Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-22
ARMEDSTRUGGLE
BETWEEN TURKISH
FORCES DELAYED
TEWFIK PASHA UNDERTAKES
GENERAL COMPROMISE
sULTANs DESIRE is TO REMAIN
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCH
Radical Faction Insists on Abdication
of Abdul Hamid - Grand
Vizier Anxious to
Resign

tBy Associated Press.1
NONSTANTINOPLE, April 21.-The
conflict between Mussuman piety
" and the political ideas of the west
has brought the Turkish people to the
verge of civil war.
Zeal for the faith has been unloosed
and the adjustment of the sultan's re-
lations to the committee of union and
progress probably will only postpone
the armed struggle between the be-
levers in the ancient teachings of the
prophets and those urging the teach
ings of western Europe.
The cabinet debated the situation for
four hours today, giving especial at
tention to the negotiations that the
ministers have taken in hand on be-
half of the SULTAN with the military
members of the committee.
The sultan's primary demand is TO
remain the constitutional sovereign,
with all the spiritual powers of the
califate and liberal allowances for his
household. He asks also for various
minor guarantees, which it would not
be difficult to grant
The demand of the committee is that
| the sultan offer no resistance what
ever and submit Internationally.
Tewfk Pasha's Futile Efforts
The Salonika committee, which is
movement is largely military. and it's
most important civilian members are
with the army.
| Some of the cabinet members. in
Guiding Rifaat Pasha, the foreign
minister, are active eonstitutionalists
Tewfik Pasha the grand vizier, who
personally is most agreeable to the
sultan and the military men. and is
| looked upon as both benevolent and
honest, has undertaken negotiations
| for compromise. He has not been
able to proceed very far.
The grand vizer and his cabinet are
prepared to resign if the committee
asks their withdrawal Indeed, they
are anxious to resign and have been
held in office only by the feeling that
| they may be able to avert a civil war
or prevent acts of violence that would
cause foreign Intervention.
| The committee is without definite
limits It's adherents are divided
among themselves. The radical faction
insists that there shal be no COM
| promise; that the sultan must be de-
posed and a reasonable prince. for IN
stance. Yussif Izzodim, named as his
| successor: that the whole administra-
tion be cleaned; that no promise of
| Abdul Hamid's can be trusted, and
that to re-establish the system of ten
days ago would be to settle nothing.
Sultan May Yet Win
The conservatives declare the deposit
ton of the sultan would be possible
only after severe fighting; that 1t is
uncertain whether troops under the
control of the committee would uphold
such an act with their bayonets; that
the wavering soldiers of the First
| ARMY corps, to the number of $4,000
break into open revolt, and that to de-
mand too much means the failure
of all.
1.-THE sultan has got them to quar-
| reling among themselves" said one
of the ambassadors today, "and he
will have his own way yet
| Since the investing army has drawn
nearer to the city, numerous agents of
the Mohammedan League = ardent
young men. theological students and
| Junior members of the clergy-have
penetrated the lines, pointing out to
the men that it was their duty to
Allah to rid themselves of their Off
GERS, who were no better than Giaours.
who scorned the sacred law of the
| Koran and openly argued that the law
devised by one archdevil, Napoleon,
sought to be substituted for the sacred
law In all the courts. The agitators
| pointed out that the officers had sue
ceeded in imposing these wicked laws
| upon the civil courts and now wanted
| to apply them to the persons of the
!
| faithful.
Proclamation Is Issued
Three days ago two of the hedjas
who were caught among the troops
were beaten and turned out of the
camps. The following day thirty of
| them were imprisoned. Yesterday the
camps were oVerrun with proselyting
| zeaIots. Scores were arrested, and to-
| day ten were shot by order of court
martials.
| The demeanor of the soldiers within
the city is respectful. They salute
their officers cheerfully and have re-
sumed their regular drill.
The council of ministers drafted a
proclamation which was published this
evening. 1t denies the rumors of dis
| sensions between the troops and the
investing army, and says measures
have been adopted for the general Sc
curity.
The council debated upon the adj
visibility of proclaiming state of
siege in Constantinople with view of
facilitating the occupation of the city
by the Salonika army.
The men of the warships have taken
the oath of allegiance, in accordance
with the demand of the investing
force, and the fleet is now under or
ders to sail for the Mediterranean for
maneuYers.
| In parliamentary circles the story is
| if culpability on his part in the re-
/ cent events could be proved, he would
be prepared to suffer punishment.