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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



down in order to form siege machinery. 

 It was only in the latest development of 

 "civilized" warfare that the plan was 

 adopted of deliberately cutting down all 

 trees in order to destroy the prosperity of 

 a foreign country. 



Asia Minor enjoyed a period of re- 

 cuperation after 965. The boundaries of 

 the Roman Empire were extended farther 

 to the east than ever before. The culti- 

 vator of the soil could enjoy security of 

 tenure and look forward with confidence 

 to reaping the fruits of his toil. He could 

 repair the watercourses and the support- 

 ing walls of the terraces on the hillside. 



THE TURKS ARRIVED IN IO/O 



But a greater danger supervened when 

 the Turks entered Asia Minor in 1070. 

 With them and behind them came wander- 

 ing tribes from central Asia, who are 

 called by the Byzantine historians No- 

 mades or Tburkomannoi. 



These broke the strength of an organ- 

 ized society by reducing a great part of 

 the country from the agricultural to the 

 nomadic stage. The supply of food di- 

 minished accordingly, and with the waning 

 food-supply the population necessarily de- 

 creased. 



A decreasing population in its turn was 

 unable to supply the labor necessary to 

 maintain the old standard of water engi- 

 neering, on which prosperity rested. 

 Gradually industries languished and died 

 in the towns as well as agriculture in the 

 country. 



. The sultans did what they could. 

 Neither the Seljuk Turks nor the Otto- 

 man Turks were actuated by religious 

 fanaticism. They wished to preserve the 

 old social system in so far as it was con- 

 sistent with the dominance of a conquer- 

 ing caste ; but they could not maintain the 

 education which was necessary in the old 

 Roman organization. 



Moreover, the ruinous method of mas- 

 sacre was resorted to sometimes in order 

 to prevent any dangerous development 

 among the subordinate races. This 

 has been carried to a hitherto-unknown 

 extreme during the last thirty years, and 

 reprisals have not been unknown when 

 opportunity offered. 



Thus the whole basis of prosperity was 

 wrecked, not by intention, but by steady 



decay. A number of causes cooperated 

 and each cause intensified the others. 



Can the prosperity of this derelict land 

 be restored? That is largely a question 



01 politics and is excluded from discus- 

 sion here; but one may say that for a long 



time it has been the game of all the sur- 

 rounding countries to prevent the restora- 

 tion of prosperity in Turkey. 



This policy has often been carried out 

 with the minimum of regard for the in- 

 terests of the oppressed nationalities by 

 their so-called friends. 



There is required, for the actual re- 

 cuperation of the land, knowledge to 

 guide labor. The schools and colleges 

 established by the American missions 

 were achieving a great work until the 

 World War began. Among the number- 

 less legacies of evil that have remained 

 has been the interference with this work 

 of training the country. 



Advisers are required, and technical 

 trainers, in order to restore the ancient 

 methods of conserving the water-supply 

 or substituting better methods. 



Agriculture will be developed slowly 

 and it will take a long time to put many 

 parts of the country into cultivable con- 

 dition. 



There are minerals as well as many 

 other forms of wealth which the country 

 tenders to the use of man. Copper and 

 lead were once mined, and the silver mines 

 of Bulghar Maden had been worked con- 

 tinuously from the Hittite period until 

 quite recent times. 



Copper was worked at Arghana and 

 at a place 20 miles north of Konia, but 

 has been exhausted. Yet there are large 

 deposits of minerals still to be worked, 

 especially in the Taurus region. 



Gold was formerly extracted in Lydia 

 and in Mysia. 



These and many other minerals, such 

 as chromium, can be or have been worked 

 successfully under good management ; and 

 they would provide what is one of the 

 greatest needs of the country — work for 

 men who in times of peace are extremely 

 eager to work, but who rarely find any- 

 thing to do by which they can earn a dol- 

 lar a week. 



Meanwhile the restoration of agricul- 

 ture is the indispensable basis of the 

 country's prosperity. 



