Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1919-02-07
Armenia Asks The * ght to Live
Time 10 End Century
Of Crime.
BY GtoRCG HAVEN PurNAM.
Written for the American Defence
Society.

Written for the American Defence
society.
Americans who are believers III
tle principles laid down by The
fathers WHO founded the republic
must maintain, in accordance win
these principles, that ail men are en-
titled 70 BE, liberty and the pursuit
OF happiness. When this element
airy right has been interfefed with
in the case OF any community Oh any
group of men, the citizens al other
and more fortunate communities
have upon them the responsibility
as members OF the family Of nations
OF doing all that may be possible te
remedy the injustice that Is being
suffered by their ueighbors.
The peace union now sitting ii
Paris Is charged not only with the
settlement Of the direct issues OF tie
war bnt with doing what may be in
its power, as representing the opin
ions ani Die poheies Of thepciyilized
STATES Of the world, to remedy IL
justice and 10 remove burdens from
any community which has been un-
er.iujusuee and has been bearing
burdens. Armenia has every claim
for consideration On the part Of this
convention.
The treatment Of Armenia dur
ing lhe past century has not only
comprised a series OF crimes on the
part Of Turkish rulers but has con
stituied a serious disgrace for the
states Of Europe which have per
nntted dhe continuance OF these
crimes.
"A great community representing
an ancient civilization and constr
mting IN every respect, excepting
tlat Of political rights, a nation,
community lhat has done loyal seFY
ice for is felioWmen, that has fries
only TO live honorably lis own lie
liberty and the pursuit Of hapPi
uess, has been devastated and a.
most wiped ont Of existence. i
were not for the many horrors tina
have resulted from the great kure
paan war. this eliminating atroeit
% Uuggie shat has produced S
many focities, would haVe eaipha
sized itself more than il has dor
upon The opinion Of the world, an
must have called Tor larger meas
ufa 81 protest and 81 indignation
The Iuritis in Europe today onl
because, as far. back as 1888, th
so-,aliei Christian states were quai
rang w1tn ore another and Jeaiou
of ole alcther, and through the II
action produced BY these Ieaiousie
permitted a great Christian emPir
to be O, erthrowu, to be replaced
Constanunople by barbarou
Asiatic horde
The Turk has since 1853 take
upon himself the senlblance of civ
lization. lie has learned Europea
ways and particularly Europea
diplomacy lie can be in his md
yidual action a gentleman, a pleas
ant, and even an honorable fellow
to deal with, but wherever the 1url
has been plaeed IN a position Of Of
fetal responsibility he has not ont
failed to bring about efficient gov
eminent, and to secure justice 10
those who were dependent upon hi
official action, but 100 often has per
uHtted himself, through greed
thio4git stupidity through The de
Accls u his ancient time barbara
nature, to use his Official power foi
the oppression Of the hapiess being
committed 10 his charge. Too otter
this oppression has eStended itseif
hrst, 10 plander and then 10 murder
The Turk mas never developed
any civilization, and it is hopeless
to expect it Of the Turks of today
The great wrong done against tic
peaceful and progressive people OF
Armenia must be made good as far
as may yet be possible The dead
cannot be restored, but justice Hlay
yet be secured for the living.
Arnenia Is entitled 70 decent gov
eminent, aud it seems probable Ilai
such government can be secured
only through autonomy. It may be
desirable Tor 50 small state to
come into federal relations with
some neighboTing states that arr
now securing new liberty, but II
any case the Armenians mist bg
given the control Of their own ter
ntory and their own lives.
The AImenians are, as are th'
Americans, Tree from any desiri
Of aggression. They want no ter
ritory no property that belongs Il
other people They want meret
the right 10 live and to develop &C
cording to their own customs am
according to their abiding faith. w
Americans must be ready to fulfil
Our obligations to these fellow-mer
who have been So cruelty wronged
We owe them not only sympath
but cooperation, and now that w
have done Our part in this war VI
must see itthai III he settlement
tLst -- F,..- sa,f,t 4 f4i4f 81, f1arf