Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-11-12
TURKEYS new WOMAN.
constantinepls Nay Before Lens Hold
Woman's Rights consrsss.

constant'nspls May Before Lens Hold
Weman's Rights Congress.
In the coming Of the new era for
Turkey the Turkish women have play
ed an important part. They have torn
on their wells and marched openly In
the streets Of Constantinople, shouting
the cry Of the revolutionists and bear
ing aloft banners inscribed Liberty,
Equality and Fraternity"
When this sight first presented itself
TO the public the sensation was ire
mendous, and 1t is said that the sultan
and his advisers on seeing 1t under
stood that the world had moved on
for Turkey and that the only act pos
sible was to concede a constitution and
get in touch with the new conditions.
Nor did the demonstration started
stop at the mere abandoning of wells,
the waving Of banners and shouting in
the streets. The new woman Of Tur-
key has presented to her brother this
propositiOn-that since she has been
his companion in the revolt and has
borne all the perilS Of assisting in re-
bellion and would In the event of fail
ure have been the victim Of the sultan
she has a right to share fully in the
fruits Of the victory. Therefore she
asks that she be elevated to a plane Of
complete equality and be allowed to
take part In politics and have her vote.
The disposition Of the Young Tur-
kish party Is to grant this request
1t understands that the women Of
the nation are bound to WELD power
full influence in the events Of the next
few years and that policy no less than
justice would dictate giving them a
place Of fullest partnership in the great
movement to bring the country into
the fore rank Of progress.
In Turkey 1t has always hitherto
been the case that the woman Of the
harem never sees any man save hus-
band, father and brother. Her liberty
was completely restricted. yet. barring
this fact. the treatment was not I'M
kindly. The day began with a ciga-
rette and coffee; then followed period
in which the wife waited on her hus-
band, bringing him slippers, pelisse
and chibook. Not by any means was
all Of the day passed in singing and
dancing. Always has fair portion Of
the time been devoted to homework
and the care Of children. The Turkish
girl comes into wedlock early, and
the youth Of the opposite sexes never
see each other before wedlock. Photo
graphs are exchanged, and professional
matchmakers take care Of the negOtia>
lions.
The new women of Turkey object to
this programme. They say that the
method Of the occident Is better. In
Turkey 1t has mattered little whether
or not the man was satisfied with the
helpmeet who came to him in this
way. If he did not like her he could
speedily forget her by getting another
wife. But for the woman the mar
rage was absolute. Never dared she
so much as look at another man; hence
the argument Of the women of the
new ideas that the gentler sex should
be permitted some option in the choice
Of helpmeet.
With this spirit of reform in the air,
with thousands of women united to
fight for the cause, aided by their hus-
bands, 1t Is more than a possibility Of
the next decade that one Of the annual
sessions Of the woman's rights con-
gress will even be held in CONSTANT
nople.