New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-11-08
SMYRNA'S HISTORY
WRITTEN IN BLOOD
GJ HIS Been Scene Of Violence
Since Early Days


used paddle boats to the time or
modern superdreadnaughts, Smyrna
in the Near East has been invaded,
looted and burned by invaders, and
its people massacred or robbed and
ofttimes both. according to Asa X.
Jennings, foreign secretary of the
national Y. NJ. c. A.. Mr.. Jennings
spoke at the annual banquet Of the
local Y. NJ. C. A. last evening.
He told his hearers that Smyrna.
one OF the oldest cities in the world.
was the city where Christianity be-
gan and where the early prophets
first preached the doctrines OF
Christ.
He pictured the acquisition OF
Smyrna with many other Turkish
colonies by Greece at the close of
the World War. Smyrna he said had
= negative psychology. The women
once thought that by yelling their
faces they were guarding against the
forces OF evil. By removing their
they were inviting the evil forces.
Mr.. Jennings remarked that. from
his own observation. some of them
might just as we'll have kept their
faces covered.
He said Smyrna was the home of
John the Disciple and the stadium
where he was buried still stands.
He explained how the Greeks drove
the Turks out of Smyrna when Tur-
key was dismembered after the
World War. He said there was trou-
BILE all the time Smyrna was under
Grecian rule because Smyrna would
not submit to the rule of the Greeks.
The Turks. he said. believe the
Christians are their neutral enemies,
because the Christians have failed
to exemplify the life Of Christ. The
motives of the Christians in the
Near East are selfish" the speaker
stated.
Another trouble making source in
Turkey according to Mr.. Jennings, is
the extraterritorial rights. which he
said are just the same as those in
China, over which there has been
much controversy.
Removes $4,000 Refugees
In 1922 the Turks revolted and
drove the Greeks out of Smyrna, the
speaker continued. adding that the
retreating Greeks drove swarms CT
refugees before them. They were
pursued to the sea by the Infatuated
Turks. During this revolt all Amer
leans In Smyrna were ordered by the
United States government to vacate.
All but a few left. Among those
who remained was Mr.. Jennings. The
remaining Americans stayed four
days until Mr.. Jennings demanded
ships from the Greek government
to remove refugees. He was given
50 vessels which were used to trans
port $4,000 Christian refugees to
safe territory. Many OF the refugees
were natives.
Mr.. Jennings said he attributed
the ability to organize this vast mi
grafton to his Y. NJ. c. A. training
IN organization work in America.
He said the Turks in Smyrna are
discarding the laws OF the Koran 70
= large extent. and are advocating
the separation OF church and state.
The results have shown up in great
e. freedom for women. polygamy has
been abolished and monogamy estab-
lished. Women can own property.
A new educational system has been
instituted which permits boys and
Girls to attend the same school.
Details in the development of
civilization in the Near East are
taken from the Western countries,
he informed his audience.
Four Conflicting Groups In Turkey
He said there are four groups of
people now in Turkey, with distinct
views towards the growth of west
ern Ideas. One group believes any,
thing western must be better, an
other group insists its institutions
must be as good if not better than
the western institutions; another
believes, I'VE know as much as any,
body else" This group he charac-
terized as enemies of progress. The
third group, he said, was the lazy
group taking the attitude, I'VE are
content as we are"
Mr.. Jennings said that under the
reconstruction of the last five years
the situation has shown more pro-
greB than in any other nation in
the world. World peace, he said.
was recognized as an important fac
tor.
He closed his talk with an IN
junction to his hearers to follow the
dictates Of their own hearts and
said they would not go far wrong