The sun., 1919-08-23
ARMENIANS IN THE WAR.
Their Fighting Qualities Often shown
Against the Turks.

1hnfnpN inv hhhb-
To THE EprroR or The suN-sir! I
was astonished to read in THE Sun Of
August II the subjoined paragraph by
+. Cunliffe-Ow
When. some twelve or fourteen years
ago. 1000 Armenians were massacred in
the streets of constantinople by Turk
ish stsvedoros and portsrs armed only
with bludgeons and legs Of broken
chairs, not a single one OF their assail-
ants sustained any harm, owing to the
fact that the Armenians did not at
tempt to defend themselves and took
their beating without resistance, lying
down.
The facts belle the allegation of your
contributor. The Armenians have al
ways defended themselves valiantly, and
this is admitted facility by the Turkish
Government, which, as was pointed out
by DR.. ]. Lepsius in his book entitled
Armenia and Europe" forbade by stat
ute the Armenians to carry arms.
Not only have the Armenians been
able to defend themselves, but when
ever the opportunity has arisen they
have not hesitated, Notwithstanding
great odds, to fight for the triumph of
justice and liberty. When Turkey was
contemplating a declaration of war on
Russia she endeavored to have the Ar
monians instigate a. revolt in the eau
casus. The emissary of the Young
Turks requested the Armenian notables
In Erzerum to form volunteer legions
that, with twenty-seven Persian. Turk
ish and Circassian propagandists, would
cross the Russian frontiers and torment
Instruction In the Caucasus. AS a re-
ward the Armenians were promised by
the Young Turks an autonomous Ar
menia TO include Kars, the province
Of Erivan, a portion of Elizabetpol, a
section OF the vilayet Of Erzerum, Van
and Bitlis. The Armenian answer was
categorical refusal.
Viscount Bryce. In appreciation of the
Armenian services, declared that the
Armenians lighting as volunteers In the
armies of France had displayed the
utmost courage and valor in the COM
bats before Verdun."
1t was mainly due to the bravery and
leadership of the Armenian soldiers and
volunteers, who knew the terrain well,
that the Russians captured ErZerum,
Bltlis, Erzingan and Trebizond from the
Turks.
Tho London Daily Telegraph pub
lished on October 4, 1918. a letter from
Lord Robert Cecil to viscount Bryce
leuding the unexampled bravery Of the
Armenians and the invaluable services
they had rendered the allied cause from
the beginning Of the war. Lord Cecil
wrote, inter ALA:
After the breakdown Of the Russian
army at the end OF last year these
Armenian forces took over the Cau'
casian front and for hve months de-
layed the advance of the Turks, thus
rendering an important service to the
British army in Mesopotamla. may
add that Armenian soldiers are still
nghting in the ranks of the allied
forces In Syria. They are to be found
serving alike in the British. French
and American armies. and they have
borne their part in General Allenby's
great victory in Palestine.
The memorable defence of Van by
tho Armenians In 1915, graphically de-
scribed in DIR. Ussher's book AN Amer
lean Physician In Turkey" Is the great
est refutation OF the accusation that the
Armenians cannot fight.
The Armenian massacres in Constan-
pie to which your contributor re-
fers took place not twelve or fourteen
but twenty-four years ago, that Is In
1898. During these massacres the Ar
menian reyoiutionists not only defended
themselves but seized the Ottoman
Bank. which. with its 1874 officers and
employees and s6o.0o0,0o0 Of capital.
remained in their hands for fourteen
hours. until q pledge was given by Mr..
Maximoff. the chief interpreter OF the
Russian Embassy, on behalf OF the rep
resentatives Of the six great Powers,
that the Armenian massacres would be
stopped Immediately and that the Ar
rlenian reforms stipulated by the Treaty
OF Berlin be executed. Thereupon the
Armenian Tevoiutiohists left Constan-
tlnople, but after their departure the
massacres were resumed and the reforms
remained a dead letter.
ARsHAd MAHpEsIAN.
Editor of the NetD Armenia.
NEW YORK, August %.