Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-11-14
BRAVERY OF TURKS
NOT THE RESULT OF RELIGIOUS
INSPIRATION.
Writer In the Contemporary Review
Declares indifference to Danger
10 Purely Racial Char
acteristic with Them.

The bravery of the Turkish "Meh-
med" Tommy is we'll known. Ac-
cording to A. de Bilinsky In the Con-
temporary Review, II proceeds from
the absolute Inconsistencies OF dan
ger. In its blindness ii is almost ami
mallike, but, precisely on that ac-
count, knows no limits. Its 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 bird, which he
will follow in its course. or humor
Gus incident which will set him laugh
ing. 1t is a purely racial character
istic. Contrary to what is generally
thought to be the case, religious in
spiration has little or nothing to do
with IT,
Islamism only adds to the warlike
enthusiasm OF the Turk. Ii makes him
more eager, more strenuous, more en-
terprising in battle with the infidel
since death in such a case secures to
him the transcendent rewards OF
martyrdom. But his fearlessness is
not greater when he is waging war
against the latter than when he is
fighting his rebellious Albanian or
Arab coreligionist. which he is con-
stantly employed in doing by order Of
the sultan He is as enduring as he is
brave, and as disciplined as he is en-
during What he can put up with in
the way of hardships of every descrip-
ton is far beyond the capacity of the
European soldier, not excluding the
Russian, who, however, might equal
the Turk in this connection were il
not for the drinking habit to which he
is victim and from which the former
is absolutely free.
To find an exact parallel for the
power OF the Turk to defy all forms of
suffering we must go to China and
Japan. II does not detract in the least
from his merritt in this respect to say.
what is perfectly true in his case as in
that Of the Chinese and Japanese, that
his impassiveness where pain-produc-
ing circumstances are concerned, pro
ceeds in great measure from insensi-
bility. Ultimately this means the pos
session OF an exceptionally healthy
and robust constitutions and health
and strength. which certainly are
among the inheritances of the Turk,
are great virtues. The discipline of the
Turk does not show in superficial mat
tiers. He reserves his salute for full
blown generals and otherwise behaves
towards his superiors with sans
gene which produces a bad impression
on those who are accustomed to con
meet obedience with a complicated dis
play of respect. But his submissive
ness to those in command is quite
extraordinary, though under the pres
ent government of Turkey the con
ditions of his military service have
become SO intolerable that mutiny
Las become a frequent occurrence in
the imperial army. The wonder is
hat any discipline at all exists in its
midst. The reliant and resourceful,
should add that this last quality is
characteristic of all the inhabitants
OF Turkey, who. in the semibarbarous
condition OF the courts, airs constantly
forced to exercise their wits with
great keenness to preserve their late
existence