The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21
TURK MASSACRES
DUE TO NACTI0N,
BISHOP CANNON
Christians Now Obligated
To Support Orphans,
Says Visitor

To Support Orphans,
Says Visitor
Bishop James Cannon, Jr., of Wash
ington, d. c., one of the youngest
bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
church, south, and well known in Biz
mingham and Alabama, because of his
residence in this city, during the time
he was in charge of the Methodist
churches Of the state. arrived here Sat
urday, and Sunday morning he will oc-
cupy the pulpit of the First Methodist
church. The bishop stated to an Age
Herald representative that his Sunday
morning sermon would be based on the
scripture text in the second chapter Of
st. Luke: For nto you is born a
Saviour, who is Christ, the Lord
Bishop Cannon is the resident bishop
at Washington for his church and is
recognized as one of the influential
leaders of the thought of his church in
matters pertaining to national and in
ternational affairs, especially concern
ing moral and peace legislation. He
has made many trips to Europe during
the past several years in connection with
his duties. He has attended the open
ing of the council of the League of Ma
tons every year since its establishment
in 1920.
Bishop Cannon said II was in Con-
stantinople when Smyrna was destroyed
by the Turkish army. When Mustapha
Kennel and his army were sweeping down
on Smyrna, the United States govern
ment and the League of Nations wired
him to prevent massacres and destruc-
ton; but Kennel wired to Geneva that
he would not be able to restrain the
highstrung spirits of his troops"
The distinguish visitor declared it
was in connection with the telegram of
Kennel, that he wired Secretary Hughes
at Washington, that Almighty God
would hold the United States respon-
sible if it did not notify Kennel that
American marines would police Smyrna.
The bishop explained that such action
would not have been taken as sideing
with Greece against the Turks, as it was
planned only ito care for the innocent
non-combatants and the helpless women
and children of Smyrna"
But our government" said the
bishop full of deep emotion for the
deaths of the innocents, land the gov
ernments of the great Christian nations,
permitted the destruction of Smyrna
when that city was in full sight of their
warships. The warships took no stpes
to prevent the massacre. They only
carried away the sick of the fleeing
people who were able to get to the
ships"
Bishop Cannon stated that in ad-
dresses throughout the country he had
said that it was not necessary for this
country to have declared war on Turkey,
or to have sided with the Greeks, but
that it would have been only necessary
to demand that there should be no
slaughter and massacre of the Greek and
Armenian Christians.
THE Turkish army" he declared
would not have dared perpetrate the
Smyrna atrocities, had Smyrna been
properly policed by the allied and
Christian nations.
Here is the snapper of the whip,
The American Tobacco company lost
it's suit in court this week for insur-
ance, the verdict being that the Smyrna
fires were not the result of accident,
but were the result of acts of war
perpetrated by the Turks. Had the allies
prevented the atrocities at Smyrna the
Turks would not have dared defy the
sentiment of the whole would a year
later, when they deported 100000
Christian residents of Asia Minor from
their homes, which they and their an
cestors had occupied for over I,ucn
years, long before the Turks were ever
known in history.
But when the Turks saw that
~x,a,,lA nrntopf
Smyrna they literally kicked these
100000 Christians out on the door
step of Europe to starve or live as
American charity might decide. AS a
matter of fact multiplied thousands
were slain and the treaty of Lausanne
ratified the colossal infamies."
II confidently believe and am sup
ported in the opinion by the great
Christian leaders, who are familiar
with conditions in the Near East, that
the Christian nations could have pre-
vented not only the slaughter of over
| 100000 Armenians and the deporta'
tions | have just mentioned, but that
it would have been possible to have
established home in old Armenia for
the 100000 orphans who are now being
maintained in institutions in the islands
of Greece on the main land, and in
Persia and smyrna
IF you don't print any thing else, '
said the bishop, say this for me:
firmly believe, that while the Christian
churches of America cannot undo the
terrible mistake made by our govern
ment in deserving the Christians of the
Near East to the cruelties of the
merciless Turks, the churches by sup
porting the 100000 helpless Armenian
orphans can save the remnant of q
great race, and train and educate those
children to be Christian leaders il
the Near East. And l further believe
Almighty God will hold the Christian
churches of America responsible fol-
the support and training of those or
phans until they are able to support
themselves"