Unitarian Club is Entertained
Members of the Unitarian Club enjoyed a dinner and feat of oratory last night in the rooms of the Merchants’ Club
Prominent Men Discuss Characteristics of the Turk
Members of the Unitarian Club enjoyed a dinner and feat of oratory last night in the rooms of the Merchants’ Club. Louis Lisser, president of the Unitarian Club, was in the chair, and was supported by numerous prominent men, including Dr. David Starr Jordan, Professor Jerome B. Landfield of the University of California, Dr. John C. Sundberg, and the Rev. Father Sebastian Dabovich, abbot in charge of the Greek-Russian Cathedral in the city.
Professor Landfield was the first to begin the speechmaking and having only recently visited the disturbed provinces in the Balkans, gave a studious and diplomatic account of the situation in those parts and spoke also of the Christian races under Turkish rule.
While the Turk, he said, was particular in the observance of his religion and was jealous of its safeguard, he was, nevertheless, extremely liberal in that he did not, as was generally supposed, interfere with the religious convictions of others so long as they paid their taxes, which was of paramount importance.
The Rev. Sebastian Dabovich spoke from the standpoint of an outsider—Slavonian, yet one who sympathized with his kin.
The reverend gentlemen illustrated the high qualities of the Slavonian, his eminence in art, in science, and general learning. The Slavonic race, he declared, was progressive but never aggressive. He paid a high tribute to the good influence of the women of the country.
How Peace is Threatened
Professor Landfield arose after the address of Rev. Mr. Dabovich and supplemented his previous remarks with the statement that Christian or missionary interference might be the danger to the peace of the Turk. If any man was intolerant, he said, it was the man who tried to convert the Turk, who has no desire to be converted. Professor Landfield thought that the Turkk in that respect ought to be given the benefit of the doubt and allowed to work out his own salvation.
Dr. Sundberg won the heartiest applause for the serio-humorous speech he made in espousing the cause of the Christians who are compelled ot submit to the government of the Turk. In Baghdad, where he served as United States Consul some years ago, he found so many nations represented there that there was a confusion of languages, which, he said, may have been accounted for by the proximity of the Tower of Babel.
The doctor spoke of the slaves of the past centuries and of the present period, saving that they were well treated and the freemen did the hard work. Slaves, he said, were kept for ornamental purposes. Religious freedom, he declared, exists in name but not in reality. The people whom he spoke were intensely honest. One might put down a purse of gold on the roadside and leave it for hours and on his return it would be found in the very identical place where it had been deposited.
Salutary Punishment
The honesty of the people was remarkable, but it might, he said, heave something to do with the punishment that is meted out to offenders. For the first offense of theft the thief would be sentenced to have one of his hands cut off, for a second offense he lost his head, and the doctor said he never knew of a third offense.
Dr. Sundberg told humorously of his arrival at Baghdad as a preface to his description of the gross corruption which prevails among officials.
He said that “when he landed they would not allow him to land.” He had his passport, but the official on duty at the wharf could not read it and said it would have to go to Constantinople. As it would have taken five months before a reply could possibly be received, and as it was essential that he must land and not desiring to remain on the wharf until a reply should be received from Constantinople, he followed the custom of the country and deposited a bulky roll in the official’s pocket and immediately the Consul was allowed to pass.
While he gave praise to the Turks for their virtues of bravery and military standing he said the majority of the ruling officials were corrupt. He described outrages on young children which were of a most terrible nature, and described a mode of punishment at Baghdad. Offenders, he said, were buried up to the head, the head was covered with honey, which attracted the ants and the insects, which did the rest.1
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Publisher’s Note: This article was originally published in The San Francisco Call, Tuesday, November 3, 1903, p. 4.