TURKISH MISRULE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14809, 12 October 1911, Page 4

TURKISH MISRULE.

Sir.—l see from a recent cablegram that Turkey has intimated to (irccce that, she must keep her hands off Crete. Crete originally belonged to Greece. Just at the present moment public opinion seems to be rather on the side of Turkey, and the action of Italy must be admitted to be somewhat high-handed, but I think we should not allow ourselves to be misled or blinded. One has only to look back on past historv to see what the Turkish rule over Christian subjects has been, and to call to mind the unspeakable atrocities that aroused Gladstone to such an extent; atrocities thai still make Armenian soil reek with the blood of Christian men, women, and children. Nor have the Cretans fared very much better under the Turkish Government. Over and over again have the Christian inhabitants been harassed by their Moslem rulers. Taxes for three years ahead have been demanded by the tax-gatherers, and in cases where poor unfortunate Christian farmers have been unable to pay, their crops and stocks have been seized and sold. It is quite possible that the Italian Colony in Tripoli has had grave grounds of complaint. We hear a good deal about the Committee of Union and Progress, but surely the last word is a misnomer. What progress has the young Turk party made? Is the lot of the Christian any easier? Is bis life any safer? Can lie obtain justice or enjoy freedom? -As a native of a country not- far from Turkey, 1 write with a considerable amount of local knowledge, and could give many descriptions of Turkish .misrule and injustice, but the details would be too revolting for your columns. No, sir, the Sick Man is still sick, and as long as the barbarous Turk holds tho reins of power over Christian subjects, so long will the reign of terror and injustice prevail, and the present trouble appears to he another indication of the very urgent necessity for the wiping out from the map of Europe of the Empire of the Turk. .. A Lcvek ok Justice and Libertt.