The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-12
Barometer of Pubic Opinion
Tho Ncnr Inst.

Editor world; Secretary Hughes IL vide IN
Keeping us out of the D1rdeueues mess. Since
dom OF tho straits for merchant vessels In
peace ana war, we have no excuse for med
ding.
No one here can know lust what IN doing
there All our news comes. from Greek and
English sources and, with the kings OF Greece
and England cousins by marriage through the
tmly or the late German emperor this rs not
wholly dislnterested. France, the republic. nat
urally sides with Turkey, a new democracy hay-
and as president of the national assembly.
So 1t probably Is just well that take
with several grains OF salt the inspired reports.
that all Turks are brutes ana all Armenians
and Greeks are angels without wings.
Through all ages Greece has tried to con-
troll Asia Minor, matching her wits against Its
foothold there. Her capture Of Troy 5000
years ago was by a ruse. Later she followed
Alexander into Asia, eoizng the cities. but ,un-
able to Keep them or tn wrest the Interior from
It's owners. For centuries this warfare went on.
ana still goes ON.
Since the Importance OF petroleum In
time has been discovered, the scramble for the
the Turkish oil fields of Messopotamin SYRIA
Palestine and Angora has put all allied Europe
by tho ears
II IL strange that after taking from Germany
Austria. Turkey Egypt and tho German colo
nies In Africa. ana the Pacific l,S50.0 900 square
miles OF territory, and then quieting title In
themselves to other 100000 square miles In
nearly twice the area OF the United States
this too. with the advice and approval OF our
les--tho allied powers now should fall out over
the mere remnant they graciously left TO Tur-
key. All want us to help hold the Turk while
they skin him, We are we'll out OF II.
Before tho war, Gormny, by promising rail-
outlet for the products OF Turkey, was given
rail ana mining concessions from Constantlnople
to Bagdad. Her defeat gave tho allies
cuse for appropriating these The present fight
ing grows out OF the agreed division of war
spoils from these Turkish people without their
consent. No wonder they fight for their recoy-
cry We would do the same thing in like cir
All observers agree that the Turk ia not n
business man, but farmer and "a stock grow
He lives In tho country. and IL much un-
der the thumb OF the business interests IN the
cities, mainly controlled by Armenians. Jews
and Greeks.
This is no new state of affairs As early as
1895 A. D., Marco Polo observed that the Ar
menians predominated In the cities as merchants
and bankers, aud that the Turks were the
farmers and herdsmen. The ase-old struggle
OF tho Turkish farmer TO meet his obligations,
with the prices OF all he bought and all he
sold fixed by his creditors, to his disadvantage,
has created the same mutual hatreds In Turkey
that are found existing In every part OF the
world subject TO like conditions.
Having western Europe at their back the
Greeks and Armenlans, year after year, have
taken from the turk farmer nl that he pro-
duccd above The barest living charging him in
forest up to SO per cent per anuum, until the
arrival OF the German on the scene 20 years
ago with his promise ot foreign market
by means OF railroads he agreed to construct,
and their resultant fair prices for grain and
sion.
An American observer. who Travelled IN Tur-
key about that time. who was himself, neither
missionary nor promoter but level-headed with
his eyes and ears open stated;
I'm the Asiauc portion Of tho empire the
Mohammedan religion Is absolutely predomi-
naut. aud the naturally vigorous and robus
Turkish race forms compact mass OF many
millions far outuumherlng any other single
ethical element and probably equallng all col
lectively,
AN branches OF the foreign trade, together
with most OF tho local traffic and banking bust
ness are almost exclusively In the hands OF
Greeks, ArmenianH Jews and foreigners,
The Turks and other Mohammedans are en-
gagged nearly altogether In agricultural and
pastoral pursuits But the land, especially In
Anatolia Is gradually passing from the Mos
lem owners into the possession OF Christian
mortgages" This last explains much.
However, all this Is not our quarrel. notw!th-
standing certain well-known oil interests, with
close missionary connections. might wish us to
become involved In IT, Hughes is right our
place la on this side of the Atlantic.
Tulsa, oct. Z, II, I. TUCKER.