The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-16
BRAVERY OF THE TURKS.
Religious Inspiration Has Little to Do
with 1t.

The bravery of the Turkish
'Mehmed" (Tommy) is well known
According to A. de Bilinsky in the Con-
temporary Review, it proceeds from
the absolute Inconsistencies of dan
ger. In its blindness it is almost ami
mal-like, but, precisely on that &C.
count, knows no limit. It's nature is
best revealed by the attention the
Turkish soldier is capable of giving in
the thick of battle to trivial details of
! ordinary life, such as the undoing of
his boot strings, which he will sit down
calmly and unconcernedly to put right,
or the flight of a bird, which he will
follow in its course, or a humorous in
! cident which will set him laughing. 1t
Is a purely racial characteristic. Con-
trary to what is generally thought to
be the case, religious inspiration has
little or nothing to do with it.
Islamism only adds to the warlike
enthusiasm of the Turk. 1t makes him
more eager, more strenuous, more en-
terprising in battle with the infidel,
since death in such a case secures to
him the transeendent rewards of mar
tyrdom. But his fearlessness is not
greater when he is waging war against
the latter than when he is fighting his
rebellious Albanian or Arab coreligion-
list, which he is constantly employed in
doing by order of the Sultan. He is as
enduring as he is brave, and as dis
siplined as he is enduring. What he
can put up with in the way of hard
ships of every description is far be-
yond the capacity of the European
soldier, not excluding the Russian, who,
however, might equal the Turk in this
connection were it not for the drinking
habit to which he is a victim and from
which the former is absolutely Free
To 1nd an exact parallel for the
power of the Turk to defy all forms
of suffering we must go to China and
Japan. 1t does not detract in the leasf
from his merit in this respect to say
what is perfectly true in his case as il
that of the Chinese and Japanese, tina
his impassiveness where pain-producins
circumstances are concerned proceeds
in a great measure from insensibility
Ultimately this means the possession
of an exceptionally healthy and robus
constitution; and health and strength
WlASh SOtbdihiJ d0 ohiiOh5 edC ihiiSiit
ances of the Turk, are great virtues
The discipline of the Turk does no
show in superficial matters. He re
serves his salute for full-blown gener
ais, and otherwise behaves toward hi
superiors with a ans gene which pro
duces a bad impression or those VIII
are accustomed to connect obedienc
with a complicated display of respect
But his submissiveness to those in com
mand is quite extraordinary, though
under the present government of Tur
key the conditions of his military servic
have become so intolerable that mutin.
has become a frequent occurrence i
the imperial army. The wonder is tina
any discipline at all exists in its midst
The Turkish soldier is withal good
natured, self-reliant and ~resourceful.
should add that this last quality i
characteristic of all the inhabitants G
Turkey, who. in the semi-barbarou
condition of the country, are constant
[ forced to exercise their wits with grea
keenness to preserve their bare exist
ence.