Atatürk, Kemal, 1881-1938; Turkey -- Description and travel; Turkey -- Politics and government -- 1918-1960
The choirmaster of the Christian church had been specially invited to
bring his band for our benefit. I found that, like so many of the
Christians, even the priests, he had scarcely any Armenian. Indeed, they
all wear the fez and speak of “our” country, “our” victories, and “our”
ghazi Pasha! It was in a Christian church that I once heard the
following prayer: “May the all powerful God bless our beloved nation
Turkey, and all the heroic sons and children of this nation to which we
are so proud to belong. Give grace and health to our commander, Mustapha
Kemal Pasha the ghazi, and to all the Ministers of the National
Assembly, and all those who have sacrificed their life and comfort for
our welfare.” The priest assured me that no one had “asked” him to offer
up any such prayer, which was the spontaneous expression of his own
feelings!
All Armenians consider themselves “at home” in Turkey; as the Welsh are
“at home” in England. About the same proportion know the language, the
national songs, history and literature, as we find in Wales. The priest
preaches in Turkish because he desires the congregation to understand
him; though, if he knows Armenian, part of the Mass is said in that
language, for the sake of sentiment.
In these days, of course, the races have been provoked to mutual
jealousies and suspicions. I overheard greetings that certainly
_sounded_ like the happy reunion of long-parted friends, and were,
indeed, accompanied by all the outward and visible signs of affection,
which the dignity of the European must always suppress.
“We have missed you,” cried the affectionate Turk; “life is not what it
used to be. None of us can take your place.”
And the Armenian replied at once: “It was cruel to turn us against you.
Those horrible English—that Lloyd George!”
They spoke of the happy days when the Armenians took care of Turkish
children, whose parents had gone on pilgrimage to Mecca. Now they have
come back the best of friends; and I believe, as they do, that not even
the English could ever separate them again.
One of the guests, the Italian director of the Ottoman Bank, was very
anxious that Colonel Mougin and I should not miss these signs of a
permanent reconciliation. “You see,” he said, “it is only the Turks
themselves who can protect ‘minorities.’ It is easy enough for any
Armenian to get on with them. The supposed antipathies are made in the
States.”
The Governor-General of the Ottoman Bank, M. Louis Steeg, also begged me
to do all in my power to stop this useless propaganda. The Armenians are
begging to be ‘left alone.’”
It is manifest again that Mustapha Kemal includes Christian minorities
in the “New Turkey” he has determined to save from veils, harems, and
lattices; the crumbling remains of Byzantium, anti-progressive Hodjas,
and the Byzantian Patriarch imposed on Constantinople!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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