Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-19
, Of The Star.

discuss-or put off discussion
who shall have care of her. the giori-
Gus basiiica OF Justinian, of beauty
and holiness an earthly heaven, the
abode of angels
And. since 1853, a Turkish mosque.
~ In May, 1919. the representatives of
Episcopal Presbyterian. Congrega-
~ tiona!. Friend and Baptist churches in
various American cities petitioned the
peace conference for the restoration
OF st. Sophia as a Christian place Of
worship
Already the Established Church of
churches of all England in similar
petitions,
Both the Roman Catholic and Greek
Orthodox churches OF Christendom are
equally at one with all the others
on the one essential polnt-the giving
back OF the unique basilica to Chris
An worship. for which il was built A,
u. 532. and for which 1t was used un
interruptedly into the 1000 years, I'M
. Ill the Turks burst into Constantine
pie with fire, sword and slaveirons
and Sultan Mahomet III rode his horse
beneath its Incompatible dome.
In the same month of May, 1919, at
a meeting in Philadelphia, the Rev.
William III. Roberts personal friend
OF President Wilson. being in the
chair. the united Episcopal, Presby-
terrain, Congregational. Friend and
Baptist churches cabled a special
resolution to Mr. Wilson calling per-
sonal attention to these petitions, and
further declaring that 1.-The right of
the Turk to sovereignty over eastern
Christendom has gone forever, CEN
turtles Of misrule having eliminated in
massacres and atrocities that appal
the conscience of Christian people"
Then the cabled resolution of the
churches went on to indorse the men,
orandum presented by NJ. Venizelos as
a conservative and moderate express
sion of Greek claims, and to beg Gin
harmony with similar petitions of the
Established and Free churches of
Engiand) for the restoration of st.
Sophia to the Greek Orthodox Church,
Turks in 1853.
Since these petitions much has hap
pened.
We are told (by the Islamic infor-
nation bureau) that Turkey is 1.-The
most popular power in the world"
We are told that words used by Lloyd
George in 1913 were accepted by the
Moslems of the British empire On
dia. Egypt. etc.) as England's solemn
promise that "she was not fighting to
deprive Turkey of it's capital or of the
rich and renowned lands of Asia
Minor and Thrace"; and that the feel
ing of 'all Asiatics" on this subject
is SO intense that if that promise" is
broken, there will be no more love
and loyalty for England in the east"
threat. Marmaduke Pickthall
signs it.
Meanwhile, as the despairing hope
OF Armena-let US say the lives of
Armenian men, the safety of Armenian
women. the shipping trade of Rus
STA to the Mediterranean, the pros
perity and hygiene Of the near east
and the trembling honor of the west
are wrapped up IN the American
Armys commission to Constantinople.
the report of Maj. Gen. Hartford. its
chief, and the way in which this re.
port shall be received by s. =. @. II.
'Senate and people of the United
states of America)
X X i;
Meanwhile St Sophia threatens to
collapse structurally.
simply that without exaggeration.
This is handing out no propaganda:
simply combination of circum
stances, quite unexpected, makes il
possible for me to publish by mail
details of the astonishing fact which
VIII be published by cable shortly
before you read these lines. st.
Sophia tWeatons to sink in form
less mass, like the tower of San
Marco at Venice, which collapsed i'm
one day, if you remember, a few
years before the war
When such heavy old buildings
get in bad condition they go like
that"
SO comments Il certain personaso
on the news.