THE RED RUGS OF TARSUS
defend the French and German consulates in case of trouble. They notified the local au- thorities that if killing began in Mersina three hundred German, French and British sailors would be landed with machine-guns to protect foreigners. The idea is to gather the foreign- ers together, and let the Armenians and other native Christians shift for themselves. Of course we could not enter into any such scheme as that. The Dodds would under no circum- stances desert those who have taken refuge with them. Anyway, we Americans are in- vited only by courtesy. Ships of the other Great Powers are here. American ships are supposed to be en route. But we have not seen them yet. We wonder if the new Admin- istration is going to continue the supine policy of Mr. Roosevelt, who always refused to do anything for Americans and American inter- ests in this part of the world. I used to think that missionaries looked to Washington for help and protection. Now I know that the [165]
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