Hickory daily record., 1922-10-18
MARTHA RIVER is
RHINE OF THE EAST

ne MaflCZd river, the boundary
Of the European territory which the
victorious Turks demanded as soon as
they drove the Greeks from Asia
Minor, is, like the Rhine between
'rance and Germany, a symbol and
bone of contention among Bulgar,
Greek and Turk" says bulletin of
he National Geographic society from
is Washington, D. c., headquarters.
Each Of these three peoples mas
claimed the Martha valley as belong
ing to it on ethnic grounds" contin-
ues the bulletin, "and such is the
-acial mix-up in Thrace and the por-
ion of Maceronia whcih adjoins it,
hat each has at least some excuse
or it's claims. Thrace-and, indeed,
Ill of Rumelia or Run1ili, as the Turks
;alled the portions of Europe which
heir swords conquered-has for 500
ears been in the anomalous condi-
ION of being Turkish territory, yet
moro Christian than Mohamn1eaar,
nore alien than Turk. Moreover, the
ion-Turks- nom -Mohammedans were
nore intelligent and more Industrious
han the Mosle,ns, fact which has
ightened the Turkish aspect of
he country in spite of the burden OF
leavy taxation, persecution and mas
acre which The non Turks have hads
laced on their shoulders.
Could Not Compete in Trade
"Morc or less urlconsciously the
Turks seem, throughout their tenure
# half a millennium in Europe, to
lave considered themselves engaged
military occupation. In the trade
md industry of the towns and cities
hey did not and could not compete
With the Greeks and Jews and Ar
nenians; and in the agricultural pur
uits of the country they were equal.
v outclassed by the Bulgars and
Iachs and the occasional Greeks who
are farmers. Many Of the Turks con-
ined their activities to the cities
where they were rulers or soldiers.
Those who led the lives Of peasants
ever wholly shook off their nomad-
SIN. They were less efficient than
heir despised Christian neighbors, a
act which led to many pilgrimage
md massacring expedition; tor the.
toslcnis, however humble their sta
ION, were armed while the Christians
we're not.
Eastern Thrace between the straits
md the Martha river is of little value
,griculturally. 1t is an unattractive,
lreary, monot0nous plain with here
md there swampy depressions. Large
areas Of the territory are untitled and
n summer they give. the country the
appearance of a. desert. Furious,
lighting, with little quarter, ragged
,ver this region during the Balkan
var of 1912-1913, as Bulgar and Turk
sh arms were alternately successful.
Turkish villages were destroyed first,
md soon after Bulgarian villages SUI
'ered a similar fate. When the Bull
yarians finally controlled the region
many Turks, resigned to fate, trekked
@ Asia Minor; and under the Greek
control Of the last few years that
movement has continued. AS result
he Thrace of today is even more
,trikingly nom Turkish than in the
past.
Thracian Land First to Fall
"On the Martha and in Thrace,
,arelv Is miles from the present Bull
yariar border, is Adrianople, second
:itv of old European Turkey, and al
strong sentimental reason for the
Turks desire once more to possess
Thrace. Thracian land was the first
IN Europe, W 1d1l OlANC1 IA AAs.AA ~
and while Constantinople still re-
NAMED Byzantine, Adrianole was the
Ottoman capital. From there they
crushed the Serbians, and finally, in
1853. seized the great city on the
straits. There though in ruins Is
he first European palace of the sui
tans and the grave Of the first sultan,
Murad.
"Formerly Adrianople was a thriv-
ing, center Of trade with the far,flung
regions of Runilr~ But as the Euro
oean portion of the Ottoman empire
dwindied, and Bucharest, Athens, Bel
grade and Sofia, released from Turk
ish control, grew from dingy mud VII
lagos to bustling towns, Adrianopie
lost ground. The city still contains
about $4,000 inhabitants, however
with. the Greeks, Bulgars. Jews and
other nom Moslem peoples greatly out
numbering the Moslems."
,crr,nncnyrE MN. nEAnJY