MOSLEM UNREST.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 19, 5 January 1923, Page 3

MOSLEM UNREST.

INDI TURKEY ANU RUSSIA. SOVIET SCHEMING. The present unrest in the Malioille(liin world is not explained, says Sir Patrick Hehir, K.C.1.E., in the “Nineteenth Century,’’ by such effects of the war as are seen in all nations that took part. 11 lies deeper; all the great Mtihonicdan countries share this special unrest, and have acquired a prejudice against the British race, notwithstanding that it has always been our policy in the past to help them and to identify ourselves with them as friends. The Mahoniedan views the Treaty of Sevres as a repudiation on our part of the tie. of friendship that bound the British people to Moslems, and he considers that by our acquiescence in the pact that was ready to hand over Constantinople to Russia, the traditional enemy of Islam, we were guilty of a specialty aggressive act, and one that confirmed their suspicions that we were aiming a doctructive blow at their faith. These are the views of the young Mahomedan Indian to-day. They are not shared by the older Moslems there, whose confidence in us has not been shaken; but it is the young Mahomedan in India who counts.

We have always recognised that one of the greatest safeguards to our rule in the East has been that of non-inter-ference with the religions and the religious life of the people wc govern. Vhy was it ignored in the transfer of the Caliphate. In the Caliph was centred the most important functionary of, Islam, and a great symbol. The Allies seem to have lost sight of the fact that their action was seriously affecting about 200 million of people, one-eighth of the'■population of the globe. In .Asia alone there are more than 160 millions of Mahomedans, and our Indian Empire contains 67 millions. There arc in our Empire more Mahomedans than Christians. The loyalty of the Mohamedans of India was put to a severe strain when they fought against their co-religionists the Turks, Afghans, Mahsuds and Waziris throughout the Great War. Several large public meetings have been held in India passing resolutions protesting against the British Government sending military forces to the Dardanelles after the recent victories of the Turks. Lists are published of Mahomedan volunteers ready to help the Angora Government in person and in funds, and every Mahomedan is urged to give if he help in his power as a religious duty. “As regards Moslem India, it is not talk only; they mean business.” In relation to the Afghan War of .1919, which was very near success, it was intended that a general rising oi the Mahometans in the North-west provinces should take place. Soviet Russia has played an insidious part. The Russians have always had an eye on. Constantinople and the Straits, and two Notes have indicated that there is no change in their view. It is the dream of the Soviets, as of Tsarist Russia, that it should rule the Straits, the Black Sea becoming a Russian lake. The Kemalist coup and policy have been accepted by the Bolsheviks as an opportunity for fostering the scheme, as shown by exchange of Notes beginning on 3rd June, 1920.

Islamism and Bolshevism are supposed to be irreconcilable, yet the Bolshevik regime has cemented Islamism and Turanianism in widespread brotherhood. One Mohamedan province after another has come under the jurisdiction of Moscow, and the people have recognised too late the grip in which they were held. The Bolshevik has been clever enough to disguise from the Turk and the Tartar that they are being made use of as a means to an end. , „ All who understand Eastern armies, says Sir Patrick Hehir, would strongly deprecate any 'action that would suggest that we were going to show tlie i.'urks our back. It we allowed ourselves to be hustled out of Chanak it would have had a bad effect on our position as a world Power. It would not have prevented war, but probably it would have lighted up a war that would not have been confined to the s'ear East. Major-General Sir George Aston says in the “Nineteenth Century” that when, the terms of the Treaty ol Sevres were being considered a circular was going the rounds of Free Churches in Wales urging the ministers to prevail upon their congregations to pass a resolution in set terms requesting the Prime Minister to turn the Turks out of Constantinople, and to send a telegram embodying the resolution to the Prime Minister henself. “I heard one of many congregations take with fervour the action suggested to them.” he continues, “but i do not for a moment believe that those who recorded their votes had any idea of the great issues which their .resolution, if acted upon, might ehtail. The action was taken from religious motives-. It is delicate ground upon which to tread, but experience gained in 1914 and during the period that has since intervened, tempts one to suggest that it would be well for Christendom to cast the beam out ot its own eye before undertaking the task of casting the mote out of the eye of Islam. I have not, however, referred to the occurrence with a. view of comment, but rather in order to show that on both sides there are religious forces, at present lying latent, which might flame into widespread combustion if ignited by. a spark so apparently small as the question whether the seat of government of Turkey should be situated at Constantinople, on the European side, or at Scutari, on the Asiatic side, of the Bosphorus.”