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Caption: War Publications - WWI Compilation 1923 - Article 23
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ities inhabited lamely by (Jivefci and die interior towns occupied ilmost , wluaivelyb) Turks. In no one localn \ is there a pre dominance permit the carrying out « t thehr. a i rule I self determination. For example, a place may be known as a Greek ^\\\ and he characterized bj Greek culture and yet the total number of d'recks may |>c so small as to render it impracticable for them to control the vast majority of Muslims. t0 ! Moreover, any a u g u r e d divieion emphasizes the dependence of one part of the country upon the other. In trying to parcel out the the land in this way one state or governing body will be given practically exclusive control of the petroleum or other mineral wealth and another of products whose ipanufacturc is dependent upon the use of these minerals or fuels. In a country of this kind the very diversity of topography and of mineral and agricultural resources emphasizes the fact that any attempt to divide or cut off these provinces from each other only intensifies the struggles for existence which must take place it the people—forages accustomed to one government—a re grouped into many small states. ' | Moreover, the population in each of these smaller areas, as indicated above, is at present not sufficiently homogeneous or experienced readily to adopt self-government. There is no one dominating factor or large number ot people of the same characteristics or religion to form a safe working majority. For example, the Christian communities almost everywhere would be in a minority; if their ideals of self-government should be enforced, those of their more Mohammedan hors must be neglected or suppressed. In considering any division of the country according to nationalities K U important to emphasize that in Asiatic Turkey nationality is not so much a matter of ancestry or race as it is of religion. If, for example, the Armenian ceases to be a Christian and is converted to Mohammedanlsr n he is no longer considered as an Armenian but as a Turk, and so °n through the category. The Turks, at least the ruling classes, are n °t of Turkish descent except to a remote degree, as for generations th rulers have been - • * Purchased slaves. Moreover each siderable proportion of the various warring sects of Mohammed Christians, and of Jews. 13
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