ugh the
victors were "Idolaters." It was quite in keeping with Pan-Islamism's
strong missionary bent that many pious Moslems should have dreamed of
bringing these heroes within the Islamic fold. Efforts to get in touch
with Japan were made. Propagandist papers were founded, missionaries
were selected, and the Sultan sent a warship to Japan with a Pan-Islamic
delegation aboard. Throughout Islam the projected conversion of Japan
was widely discussed. Said an Egyptian journal in the year 1906:
"England, with her sixty million Indian Moslems, dreads this conversion.
With a Mohammedan Japan, Mussulman policy would change entirely."[50]
And, at the other end of the Moslem world, a Chinese Mohammedan sheikh
wrote: "If Japan thinks of becoming some day a very great power and
making Asia the dominator of the other continents, it will be only by
adopting the blessed religion of Islam."[51]

Of course it soon became plain to these enthusiasts that while Japan
received Islam's emissaries with smiling courtesy, she had not the
faintest intention of turning Mohammedan. Nevertheless, the first step
had been taken towards friendly relations with non-Moslem Asia, and the
Balkan War drove Moslems much further in this direction. The change in
Moslem sentiment can be gauged by the numerous appeals made by the
Indian Mohammedans at this time to Hindus, as may be seen from the
following sample entitled significantly "The Message of the East."
"Spirit of the East," reads this noteworthy document, "arise and repel
the swelling flood of Western aggression! Children of Hindustan, aid us
with your wisdom, culture, and wealth; lend us your power, the
birthright and heritage of the Hindu! Let the Spirit Powers hidden in
the Himalayan mountain-peaks arise. Let prayers to the god of battles
float upward; prayers that right may triumph over might; and call to
your myriad gods to annihilate the armies of the foe!"[52]

To any one who realizes the traditional Moslem attitude towards
"Idolaters" such words are simply amazing. They betoken a veritable
revolution in outlook. And such sentiments were not confined to Indian
Moslems; they were equally evident among Chinese Moslems as well. Said a
Mohammedan newspaper of Chinese Turkestan, advocating a fraternal union
of all Chinese against Western aggression: "Europe has grown too
presumptuous. It will deprive us of our liberty; it will destroy us
altogether if we do not bestir ourselves promptly and prepare