Evening star., 1925-04-11
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

The revolt of the Kurds against
Turkey has assumed such serious
ness that Turkey has decided TO mo-
bilize her entire forces-over i,000,-
000 soldierS-and defend her sover-
eighty. The rebellion involves $780,
900 Kurds-some estimates place the
number at 1000 900. AS nearly 1,o00,-
600 dwell In Persia and 100000 in
Turkey, there may be danger of the
wars becoming international, involv-
ing revolt in both countries against
the established governments.
It is q holy war" hence it may
spread throughout all Moslem coun-
| tries, regardless OF national borders,
extending from China to Morocco.
The recent activities OF the Young
Turks in dethroning the Caliph and
lowering public reverence for Mo-
hammedanism arrays against the
present republic OF Turkey the or
| thodox followers Of the prophet, with
all the enthusiasm and religious zeal
| which that implies. Turkish tend
encies in recent years, beginning
with Sultan Abdul Hands efforts to-
| ward pan-Turanianisnl- making al
Moslems adhere to Turkey, regardless
Of their own national ties, have
/ veered since the Turkish defeat In
| the World War into radical separa-
tion OF church and state, deposition
Of the Sultan-Caliph and outspoken
atheism among the ruling officials Of
| the Turkish republic.
There are no Moslers more fanatic
than the Kurds. Their one tie to the
| Turkish government, slight as that
was, consisted in their loyalty 10 the
head of Mohammedanism. With the
head of their faith dethroned, their
wild, rebellious nature saw no fur
ther reason why they should con-
tinue in subjection to the rulers al
Angora, while they roamed their
| mountain Businesses, impregnable
against control.
There is no sympathy OF the Chris
| tian nations wasted upon the Kurds
| in their struggle for independence
| from Turkey.
| Christians cannot visualize the saw
age Kurd mountaineers as heroic de-
| tenders of liberty, since IL was the
| Kurds who lent themselves to the
| cunning OF Sultan Abdul Hamid In
| uIassacreing the Armenians, in the
general policy OF the Sultan to gain
absolute control of the Mosleru world
by setting one minority against an
other minority.
| + ~
l j
motives of the Kurds In the present
rebellion is to overthrow the repub-
lie of the atheistio Young Turks and
| set upon the throne as Caliph of al
| Islam, as well RS Sultan of Turkey
| the son OF the deposed and lately de-
| ceased Caliph-Sultan, Abdul Hamid
1t is that raliying cry which is most
| dangerous In It's possibilities Of excit-
ing Mosiems throughout the world
/ ayer hA T,RW Isl
public, but exciting religious an
| tagonism against the Christians and
all other other non-Moslems.
To comprehend the situation, 1t 1;
necessary to know the character ane
tribal organization of the Kurds
The topography of Kurdestan I,
mountainous, and the people, like th'
Scotch, are either Highlanders OF
Lowlanders. The Highlanders de-
pend upon their f1ocks and herds
principally sheep and goats-for theil
support The Lowlanders engage II
limited agriculture.
The nomad Highlsnders are herce
enough to maintain independence
within their mountain Businesses ant
evade taxes, except when they un
dertake to move their ffocks to fresl
,pasturage. AS they cross the ford
OF the rivers Turkish troops inter
cept them and force the payment
II IS contradicted by good author
lity that there Is a racial distinction
between the nomads of the highlands
who dwell I'm tents and lead thei
focks, and the dwellers in the VII
lIages, engaged in crop raising. In
dividuals pass easily from one clas
TO the other. All are in tribes o
from 5000 TO 10000 members, gov.
crned by sheiks. Each tribe has tw'
sheiks, one having to do with tenn
poras or feudal affairs and the othe
with religious .o6seryances. In al
Meslem communities the wise men
LOO those isssned IN the KoEsls--a'