Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/201

Rh periodically make known the steps taken to this effect to the Powers, who will superintend their application." Can the Armenians be blamed for their anticipation of interference by the Powers, who pledged themselves for their protection?

2. Hunchag, the Supposed Armenian Conspirator. The atrocities which were promised to cease after the solemn Berlin Treaty) have continued and increased systematically and in such rapidity, and committed even before the eyes of the Signing Powers for seventeen long and weary years, that the Armenians have lost all hopes of any assistance from abroad. In Armenia proper the Kurdish and Turkish tax-gatherers succeed each other and plunder what is left, and commit such atrocities that cannot be told in a public book like this. At last the helpless Armenians said to the Turkish officers: "The Kurds left nothing to pay you; here we are, take what you find; we do not know who is our ruler, the Turk or the Kurd. If you are our masters, protect us against these Kurds." This pleading and just protest was taken as an open declaration of rebellion and soon was telegraphed to the palace of the Sultan, who was already watching for this opportunity to commence his infernal plan. A few young teachers and students who took their education in Germany and Russia, and had some socialistic air in their religious creed, taught the people to bring the above-mentioned protest before the Turkish tax-gatherers under the said condition of affairs. These few hot-headed young men and their very few