Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-10

pot will never give up his plans Of
Oriental conquest, and that, though
he may promise to withdraw his sup
port from Pan. Islamism. he will never
keep his promises. --- -.
Lenine knows very we'll that the will
lingness OF the western statesmen to
negotiate with him and to "buy him
off, by concessions Is rooted in inn
potence and fear and he naturally feels
rather encouraged than otherwise to
pursue a policy that has so far proved
SO profitable. The Bolshevist mentality
is Prussian; it invariably constructs
conciliation as weakness. 1t is also
Oriental, for the eastern peoples have
the same instructive contempt for west
ern pacifism and respect only the strong
who are ready to use their strength.
Western Powers Prestige Gone
Eastern nationalists in Switzerland
assert triumphantly that the western
powers have lost every vestige Of their
ancient prestige In the Orient. The in
formation at my disposal tends to con-
| firm their statements. British and
French prestige in the East has dwin-
died to zero since the armistice. This
alarming fact Is due to two principal
causes: In the first place, the East
knows that the West is involved in n
political and social crisis which ex-
cludes sending strong armies overseas
to quell revolt. Secondly, the East is
aware that the West is divided by con
/ flicting interests and ambitions and in
capable of united action. The nat
ural inference which the nationalists of
India. Persia. Turkey and Egypt draw
from this knowledge is that the time has
| frr than, N thrn,,, ,>m Nhn f,rn ,.,,
yoke and revive the ancient glory Of
Islam.
That the hOtbed OF Islamitic revolt
In Azerbaidjan should have been tolerat-
ed SO long by the great powers Is one
of the many astonishing blunders COM
mitted by European diplomacy after the
war. The truth is that the SO called
Tartar government" in Elisabethpol
duped the western statesmen completely.
When the British mission arrived at
Elisabethpol It was given an enthusi-
astic welcome. The members of the
mission were presented with Arab
horses. Oriental rugs and costly gifts
| of all sorts a fine mansion was placed
at their disposal and everything done
to satisfy their wants. The "Tartar"
ministers called upon them and made
speeches couched in excellent English
and altogether revealed themselves. to
the astonished and pleased visitors as
persons of nerfect western culture and
manners. The result was that the mis- :
sion sent glowing reports to London
describing the republic of Azerbaidjan
as the best governed and most civilized
country in the Caucasus and infinitely
superior in every way to the ncighbor :
ing republics of Georgia and Armenia.
In reality the "republic of Azerbaid- :
jan" was merely one of the most per-
feet examples of political camouflage
ever devised. The Tartar" govern
ment was composed exclusively of Turk
stantinople at the approach of the Al
lies. The delegation whose excellent
English impressed the mission so much
consisted of Turkish naval officers edu
Gated in England before the war. AL
these facts were revealed when Aver
baidjan at last threw off the mask ant
joined Mustapha Kemal and the Rus
sian Bolshevists.
Christian Republics Menaced
One tragic consequence OF the blint
protection afforded the treacherou,
MOslems OF Azerbaidian Is that the tive
new Christian republics Of Georgia AM
Armenia are in imminent danger O.
IL tHp hTDnPuldnS unt
Georgians had but been properly sup
ported they would be in position to
I day to stamp out the center of Islam
itic section in Azerbaidjan. Instead
these Christian peoples have been delib
erately deserted by the great powers II
favor of Moslem fanatics against whom
! the western statesmen had promised I,
protect them. 1t is difficult to see how
they can still be saved out of the risinI
food of Moslem nationalism.
Il The revolt of Islam Is terrible men
ace not only to England. but also b
France, to Italy and indirectly even {,
America. 1t Is imperative that all tn
{ western powers should combine to aver
| this revival of Oriental fanaticism an
barbarism organized by Lenine and Lu
dendorff under the mask of nationa
awakening of oppressed peoples.
But, alas there is no sign of unity il
the councils of the Allies, despite off
cial protestations of good will an
friendship. Lloyd Georges policy o
conciliation with Germany at the ex
, pense of France has borne bitter fruit
French diplomacy is supporting the Per
\ | sian nationalists; it Is coqueting wit
Mustapha Kcmal, it is even beginnin
to take sympathetic interest in Hindi
revolutionists and Sim Fciners.
: England has no right to complain O
this new French policy, for it is unfor
tunately undeniable that she was til
first. to isolate herself and pursue indie
pendent plans after the conclusion q
peace. Nevertheless, France is i'll -ad
yised, for the triumph of Islam owe
Britain inevitably involves its victor
over France also. 1t was a dangerou
, and dishonorable thing when Englan
:. sinned against allied unity with regar
q to Germany, but it is suicidal 70
: France to revenge herself by conspirin
with Moslem fanaticism against tn
: barbarism against western civilization
The war allies must stand tOgethe
still; It Is too soon for them to separat
, and 60 their own selfish ways, for tn
world crisis is not yet over and tn
eastern horizon Is darkened by tn
shadow Of new armies gathering 70