The New York herald., 1922-12-04
Greeks Banished From Turkey.

The Turks exceeded the limit of
their own arrogance and barbarity
hen they laid before the conference
at Lausanne their demand for the
immediate banishment of every
Greek in Turkish territory Within
fifteen days. according to this de-
mand, almost 100000 Greeks must
leave their homes, abandon their
lands and all their other possessions
which they cannot carry away with
them and flee as best they can to
some other country. Those who re-
main in Turkey do so at their own
peril--the common Turkish peril,
massacre. The number to be ban.
ished would be twice as large had
not the Turk within the last six
years deported, forced to flight by
threats and persecution or killed
another million of Greeks.
This demand represents q part OF
the terms which the Turks, flushed
with their military success and vic
tories, make upon defeated people.
History even on its darkest pages
has few examples OF such demand
by conqueror upon conquered. A
parallel might be found il Italy had
decreed the deportation of every
Austrian in Italy, il the United
States had banished every person
Of a nationality which was aligned
against this country in the world
war-a course inconceivable in mod
ern civilization by any other nation
than Turkey. Even the savagery of
the Balkan wars was never followed
by such measures of barbarity.
After MoHAMMED H., the Conqueror,
occupied Constantinople in the fif-
teenth century he invited the Chris
tian races he found there to remain
and afforded them protection OF
life, occupation and property. This
same protection was continued dur
ing the reigns of the most powerful
Of his successors.
The Greeks of eastern Thrace fed
at the first report of the coming OF
the Turkish force of occupation. More
than $4,000 of these people crossed
into Greece. increasing the burden of
an already impoverished country.
Ever since the successes Of the
Kemalists the ports of Asia Minor
have been crowded with refugees.
Their number has been swollen since
the orders Of the Angora Government
for their Punishment reached the re-
mote Christian communities of the
interior. The limit of the time they
could remain unmolested in Turkey
was set first at November 30. The
Turks later extended this limit to
December Is.
The appeals from the thousands OF
men. women and children struggling
through the cold and SHOWS of the
Anatolian highlands, many of them
without food and scantily clothed. tell
in few words stories OF almost un-
paralleled misery and suffering. The
care and protection of these helpless,
destitute people at the Turkish ports
have placed heavy burden upon the
civilized world. An equally severe
problem Is presented by the question
OF their removal to place of safety
within the short time allotted by the
Turkish authorities. Comparatively
few of these impoverished people
have haven of refuge to which they
can look forward with a feeling of
safety. Greece is swamped beneath
the food Of destitution which has
poured in upon her. She Is power
less to care for more.
Nothing shows better the lack OF
foresight and the governmental inca
pacity of the present Turkish regime
than the banishment of the Christian
races. They are Turkeys most val
liable economic asset. The Turk by
his own acknowledgment Is by pro-
fession soldier and by avocation
O farmer. Heis seldom an artisan,
he has no ability as an organizer
OF civil industries and he Is not n
flnancier. Most of the profitable In
dustries OF the country were in the
hands OF the minority races.
Even ABDUL HAND. with his horri-
BILE record Of murders aud massacres,
recognized the worth of the Chris
tian to the economic life Of Turkey
Only such a group of irresponsible
adventurers as now control Turkish
policy would at the present time de-
prive the country of the principal
reliance Of its industries and the
only producers of its wealth.
II the world had any doubt regard
ing the meaning OF IsMEr's state
ment that Turkey has no minority
race problem, 1t has none now. Moth
ing has yet been said about the re-
moval OF the Armenians or other
non-Turkish races. But 100000 Ar
mcnians in Turkey met death through
dcportations and massacre In three