The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-18
BRAVERY OF TURKS
NOT THE RESULT OF RELIGIOUS
INSPIRATION.
Writer IN the Contemporary Review
Declares indifference to Danger
Is a Purely Racial Char
acteristIc with Them.

The bravery of the Turkish "Meh
med" (Tommy) is well known. Ac
cording to A. de Bilinsky in the Con
temporary Review, it proceeds from
the absolute Inconsistencies of dan
ger In its blindness 1t is almost ami
mallike, but, precisely on that ac'
count, knows no limits lis nature is
best revealed by the attention tbo
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 viii sit
down calmly and unconcernedly to put
right, or the fight of bird. which he
will follow in It's course, or a hunor
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 It 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 rebelious Albanian OF
Arab coreligionist. which he is con.
stantly employed in doing by order OF
the sultan. He is as enduring as he IL
brave, and as disciplined as he is en-.
| during. What he can put up with In
the way of hardships of every descrip.
, tion is far beyond the capacity of the
European soldier, not excluding the
Russian, who, however might equal
! the Turk in this connection were II
not for the drinking habit to which he
is victim and from which the former
In 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. It 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 whore 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 constitution; 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
| ters. lie reserves bis salute for full
| blown generals and otherwise behaves
, lQwards his superlors with a sans
rene which produces bad impression
IN those who are accustomed to con
| nect obedience with complicated dis
lay /of respect. But his submissive
| Hcss' TO those in command is quite
| extraordinary, though under the pres
ert government of Turkey the con
litions of his military service have
become so intolei dole that nlutiny
has become a frequent occurrence In
the imperial army. The wonder is
/ that 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. ars constantly
forced to exercise their wits with
| great keenness 10 preserve thei- late
| existence.