ultural
and sanitary and building and financial experts, and let us give the
rest of the world, particularly the Turks, to understand that we will
tolerate no infringement of its sovereignly. Do that, set the Armenians
on their feet, safeguard them politically and financially, and then
leave them to work out their own salvation.

Though prophesying is a dangerous business, and likely to lead to
embarrassment and chagrin for the prophet, I am willing to hazard a
guess that the future maps of what was once the Ottoman Dominions will
be laid out something after this fashion: Mesopotamia will be tinted
red, because it will be British. Palestine will also be under Britain's
aegis--a little independent Hebrew state, not much larger than Panama.
Under the word "Syria" will appear the inscription "French
Protectorate." The Adalia region will be designated "Italian Sphere of
Influence," while Smyrna and its immediate hinterland will probably be
labeled "Greek Sphere." Across the northeastern corner of Asia Minor
will be spread the words "Republic of Armenia" and beneath, in
parentheses, "Independence guaranteed by the United States." The whole
of Anatolia, save the Greek and Italian fringes just mentioned, will be
occupied and ruled by the Turks, for it is their ancestral home. The
fortifications along the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus will be leveled
and they, with Constantinople, will be under some form of international
control, with equal rights for all nations. But, unless I am very much
mistaken, the Turks will _not_ be driven out of Europe, as has so long
been predicted; the Ottoman Government will not retire to Brusa, in Asia
Minor, but will continue to function in Stamboul, and the Sultan, as the
religious head of Islam, will still dwell in the great white palace atop
of Yildiz hill.

CHAPTER VI

WHAT THE PEACE-MAKERS HAVE DONE ON THE DANUBE

When I called upon M. Bratianu, the Prime Minister of Rumania, who was
in Paris as a delegate to the Peace Conference, I opened the
conversation by innocently remarking that I proposed to spend some weeks
in his country during my travels in the Balkans. But I got no further,
for M. Bratianu, whose tremendous shoulders and bristling black beard
make him appear even larger than he is, sprang to his feet and brought
his fist crashing down upon the table.

"You ought to know better than that, Major Powell," he angrily
exclaimed. "Rumania is not in the Balkans and never has