The sun., 1908-08-02
SECOND SECTION
Observation-Disclosures
THE sULTANs LONG SUFFERING
ARMY A SOURCE OF PERIL.


sereiy Ttied-News ct hsuttnies Said 20
Be suppressed--Yeuns Turkeys Hepes.
The Turkish soldier 10 generally con-
sidered by those Attsd to Judge as beihg
among the most patient. obsdient end
sober Of any in the world. and. considering
the limited opportunity that he has TO
learn his trade. one OF the most sfisoisnt.
He has been denounced by ell Europe for
massaores In Bulgaria. Maoedoaia and
Armenia has gone without pay. clothes
and proper rstions; has been poorly housed.
badl drilled and generally mistreatsd-
he has been uncomplaining.
The hopeless miamanagsment and oor-
rupton OF the administrative branch Of
the Turkish army during the war with
Greece and Russia are well remembered.
but not more vividly than the cheerfulness
Of the rank and fle. An American who was
in Turkey at the time OF the last war cites
a. an instance Of patient discipline o body
Of troops that he found guarding . Gov
ernrnent house near tho Grecian border.
They had been rushed overland from
somewhere in Asia Minor and II had been
raining in torrents for days. The soldiers
were obliged to remain day and night
drenched to the skin and without food or
shelter, for the commiesariat had broken
down, their uniforms were In rags and
the soles Of their shoes were worn through.
but not murmur escaped their lips and
countenanoes. They were ready mot only
to die In battle but to continue standing
In the rain until they should die unoared
for at their posts.
So loyal to the Sultan has ths Turkish
soldier been that for him 10 riss in mutinous
revolt a. he has been doing recently indi-
Gates some now and unusual developmsnt.
His grievances must indeed be great II
they exeeed what be has put up with in the
past. II he 10 Q part OF the Young Turk
movement. which has for its purpose the
forced ahdication Of Sultan Abdul Hamid
and the formation Of Q new Government
with Constitution, IL 10 the frst time In
his history that he has ever mutinied
from political motives.
Opinions Regarding the Turkish army
vary, and depend munh upon the part Of
the country In which thsy are formed.
The soldier b esen at his best In Constanti-
nopls. where are found the sreatest numbers
vi otan8u8b " A0&eDy-
There IL Always Q brilliant and inspiring
military Display whom the Sultan goss to
the mosque. Regimants Of 6udansss.
Nubians. Aibanians. Oeorgians. Ciroassians.
Kurds. Arabs and many others OF the
picturesqus Oriental races limo The roadway
along which the Sultan passes and surround
the uosqus In which he worships. 1t
is brilliant show that they make In their
red fezes, white tufbars, gold lace. rcd
and green banners and glitter OF asms.
But Que along the borders. whees the
stranger b ssldcm permitted, II b quite
another story. There arc theIragged regi-
ments, officers and men who have perhaps
never received any pay; and review, should
one bs held, would be an exhibition OF
military poverty such as no other country
could produce.
II the bare numbers that Turkey could
muster for war were alone considered there
would be formidable array. It would
not be short Of o round million. As far
bach as the time Of the Russian war in 1877
the army had q peace footing Of 10000
men, capable Of increase to 2s7Oco. When
these numbers proved insufficient fresh
effort was made. and despite the wretched
communications OF that day the Turkish
army from first to last managed to embody
not fewer than 10000 men.
But In the present available force OF q
million there would be about<1s per cent.
that would possess an insignificant military
value. being composed OF irregulars like
the Circassian and Kurdish cavalry. For
an encounter with modern civilised foe
Turkey would have to rely upon the Turkish
contingent. Tbs best material for such
An army would be supplied by the Turks
proper. found In their purest In the central
province Of Anatolia and a. o more or less
mixed race throughout Asiatic and Euro
pean Turkey: then he Lases OF Greek
descent living on the southern shores Of
The Black Sea. and the Syrians. The mill
'Ary value Of the last Ia perhaps the loves
of the three. while the Lazes would not
be animated by the blind devotion to the
Sultan that makes the Turkish soldier ever
ready to devote his life TO the performance
any duty for the Holy Prophet.
Military service Is compulsory In Turkey. |
but only for the lMohammedan population. |
For reasons that are both political and social |
The Christian subjects Of the Sultan arc |
excluded from the army. Consoription |
~ III iofce al oNof tuo ofnpuo, Out among
'ome OF the wilder remote people the rule |
s indfIeren1y enforced
The method Of organization now followed |
Was introduced by the Germans. Col.
Aohier with three Captains OF various
branches OF the service undertook the work
n 1882, and when K6hler died the reorgan-
zation was taken up by Gen. Won der Goltz,
me OF the best Officers In The German army.
What modern methods OF warfare and or
now exist In the army are due |
argely to the unoeasing efforts Of these
wo German officers.
The Germans all Acknowledged the
superior material that thqy had to work on
md that they did not make one Of the
reatest armies In the world was due to
'tner reasons than mere organization. The
lr:k is a born soldier.
The moment that ride or sword n put
his hand said some one who knew him,
ne instinctively knows how TO uas II with
meet and he Is at home In the ranks or on
horse'
He may be good humored. patient. kind
children and animals. but lot there be
ONE fighting, II nothing more than riot.
40 he shows surprising power Of organ
la'ion, and II he keeps at II long enough.
uprising ferocity and heartlessness. kill
tN.w Il