Arizona republican., 1911-11-24

cially those belonging to the official
 classes. are broad minded. highly cul- tured men; they are brought into | touch with foreign women whom they are anxious for their womenkind tO
 resemble: they therefore offer but little opposition to the movement for women's higher education and greater
 liberty which is now going on in
 the country.
 IL is not generally known that the Turkish woman is in a better legal
 position than her sisters in any coun-
 try in Europe. She is economically independent of her husband. and the law obliges him to endow her at mar riage with d separate estate over which he has no control. She has the disposal of any money or pos sessions that may have been hers be- for her marriage, and as in Turkey daughters inherit from their parents equally with sons, this is often con siderable.
 She can dispose of her possessions as she pleases. She can sue ner hus- band in the courts and be sued by him: she is allowed a sum for house. keeping expenses. and no one has a right to inquire how il is spent, while her husband is obliged to maintain her and her servants according to his means. The case recently brought before an English magistrate of a man who had given his wife six cents day for herself and two children for nine years would be impossible in Turkey.
 In fact, the rights and pretensions of the Turkish woman are so power ful that though men are allowed four wives by law they rarely are found with more than one. chief among the reasons given being that they do not care to put themselves in the power of more than one woman.
 IL must not be supposed, however. that Turkish women do not suffer under many and great disabilities. It takes the sworn evidence of two wom- en to balance that of one man. and whereas men are permitted to marry those of another faith, the women are forbidden to do so. It was recently announced in English and American papers that a law had been passed by the Turkish parliament by which a woman could claim divorce from her husband for unfaithfulness.
 Had this been true il would have been a great and far reaching reform. The statement. however. is incorrect. All a woman can do under the cir cumstances is to put the matter be- fore a court of jurisdiction, which can grant her a separation. should it be considered desirable. The Turkish parliament could not pass such law.
 The number of wOmep who are joining the movement for the greater freedom of their sex is increasing. and it now includes many highly in fIuential ladies For the first time in the history of the country the sultan recently received deputatiOn of Turkish women led by the wife of Tewfik Pasha. the leader of the Young Turk party, and sister of Ahnet Riga. the president of the Turkish pariia- ment.
 They complained that the leaders of the women's movement were being persecuted and they asked for the suspension of the edict abolishing women's clubs. The sultan prom ised to do what he could to improve the condition of the women of the empire The women next called upon the grand viZier. Hakki Pasha. "ho is the husband of the Austrian lady and is known to have liberal views on the subject. He sent out word that he was engaged. but the ladies waited patiently till they were ad- mitted Hakki Pasha, however, would not commit himself.-The Queen.