The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 1917. THE SULTAN AS CALIPH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3038, 27 March 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 1917. THE SULTAN AS CALIPH

, We were told.a few days ago that the Sultan, in a final endeavour to stave off the demolition of the Turkish Empire, had again,proclaimed a holy war.; Again,■■■to."all appearances, He has failed to' rally the Mohammedans of the' world to his banner. The Sot,tans of Turkey, for noarly four centuries, have-derived probably the greater part of their prestige from fthc- . fact that they claimed to: be the Caliphs of Islam. To this title the Turk had no legal or religious right -whatever. ..The Turk is an intruder in Europe, arid he ia an intruder among the true Mohammedan races. It is through tilt, Oaliphato that the Turk's long reign in Stambcul has been made possible, and it is interesting at the present stage to recall the fact that the foremost of the Powers which for many years gave security to the. Sultan's throne was Great Britain. Support of the Turk, however, rarely, if evor, possessed the unanimous approval of tha British public, arid at frequent intervals, it caused loud and far-heard explosions of British wrath. The misdeeds of the Turk have been many, and, making the most' iiberal allowances foi;. party and racial exaggerations, his conduct in Macedonia in the early days must ever remain beyond the hopo of palliation. ~.The more recent horroti; in Armenia wo here alludo to only tp emphasise the urgent need that exists for the early disintegration of the Turkish Empire. Gladstone, in the times to which we more particularly make reference, advocated 'jha expulsion of the Turk from Europe, "bap;.and baggage"; but, in those days, first LORD. BEACONSPIELD, and after him Lord Salisbuky, wero ardent supporters of the Sultan. The latter were Imperialists at a period when Imperialism was less popular in England than it 'jifLorwards became.; and then; too, those were disturbed aud nervous times. Russia, tho.Colossus of the north, was moving uneasily, stretching oilb arms at one time ! in the direction of the i south, towards the Bosphorus and Suez Oaiial, at anothor time east-, wards, iii the direcion of India. Britain saw in both of thoso movements a menace to her Indian Empire. The way to India hac! to bo preserved from aggression, just,, as the north-western borders of ludia had to be guarded against invasion. British and 1 »yal Indian troops were adequate for the protection of India • itself, but the- goodwill, if possible the co-operation of Turkoy was deemed necesoary for the effective safeguarding of the Suez Canal. Great Britain, and, influenced by Great Britain, othor European Powers, exhibited a remarkable degree o£ patience with Turkey, when

deeds of horror were perpetrated by tho Sor,tan's soldiery against inoffensive and helpless Christian- communities, And that, mainly because of the belief that the Sultan of Turkey, in his capacity of Caliph of Islam, was able to command at will the obedience, tho swords, and tho lives of millions of Mohamme s dans within the Turkish Empiro, in North Africa, and in India. The present war has brought to light many unexpected > and wonderful things, but surely none so unexpected or so wonderful, as the knowledge that tho Sultan's power as Caliph, always disputed by millions of Mo* listsrtwdana. has now almost entirely disappeared. The story" of the Turkish Caliphate will probably provide in years to, come one of the most curious chapters in the history 'oi nations and of humanity. Tho Caliph, as readers know, is, or should bo, the lawful successor of Mohammed, and, as such, ho is tho civil and roligious head of the Mohammedan world The Caliphs, among other powers, can proclaim a whon- every true Mussul-man-must flock to tho green banner, of the Prophet for tho extermination of all infidels. But Mohammed's commands were ( that his successor should-never be other than a member of his own tribe,' that of Koveish, and that he should be duly chosen and elected "by the members of that tribe. The Prophet's mandate was strictly obeyed for many years, but the inevitable day of rival competitors for the honour came, the two claimants being Ali and Omar. The former, having been defeated in battle,' fled tn Persia,, where he established the Shiah sect of Moslems, while-the victorious Omar set up his throne in the city of Damascus, where the Sunni sect haTi its beginnings. In time, ,the successors ofOmar built the now famous city of Bagdad, and there, for more than five hundred years, ruled over the Mohammedan world—Persia probably excepted—a-s Caliphs of Bagdad.

Tho Turkish Empire, long crumbling. will probably collapse as the result of. the present war. .The Turkish people, to all appearance, will disappear among the numerous raoes' of Asia, from among which they • emerged. No room will bo found for them as a nation in Europe or in Asia. This wonderful Caliphate, which has made the Turk's existence ■ as a corporate, even a powerful, nation, will now return to the true believers in, tho steadfast followers of, Mohammed. The Turks usurped tho CaliE hate in the sixteenth century, when tjltan Sulieman the Magnificent captured the city, of Bagdad; and had himself proolaimed Caliph of Islam. It is from ■•this Sulieman, a, Turk, • that the Sultanß at Constantinople claim to be tho lawful successors of Mohammed. But to millions of true followers of the Prophet tho Caliphate, in the keeping of tho- Turks, has .been as gall and wormwood. Yet they seemed to acquiesce in tho Caliphate of Sultan after Sultan. One in an 'English review has expressed' the opinion, and probably tho right one, that the non-Turkish. Mohammedans in the sixteenth century were dazzled anl captivated by the splendour of Sh.ieman ! s military achievements, and that the memory of those glorious days secured their devotion for generations afterwards to thp Turkish Caliphate. The old Assyrians, like the early Turks, were mighty soldiers, and for .them military power and grandeur possessed _ a wonderful fascination. The review writer further adduces the theory that Turkey's long alliance with England greatly gratified the warlike Mohammedan races. To them England, with' her many armies and countless' ships, appeared as the very embodiment of worldly power. It was something, therefore, for the Porte to have Great Britain as an ally and a friend. Nor does this theory seem to go very wide of ,tlio mark. The Mohammedan races oi: India, despite extensive plotting, scoffed at the Sultan's proclamation of- a Holy War;: the Arabs of Yemen —the stronghold of tho true believe/is —are. now in revolt against the Turk. Possession'.of the . Caliphate has prolonged the Turk's stay in Europe, and enable' 1 to retain his hold on Asia Minor. But the day of retribution draws near, and with it the sure disappearance, not only of the Turkish Caliphate, but also of the Turkish Empire. . , 1