San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-30
MOSLEM WORLD UPSET BY
ABOLITION OF CALIPHATE;
NEAR EAST PEACE MENACED
Seed of Endless Trouble Is Shown by Decision of
Turkish Republican Government to Do Away
With Head of Mohammedan Church Which
Has ESQ 900 Followers Over World.

great puWtTS Ddlltu tHt buiSaiA"h
| armies at the gates of Constantl-
nople.
Turkey was the first to give up in
the World War and. with her Asiatlc
territories overrun by Britain's Indian
and Australian armies she was in a
desperate position. Yet she emerged
on far better terms than any other
loser and. despite curtailment of do
minions Moslem supremacy at Con
stantinople was again recognized. Sole
ly ON account of his spiritual leader
ship 250,0O0,000 Moslems, the sultan
of Turkey was given sort of slap
on the hand" and told to behave HIM
self in the future.
Protected the Sultan.
Even when the Turkish republican
movement famed to a head i'll Ana
tolia and Mustapha Kemal declined 10
recognize the sultan, the powers did
nothing beyond extending benevolent
protection to the sultan in Constan-
tinople. When, chiefly at Britain
suggestion, the Greeks were allowed
TO invade Asia-Minor, Ostcnsibly to
deal with Renal and his revolution
aries, very definite restrictions were
laid down by the powers as 10 how
| far the Greeks could go.
Kemals followers. however, swept
the Greeks into the sea. The powers
did nothing beyond trying TO hold onto
! ConstantinOple for the sultan and, al
though British and French forces
| nearly came into collision with the
Turks over the question of COnstan-
tinople. in the end the Turks OBJ
tanned their own way. The treaty of
Lausanne was, perhaps. the most re-
markable document ever signed by
previously victorious powers. for it
gave Renal all he had been fighting
for. 1t was simply that neither Brit
ain nor France dared risk antagOniZins
their Moslcm subjects by embarkins
on war of conquest against kemai.
Turkey thus emerged from disas-
trous losing war with her prestige
higher than it had ben for centuries.
But the rcvolutiOnaries tried TO in
trOduce Western methods in the "un-
changing East Directing TO the re-
ligious restrictions placed on Their
political activities by the tenets of
the MOhammedan faith. and finding
| themselves unable to place cOnstitu-
tional restrictions on the Sultan in hls
dual capacity as sovereign and re-
| ligiOus chieftain. they decreed the
abolition of the sultanate and restrict
cd the powers of the Caliph to rc-
ligiOus matters-selecting new
Caliph in the person of Mohammed
WIS brother. Abdul Medjid.
In this they were unwise. for the
Mohammcdan religion is too closely
intermingled with the Turkish system
| of government. Realization of this
drawback led to the recent abolition Of
the Caliphate. And there the pres
cnt leaders Of Turkey have placed
| themselves outside the pale of Mo-
| hammedaniSm. The Mohammedan re-
ligion is practically impossible with
out a Calinh. and if Turkey wants to
do without religion the rest of the
Mosem world will have none of il.
Day Of Rest Changed.
incidentally. the anti-religiOus at
| titude of some, at least, of the pres
cnt rulers of Turkey. is shown by
the recent decree making Saturday the
weekly day of rest. instead of FRIDAY.
the Moslem Sabbath. Good MosleIn
| business men may obey. the new law
about closing on Saturday. but they
will stick to their religious closing
day. Friday.
The great powers who have inter
vened so many times on behalf OF
Turkey are distinctly apprehensive re-
garding the present situation. While
the ostracism of Turkey by the Mos
lem world removes the danger of a
holy war every time it is necessary
| to chastise the rulers of COnstantin-
oplc, on the whole the powers would
probably have preferred things TO re-
main as they were.
Firstly. there is the awkward prob
| l., af ragfIanna Cor Iannga1
| Caliph. Abdul Medjid. which will still
rational jealcUsies in Moslem lands.
Also. there is the problem whether
the Moslem will regard Abdul Med.
lid as the true Caliph. or his depOsed
brother. the cx.Sultan Mohammed VI.
who still claims religious headship.
Other potential Caliphs will spring
up: already there is a dispute be-
tween the king of Egypt and King
Hussein Of the Hedjaz. both of whom
claim descent from the Prophet. The
Aga Khan. chief of the Indian Mos
lens. is a powerful candidate. anil
the Mohammedans of Persia. Turk"-
stan. Morocco and other parts of the
world. will doubles shave their own
nominees.
The powers doubtless have their
own net candidates for the job. hut
any attempt to support one at the
expense of another would lead 70
serious international complications. as
well as further disrupting the Moslem
| world.
Finally. there is the probability Of
| further screaming among TURKEYS
Christian neighbors for the master
ship of ConStantinople. now no long
or sacrosanct as the home of the Ca
iiph.