OCR Text |
Show TURKISH BARBARITY. ! There does not appear to be any relief re-lief in sight for the thousand or more American citizens who are supposed to 'be waiting at Beirut for transportation ! to the "United States. The Turkish government gov-ernment consented to their departure only after a peremptory demand had been made by the authorities at Washington, Wash-ington, and even Then it is probable the sublime porte took the advice of thef government at Berlin. Two relief ships were on their way to Beirut with medical medi-cal supplies and food when relations were broken off with Germany, and these vessels, one the cruiser Des Moines, and the other the collier Caesar, are being held at Alexandria for fear they will come to harm if they attempt to reach their destination. Meantime the state department is unable to get into communication with Ambassador Elkus at Constantinople, and nothing is known as to how the Americans, Syrians, Syr-ians, Jews and Armenians are faring in Asia Mincer. This country is not at war with Turkey, Tur-key, or even with Germany, for that matter, and there is no good reason whv messages from Secretary Lansing should not reach Ambassador Elkus or why his reports to the state department should be held up by the central powers if they have been transmitted by way of Vienna. Vien-na. Perhaps both the Turkish and Austrian Aus-trian governments expect to become involved in-volved in war with the United States on account of the indiscriminate sinking sink-ing of neutral vessels upon the high seas by German and Austrian submarines. Nevertheless, they have no right to anticipate an-ticipate such an event by intercepting official diplomatic reports unless thev desire to precipitate the very struggle they profess to be very anxious to avoid. The Turkish government may be fighting for the existence of the empire, em-pire, but that fact does not. excuse breaches of international law or disregard disre-gard of the common courtesies due the neutral nations. Neither does it tend to soften the indignation of Christians all over the world who have been unable un-able to prevent the horrible crimes committed com-mitted by the Turks in Asia Minor, the full story of which remains to be told. But the dnv of reckoning may be at haifS, and if so the Turkish government govern-ment should be made to v;v fbo full penalty for its atrocious crimes against humanity. Punishment has been due for nearly 500 years, and it should not be delayed any longer. |