The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-06
THE STORY OF ARMENIA AND
IT'S LONG-SUFFERING PEOPLE


4 y 9 long suffering people tho Uni-
ted States will become mandatory for
q acts an fo-ter to Armenia under
the direction of the League Of Nations
It's people Tho claim an early icvil-
tzation, WIKI sc homeland is the very
neart nf the region which the Bible
tells US was re oeopled by the sons OF
Noah after the great deluge. Mt
Ararat. where Noah's ark went
aground, is in the center of their land.
A thousand years before Christ q
distinct Armenian people occupied this
noble kings and boasted of culture and
learning.
Their kingdom extended from the
Black Sea and the Caucasus noun
tains to Persia and Syria. and had an
area of SOC, 900 square miles
Babylon. Persia. Rome exacted trt-
butte from Armenia in turn. but left
her to work out her own internal prob
lens and in the dark ages Of the
western world Armenia attained her
highest positio min world civilization
Armenian Church.
The Armenian church was establish
ed in $40 A. d.. by Gregory. Is years
before the Gil \ k church. and became q
strong power behind Christianity.
Gregory was imprisoned because he
would not worship the old gods. but re-
leased. converted his king. and In eight
years had christianfzcd his country.
Zorastrianism, the old religion Of the
country. collapsed.
Rulers Of Persia tried to put down
Christianity and threw the country into
anarchy.
rher c.rn A~.h-,,o ..S oEn ,,n.~.
of bitter conflict between Mohamme-
dams and Byzantines swept the land.
A hundred years of peace followed. be-
ginning with the reign Of the Jewish
king. Ashod /. Through 1t all Ar
menians preserved their race.
Byzantine and Mongol invasion
brought q series Of subjugations and
secutions which have not ended to the
present day.
When the Ottoman Turk set up his
mosque at Agia Sofia in the sixteenth
century he got q grip on the land that
has not been loosened until the great
war killed the power of the Turk.
-. Tolerant Brief Period.
Mohammed the conquerer, was toll
Grant for q time. He left the Chris
tons alone. though granting them no
civil recognition unless they embraced
Recommendation. ARM eanians became
the traders and business men among
the Turks. End were loyal as citizens.
though they chung to their ancient
language and religion.
Armenia. in time. on the ever-chang-
ing map of Europe. was divided among
Turkey. Russia and Persia. But Tur-
key controlled most Russian nihilists
provoked revolts in 1885. and warfare
marked by extreme cruelty on both
sides was wa9ed.
Turkey intrusted her subduing Of tho
rebels to the savage Kurds. and then
began the massacres which have stirred
the civilized world and made the name
OF Turkey infamous.
In 1894 England. France and Russia,
backed up by their warships. made the
sultan promise restitution and re1orme.
in the government and proportional
representations.
Commit Atrocities.
But the Turks and the Kurds were
lily curbed and the massacres con-
tinued. villages were devastated. fam
inc and plague followed. Tho Turkish
government reluctantly permitted the
Red Cross to bring relief to the suf-
ferers. The outrages became fewer for
q time. But in August. 1885. q mob In
Constantinople. spurred on by govern
m0nJ agents. OG8t 10 OG8tu SsVVV AI-
menians because Of an attack by .
group Of Armenians on the Ottoman
bank.
Determined efforts to stamp out the
entire Armenian race followed this out
break. and European alliances became
SO entangled that no power dared o
step In and compel the inhumanity to
cease.
Fanaticism and cupidity Of the ig-
norant subjects of the Turkish govern
ment were played on. and they came to
see the determination Of the Armenians
as q religious duty. with confiscation
OF his property as the reward.
Thousande Die.
With the outbreak Of tho great war
and the entrance OF Turkey on the side
OF Germany. the determination OF the
Armenians was Quickened. They were
slaughtered by thousands In their
homes and villages. They were herded
together for deportation and started
on marches OF hundreds OF miles which
had for their purpose only the death
marchers. Hundreds whose vitality
the roadsides. Mothers with babes
who fell out were either slain or left
to starve. Turkish officers boasted of
the numbers whose death they had
COMPRISED. It Is estimated that 2.00o.-
900 were slain.
Thousands of ArmeniAns fled into
the Caucasus and with tho Georgians
formed an army OF 100000 men which
fought on the side of the allies.
Perhaps million are left in Turkish