The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-23
T

Those who predicted that the war which has ceased and is
about to be officially ended by the ratification of the Versailles
treaty would endure for many years to come based their opin-
ions mainly upon the fact that Constantnople was involved, and
for 1000 years that site was supposed to be the key to the world.
Nations fought to the death for its possession, not only for eco
monte reasons, but later as well for sentimental and religious
motives, For century after century it controlled the commerce
from the dying east to the growing west. All had to pass
through her gates, and a toll from each parcel made her wealthy.
When Rome acquired such possessions in the near east as
to require a central government with authority and yet closer
to the scene, Byzantium was selected and became Constantinople,
and when the barbarians of another age swept down the fertile
plains OF Italy and down the valley of the Marine, Rome saw
her western power, glory, literature, art, and greatest Of all her
one hope OF the world for light, Much of what Rome had
evolved was saved there, later to be returned to the west, and act
as the spark from which our present civilization has blazed.
Rome had planted a colony which became the Rumania of
today to ward off the threatened invasions from above the lakes
upon Constantinople but first one Turk and then another came
from the east, and having acquired Asia Minor, crossed the
BosporuS, overran the Balkans and bent the sturdy HapSburg
oak,
Crusaders storme6 lis walls, but the Turk survived by
force Of arms, and later because diplomats in nations OF suppos-
eddy higher moral level could not agree among themselves, each
fearing that the other would acquire too great strength If it
controlled Constantinople, The Turk had no genius for govern
ment-no capacity to make the natural resources OF his dominion
more productive, His only idea was to get all that he could
from what was at hand, irrespective of whether or not he
destroyed the means by which what he comnandecrcd could be
reproduced He deliberately slew among Armenians those who
were heavily insured in American companies, and then all their
relatives, and asked the then United States minister to help
him collect the insurance for the government on the we'll
established law that when no relative survives the estate eScheats.
His head now hangs in the balance. just as he so long
held that of countless thousands. His fate will be decided and
told to him when the powers shall have gotten through with
Austria. 1t is generally conceded that he will not be allowed to
remain on this side OF the Bosporus. He has no place, reaction
AIRY that he always has been, upon any western continent.
Constantinople should not belong to him nor to any other one
nation. 1t should belong to the world at large, Let the nations
take from the Turk not only the city, but land both in Europe
and Asia 50 miles on each side of the Black sea to the Medner-
ranean sea. Let them appoint a commission representing the
various nations to govern this strip for the good of its inhabi-
tants, but with open traffic for all nations. No nation then
would have an economic advantage over another, and a great
artery of commerce which has heeu damned fr epturies ,vauld
be open for free circulation.
All civilized nations then would be compelled to defend this
free zone, and with all united for its defense no defense prob
ably would be necessary. But If another Genghis Khan, the
greatest organizer and greatest murderer OF men, should spring
up in the east and start west, all civilizations would have a com
mon barrier on which to resist him.