Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-11-23
POSSIBILITIES OF A HOLY WAR,

1T is a little difficult tor those of us who have
always been accustomed to the most complete free
dom in all matters pertaining to religion to con-
ceive. the possibility, in this day and age, of a war
actually being fought along religious lines. 1t is
true that religious prejudice does occasionally en-
hibit itself in strange forms even in our own coun-
try, but these manifestations are sporadic, and they
disappear as the sober good sense of the people af-
fected again asserts itself. j.
But the religious war is no dream, but a very
sober possibility, and one with which practical men
find it necessary to deal. General Townshend, who
commanded the British forces in Mesopotamia dur
ing a part of the war, has studied the relations be-
tween his own country and Turkey, and he gives
the result of his observations in a current magazine
article. 1t is possible that he has overestimated the
danger. But his standing and experience are such
as to entitle his opinion to serious consideration.
He says:
If we back the Turk up against the wall, we
shall have to fight not him alone, but the entire
Mahomrnedan world. Let us make no mistake at
all about this point. The "holy war; is a card
which the Turk has not yet played, although he
knows he has it and he knows that we know he has
it. And it is just because the Turk likes and ad-
mires the spirit Of Great Britain and France and
sees therein a reflection of his own best qualities,
just because he finds in us SO many of the qualities
which were once, under the great sultanss of two
and three centuries ago, the admiration of the
world, that he is willing to leave us and the French
in peaceful control of our vast Mahommedan popu-
latlons. When we remember that in India and
Africa Great Britain alone has a population of
close upon a hundred million M~ahommedan sub
jects, that there are large numbers in the Malay
Peninsula and that the Hindu population of India
has made the cause of religious freedom for all the
races OF India its own, we can see what the peril
might be if we antagonize and insult the Turk, the
acknowledged head and leader of Islam, in his own
holy capital.
At any moment, if Renal likes, he can give the
signal to- raise the whole Maho1nmedan world
against US. He has at his command not only the
organized fanaticisml of the Senuss: in the deserts
ofAfrica,, not only the indictments and agitators Of
Egypt and the Indian peninsula, but the, unscrupu-
lous and powerful forces3of Soviet Russia, ready to
lend him any support for an enterprise which shall
strike at the heart of the British and French en-
pires Il is to KenlaYs lasting credit that he has
not yet called upon this incaAculable force to sup
port him ii his demands It is to his lasting credit
that he has not relied utponftlat support to make
hiss demands such sas would threaten the integrity
and even the existence Of the British empire. Is (
reasonable to expect that If we force him into i cor
ners, if Niessddely him right and justice, he win hest
tateAto use the resources that he has at his cali and and
#ffzcs us y them ii 4 war to the deatf,, once tie
issne Is declared N