Evening star., 1925-04-11

other education counts. There is a
head religious sheik, and il is said
that the revolt and conspiracy to re-
establish the caliphate upon the
Turkish throne is led by the head re
ligious sheik of Turkes
Y X y
The great body OF MohammedanismA
is split into four sects the Shi-ahs Cor
Shi-ites) being the leading and most
fanatical. 1t is the one to which the
kurds OF Persia adhere. The Kurds
OF Turkey are mainly followers OF
the Sunnis or Shafe-i sect In the
northern part of kurdistan there are
half-pagan tribes which profess to
be followers OF the Shi-ahs, BUT
maintain secret rites. The Turkish
kurds, therefore, are aliens to Persia
in religion, and aliens to the Turks
IN language. They may find II I'M
possible to unite all Moslems in a
holy war, because OF the differences
OF sects and national or sect jeal-
ousy against the restoration of the
caliphate under the son OF the late
Sultan of Turkey.
The Kurds are hated by both Turks
and Persians; for many generations
they have been ruled with iron rods"
in both countries. ReEa Khan, com
mander-in- chief of the Persian army
and practically dictator OF Persia
has forcibly moved the Kurds from
one part of Persia 20 another, and has
adopted the policy of taking the sons
OF their sheiks as members OF his
bodyguard and virtually as hostages
for the good behavior OF the tribes
from which they come.
There is an international phase OF
the situation in which oil concessions
to British interests are concerned.
These concessions lie In Mosul, and
If the Kurds win their independence
their boundary will conflict with
Turkish jurisdiction OF the terr4toYy.
so that the British will be likely to
lose their rights, hence British air
men are carefully watching the sit
uation. 1t would be an anomaly n
the British were to come to the aid
of their late enemies, the Turks, in
order to protect their oil interests.
Such an alliance might then incite
the Kurds and other Moslems to unite
against the British interests In Pal
estfne and carry their war against
the Jews In the Holy Land, making
the cause indeed take the appearance
of holy war OF Islam against Ju-
daism and Christianity. a special
effort Is being made to sink Moham-
medan sect divisions and unite all
Islam under one banner.
Aside from q few missionaries
America has no interests In the dis
turbed region, for IL is understood
that the American oil concessions in
Turkey have been abandoned
In a recently published book. ~The
Secret of the Near East" by George
Nj. Lamsa, a native Turk, appears this
paragraph, which illustrates the pay
chology of our missionary work in
Turkey and incidentally OF the Mos
lem viewpoint of an-Islamism:
THE missionaries have failed to
realize that Mohammedans consider
Mohammed not only their prophet
but also the founder of their new ma
| tIonality. The Islam religion and
| nationality are considered one; there
fore. all Moslems of whatever race or
| type are equal members OF this hu-
man fraternity. Islam has abolished
/ all racial and geographical bounda-
Fies, and has consolidated It's ad-
herents into one common brother
| hood. Therefore, any formal attack
made against Mohammed would be
| just as if Turk would como 70
America and preach against George
| Washington. Alas! how long would
a Turk last IL he denounced George
| Washington before an American au-
| dienoew
| The above quotation is significant
of Turkish ideals as to national
| boundaries and race loyalty IS modi-
| fed by Mohammedans. Nevertheless,
! those ideals existed befors the World
| War, and in spite of them, all the
| German threats Of stirring up q
| ''Moslem holy war against Chrtsten.
| dom came to naught. The Moslam
| tsunt that Christians ara divided By
| sect differences may be thrown back
/ at themselves with their racial ana
| sect diyerEences.
fCengzaKkA 3azzr r4sE HzxA ~ uEaaganRA