, Bashkrs, Kirghiz, OF the Russian
steppes and the VoIga valleys, but Of the
Firms and the Magyars Of Bulgaria and Hun
gary with these. Taking it's name from the
cid Persian word "Turan,' meaning the Cen
tral Asiatic steppcs, it seeks to link the Bos.
porus with the Arctic by great belt or re,
lated peopes, to set UP a national unit
founded on a common racial denominator.
that will lie, Il huge block, between Europe
and China-can VIC avoid the thought that il
might be between France and China?
In its beginning the Pan-Turanian move
ment, like most of the national impulses. was
cthnographica and it is significant that the
prime movers in it were products of that
fierce German school of research which by
means OF vowels and labials and penuItima,cs
has through a quarter century been LAYING
the basis Tor rearrangement Of the world
map. The actual leadership, however, was
L
of Budapest, under the enthusiasm of Dr.. A.
Vambery, was the first to stimulate the in
terest of European scholars in the Ural-
Altaic peoples and to point out the common
language which runs beneath the Turks in
Constantinople, in Astrakhan and Kazan.
The beginnings Of the nationalist wave in
Turkey were just at this time coming to the
surface; the Young Turks found prompt
sympathy IN Hungary, which has always
been conspicuously Turcophl, and Dr. YAM
bery's chronological propaganda was readily
made part OF the political programme at
Constantnople. 1t was not until the Balkan
War, however, that Pan-Turanism became
practical politics; the Committee of Union
and Progress has utilized it most skilfullv
tor its own manipuations, finding it more
and more a source of outlet as the homes Of
Pan-lsamism diminished, and the hatred Of
Pan-Slavism has driven Bulgarian opinion
very readily toward the notion of Magvar
relation to the Turanian family.
Not Due to
Artificial Impulse
fe" observers see the Pan-Turanian
movement as purely artificial impulsc
l'lhiy disguised by preposterous ethnologi
cal claims and imported from Europe for
passing political purposes. Such it NAV be
TO De sure. but the fact that it is not CON
hhed to the Bosporus neighborhood speaks
something for its strength The movement
mas mad more spontaneity than many Of the
haVlohallst motions with which the last half
century has acquainted us; it has not snraad
IN widening circles from a centre. but almost
has sprung into existence in