Evening star., 1923-01-20
TURKS SELF-RULE
/ CALLED HOPELESS
Letter From British Mission
ary Says People Lack Abil-
ity and Perseverance.
VAST CHANGES LOOMING
Separation of sultanate and Cali
phate Wrought With IRE
, mendous Possibilities"
VAST CHANGES LOOMING

The Turks will make a failure OF
government" because they have not
the executive ability or perseverance 10
make any large enterprise success
according to letters from a British mis-
sionary and educator well known IN
Washington His identity, IN connec-
tion with his letters, is kept a secret
TO protect him from the Turks. he
brands the rise of the new Turks as a
bogus victory" and predicts that the
separation of the sultanate and the
Caliphate is "to say the least wrought
with tremendous possibilities.
Just what to say about conditions
here" he writes a friend, lis hard 10
decide. All our ears are to the ground
trying 10 catch every reliable whisper
from the conference. 1t is difficult Tor
one not living in this country TO kho"
nhat important issues hang on the de-
ciSions that are now being MADE. tor
hundreds of years Turkey has had 10
take what other powers were Wiling 10
give her, but this bogus victory puts
her IN the position OF dictator, WIN
Europe supp!iaut. This IS most hu-
initiating condition OF things. II this
victory Oniy affected Turkey the import
ance Of It would be comparatively in
significant but when we think that 2OO,-
600 900 NohammedanS throughout the
middle and the far east have been
watching with tho keeneSt interest the
movements during the last two years,
and 10 their utter surprise, to find that
Ele crescent, which for centuries has
Dad to submit TO the cross, is In the
ascendent, they are intoxicated with
exuberant enthusiasm over the rein
Wgoration OF Islam.
To Hold on in storm.
Nothing has happened for ages TO
compare with this. The distutegra-
tion of Islam has been a theme on
which the missionary could grow elo-
ouent. but Islam has had such
stimulus one cannot propheSy What
the result may be.
las for myself l have very little
anxiety, because / know that the
Turks have not the executive ability
nor the perseverance to make any
large enterprise a success. They VIII
make a failure of government, but in
the meantime many interests VIII
suffer, especially, perhaps. mission
ary work. I expect that we Will be
greatly Handicapped by ignorant in
reference, and possibly IL may reach
q point where we would not be JUS
titled in continuing our missionary
work here. However. we must hold
on with all our might till the pres
ent storm has subsided. feeling sure
that ultimately we will again have
things our own way.
You have noticed that the sultan
ate and the caliphate have been sop
arated, and a. democracy, at least In
name. is being established. This is
separation OF church and state with
vengeance. The idea is good one
where you have an intelligent peo-
pie, but here. where patriarchal
form OF government has always e&-
tsted. to make so radical a change
without due preparation IS an eH-
pertinent which, to say the least, is
fYaught with tremendous possibilities.
"The old religious party views the
change with grave anxiety ana
would not be surprised II trouble
power of the new regime. In CON
yersing with a very dignifed hoJa
recently he characterized the change
as the work of novices; indeed, he
said, the work of children. We have
so far heard little about reaction in
india. and other Moslem countries, but
we will hear in good time. All Islam
is uuiescent at present, as the results
of the conference are awaited with
the deepest interest, but when the
now government settles down to real
work and the present extravagant
enthusiasm has subsided there Is sure
10 be a reaction that Will test the
bonds that unite the people now.
Tragedy OF Smyrna.
I'VE were in the midst of registra-
tion when tho awful tragedy of
Smyrna occurred. This incident
brought such terror to the hearts of
the Christians OF Constantinopie that
they migrated by the thousands to
Europe. The flow into the school
ceased and thirty-siX of our best boys
were withdrawn from school. This
has been a great loss. Instead of $50
boys, as we anticipated, we have left
only about fifty-sIX. Some OF these are
waiting the decisions of the confer
ence. and, If unfavorable, they will also
leave US.
However. this is no time to waver;
1t is the time to hold fast. Our Amer
tcan friends NAV have to exercise pa
tience If we are compelled TO moder-
ate our missionary zeal and do not
much more than mark time for some
time to come. The future is in the
hands of the Christian church 1t will
ultimately succeed"