The sun., 1908-08-02

the heat Of battle be win watoh the fight
OF bird overhead. the unconoern with
which he win sit down and tis his shos-
strings. or the zest With which he win fol-
low joke OF any humorous incident.
But all his admirable fighting qualities
have beeu sacrificed and rendered Of little
avail BY the very ruler he is willing to die
serving. BE 10 not allowed to have any
systsm Of military training beyond little
elementary driil in the barracks grounds.
consisting mostly Of marching back end
forward. because the Sultan 10 afraid that
any evolution Of military efioiency would
mean movement against his palace As Q
result military maneuyres ere forbidden.
Rifs practice Of any kind. more especially
sharpshooting. is prohibited. A soldier who
reaches any great degree Of proHcisney 90
Q marksman 10 hustled OF es far 90 possible
from the Yiidiz Kiosk.
The ofscers in the great majority Of
cases are illiterate or received their train
Ing at the military academy ct Constanti-
Rople. The principal qualification Of the
director OF this institution 10 that for twelve
years he has been ono Of the most efficient
Of spice upon his brother officers. Another
gauge Of the worth Of tho school is the fact
that chemistry 10 not taught there. because
four years ago some one who knew some
thing Of that science made @ bomb that
came near blowing of the imperial head ut
the Selamlik.
When the soldier IN sent to the front he
10 never properly equipped. He 10 poorly
clothed and poorly housed. His pay 10
always in arrears He 10 supposed 10
receive a medjidieh (7S oents) q month
for pocket money. Sometimes this 10 years
In arrears and often he never gcts Il at all.
Besides this he ID generally kspt seven OF
sight years with the oolors. double the legal
period Of service.
.Do you wonder then that the poor fsl.
lows have mufinisd at Monastir2' asked
the young Turk who had bssa telling the
grievance Of his friends in the Sultans
army. Gould you find in America or any
where In the world q class OF men that
would put up with suoh treatment. not a.
long ~ these poor fellows have. but for
any arns at alli'
Tho Young man served In the Turkish
army until he began to suspect that his
interest in reform and In the Young Turk
party. was source Of danger to him. Then
he LEFT Turkey. going irst to Paris and
coming later to America. He spends most
Of his days ceiling laoes and IN tho evenings
he and his friends hold meetings in the
Syrian and Greek qua rters Of the city.
Rome Of the strongest sympathizers with
the cause are in this country. be says. and
they have succeeded In raising here not q
small portion Of the money that has been
expended by the reformes in their propa-
ganda.
affairs ara undergoing much greater
change In Turkey than people outside OF
the country have any idea.' he continued.
'As has always been the case. every reform
movement 10 belittled by ofYicisl reports
From Tho iafermstion given out by the
euitans of1oeSs you would think that all
ID a. ssfene as eummer day. yet every
one familiar with the sttuasion knows thst
the Sultan % iiable to be ovsrthrown any
day and the whole wretched Government
changed.
AT Beirut recently body Of sonne 1000
troops that had served eight or nine years
and were being sent homo without their
pay forced the captain Of the transport to
take them into port In defiance OF express
orders to the contrary. They landed In
ssized the military oom-
tho treasurer and the Vail. and
held them as hostage until their pay. about
3300. 600. was turned over to them. Then
they went back to their ship and. being
landed at another port. disperssd and went
TO their homes.
sAnother regiment at Ushub. which hsd
been forced to ssrve double, the time Of
their legal service. insisted upon going
home. When permission was refused the
men abandoned their duties. seized the post
oflce and held It for three days.
Their arrearage and discharges were
sent to them and they disbanded and
ssarted for home. Thess are only two Of
many Incidents Of which the world knows
nothing. but they clearly indicate the
lhange that has come In affsirs.
"A striking fs&turs Of all these mani
has bean the self f-control and
shown. There has been no riot
ng no destgncaion Of property. The men
wanted their rights and they went about It
n the proper way to sscure them.
There was no disturbance. becauss the
,eopIe themselves were In sympathy with
he soldiers. Every Nnssuimsn In Turkey
. soldier and u the army 10 once aroused
o the fact OF the injpsttce from which 1t
ms suffered reform in Government and q |
lew Constitution will soon follow