THE SULTAN'S FOLLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 105, 2 May 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE SULTAN'S FOLLY.

! The news that some 2000 women ancl children have been murdered by the Kurdish mountaineers is unfortunately no novelty to those familiar with the condition of things that obtains everywhere throughout the Christian provinces of the Turkish Empire. But the action of the Persian Government in sending a body of troops to protect the wretched survivors may easily lead to serious diplomatic and international complications. Kurdistan borders on Northern Persia, as well as on Armenia, and the Sultan, rendered reckless by past impunity, has apparently allowed the Kurds the same license on the Persian frontier that they have so long enjoyed with the hapless Armenians. We do not need to dwell upon the horrible details of torture and outrage suggested all too plainly by the cable messages to-day. Not even the most morbid fancy conld exaggerate the horrors amid which the Armenians have been for centuries past compelled to exist; but happily the Persian Government is not prepared to tolerate the extension of tlie Sultan's policy of extermination to its own subjects. It is quite possible that Persia will find it difficult, if not impracticable, to punish the Kurds; and it is here that the situation is likely to become critical. For, by the terms of the Anglo-Russian Convention, Northern Persia has been converted practically into a Russian protectorate, and it is certain that even if Persia does not appeal to Russia for help, Russia will gladly seize such an opportunity as this to intervene in Persian and Turkish affairs. The Sultan is thus evidently playing into the hands of Russia by giving her a chance of interfering once more in the Middle East; and we may traca the almost unprecedented recklessness that Turkey is now displaying to tha Sultan's manifest conviction that the Concert of Europe has broken down, and that he has nothing more to fear from the Powers. Even if Russia thereby succeeds in strengthening her hold upon Northern Persia, we hope that the Sultan's delusion on this subject -will speedily be swept away. • j