The Dominion. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1916. THE MURDER OF A NATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2703, 24 February 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1916. THE MURDER OF A NATION

The capture of Erzcrum must havo brought joy to the hearts of the Armenians, for the coming of ' the "Russians has liberated them from the oppression of the Turk. It is quite impossible to exaggerate the sufferings which the people of Armenia have endured since the beginning of the war. The announcement that Armenia is now practically in Russian hands provides a solid basis for the hopo thathappier days are in store for the remnant of this much-persecuted race. For some time past the Russians have been assisting largo numbers of Armenian refugees whose plight has been pitiful. Sot long ago the Moscow -Armenian Committee sent their mcdical provisional - }' detachment to establish a proper system'of relief, and an organised effort has been made to supply the needs of tho fugitives. The shocking treatment of' the Armenians by the Turks has been justly described as a deliberate attempt to murder, a. nation,' The story recently told by Loan Buycjs, In tho House of Lords, sent a thrill of horror throughout the civilised world. Most peoplo knew in a general way that the Armenians were being cruelly dealt with, but few were prepared for the horrible revelations contained in the moving speech of this proved friend of the Christian peoples in the East. It is hard to believe the report that _of the ' population of Armenia, totalling 'about a .million, no fewer than 800,000 have perished. Yet Lord Bryce. stated that information which has reached him from various_ quarters goes to show that 800,000 is quite a possible number. Tho facts regarding the slaughter at Trebizond are vouched for by the Italian Consul, who was there at the time. Orders came from Constantinople that the Armenian Christians were to be killed. Many of tho_ Moslems tried to save their Christian neighbours, but the Turkish authorities were implacable. They hunted out all the Christians, gathered them together, and drove them down the streets to tho sea. They were all put on board sailing boats, carried out some distance from the shore, and then thrown overboard and drowned. The whole Armenian population of Trebizond, numbering from 8000 to 10,000, was j murdered in that way in one aftcr- [ noon. "After that," said Lord Bryce, "any other' story becomes credible, and I regret that, all tho stories contain similar elements of horror, intensified in some cases by stories of . shocking torture. Nearly the whole nation has been wiped out, and 'I do not think there is any caso in history, certainly not sinco the days of Tamerlane, in which any crime so hideous and upon so large % scale has been recorded." 1

And what has Germany to say about the shocking brutality of her friends and Allies 1 The Germans appear to look upon the' slaughter with cynical indifference, if not; actual approval. Lord Cromer tells us that the massacres arc contrary to_ the_ dictates of Isi-am, and all fair-minded people will agree with him when he declares that the German Government cannot be acquitted of a vast moral responsibility unless it can be shown that, knowing of these practices, it took most vigorous and energetic steps to stop them. _ But neither the Ivaiser nor his Ministers have uttered a word of protest. Indeed, there is reason to believe that the Turkish authorities have been hounded on by the German "gang" at The extermination of the Armenians is quite in accordance with tlie German doctrine' of "frightfulness." If the Turkish authorities (writes Count Rcvwitlow) lake vigorous measures against unreliable, bloodthirsty, riotous Armenian elements, it is not onlr right, but even their duty, to do so. Turkey can always be assuml that the German Empire will aKvays be of opinion that this matter only concerns Turkey.

Another German writer, with the most inhuman callousness, describes the Armenian question as "a purely theoretical discussion about questions of humanity." Lord Bryce recently appealed to the United States to take steps to stop the slaughter. "Would not," he asked, "the expression of American public opinion, voicing the conscience of neutral nations, lead Germany tc. check the Turkish Government?" Some of tho leading public men in America havo been urging the Government to make a strong protest. A large section _ of the American people are indignant at the'tendency of tho Government to pay more attention to dollars than lives in its diplomacy. A well-known American citizen, in a letter to tho Boston Herald, deplores tho fact that Washington said nothing and did nothing when Belgium's neutrality was violated,, when Louvain was destroyed,. when Reims Cathedral was wrecked. When Turkey,. Germany's ally, murders from *500,000 to 800,000 Armenians "Washington says a little iind does nothing." "What a price in,honour and selfrcspcct," he says, "we pay, God help us, for the blessings of peace." A few,days ago the American Secretary of State sent a message to Constantinople protesting against the Armenian atrocities, and threatening "drastic action'-' if they were allowed to continue; but this item of news was accompanied by, an announcement that the protest'was unofficial. The threat of "drastic action" becomes quite futile wltcn followed by a declaration that "America cannot officially notice the treatment by foreign Powers of their own subjects." Turks and Germans treat moral appeals with contempt. Force, in the shape of the Tsar's armies, is an appeal that they cannot ignore.