Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-28
The Peril and the Price of
Chr;stendon1s Division

"A rope in consequence Of the Turkish
return is Jugo-Slavia, that union of
Serbs, Croats and Slovenes which came out Of
the World Wars melting pot. Serbia, the
nucleus of the new State, is reported to be
keenly apprehensve lest the Turks, having
been given liberal inche, will take an enor-
nous ell. How long will the Straits remain
neutral, once they are back under the scimi-
tar's edge? How long will southeastern
Europe remain peaceful, with the age-old in
triguers restored? If nations far from the
shadow are wondering in this wise with anx-
ious minds, how much more those in its dark
ly threatening midst!
Writing from Belgrade, MI. Edgar Ansel
Mowrer, one of The Journals foreign cor
respondents, says that public opinion in that
city, which has been TRANSPORTED from for
lorn village to a commanding capital, regards
it as Simply preposterous that the Powers,
acting together, could not keep Mustapha
Renal out of Europe" But for unwilling
ness to side between France and Great Brit
ain, the Jugo-slavic Government itself would
have been strongly inclined 10 diplomatic in
tervention. Divers good reasons, however,
constrain it to keep out of entanglements.
"The first is war-weariness even the indefat
igable and courageous Serbs would be Sc
riousy tried by another conflict just when
prosperity seems to be approaching. 1t is
doubtful, too, if the Croats and Slovenes
would show any enthusiasm whatever The
second reason is that Jugo-Slavia needs peace
for economic consolidation. The debt is
heavy, and the Government expects during
the coming year to balance the budget and
restore the value of the dinar." Add that the
iangle of parties, of which there are more
than twenty, in the lamber of Deputies con-
tinually threatens ministerial crisis, and 1t
is plain that Jugo-Slavia needs must swallow
her feelings, fearful though she is at the
lengthening Turkish shadow.
The position Of that country is especially
worth noting at this time because it is typi-
cal of others, perhaps of the great Powers
themselves. No nation Of Europe can rea-
sonably wish to see Turkish rule on that
continent revived; none, we may believe,
would hesitate to end the problem and peril
once for all, if the issue were presented un-
involved with other questions. But all are
war-weary, all are in heavy debt, all are I'M
certain what day my bring forth in domes-
tic politics, and some are still welded to the
old devious ways of diplomacy. Thus it is
that the Turk, though intrinsically so weak
that a mere gesture from a united Europe
would control him, is able to influence If not
to dominate history in matters of highest
import to humankind.
How long ere the enlightened will of
the world can be unified and organized in
defense of the common veal and for the
pro-.otion of things which all agree are for
the general good? When that day comes,
dangers now looming like giants and diff
culties now appearing insuperable will yield
like work-a-day tasks before simple energy
and good sense When all who believe in
peace and noarClly Q0SU6 IL ACT LO5SCuoA AL
stead Of bordering apart, wars curse will be
lifted from this planet. When all who are
humane and Just of mind affirm together that
crimes such as the Turks recently perpetrat-
ed in the Near East shall end, end they will
and without any great or prolonged expendl-
ture of military force. 1t is only divided
Christendom that barbarism will DEFY only a
divided civilization that suffers its progress
and it's very existence to be threatened unto
death by strife.
But if the sundering prejudices continue,
if the petty things that divide rather than the
great things which call for co-working prove
to be the decisive and final influence in
places of power, what hope of averting
world catastrophe can be reasonably enter
tanned?