The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-11-06
Correspondent for London Tele-
graph Sends Interesting Story
From COnstantinOple
100000 CHRISTIANS
TREMBLE FOR SAFETY
Starvation Faces Women and
Children Left Behind While 2
Soldiers Fight for Allah
By e. AsAMsAo BARTLETT.


oCONSTANTINOPLE, oct. 2l,-It is
long past midnight. The golden horn
shlmmers in the semi-darkness,
and on the farther shore the dim
silhouette OF STEAMBOAT rises from the
water. The majestic panorama OF
mosques and minarets, shrouded in
the mists or night. is just visible
These pinnacles stand out like gigan.
, TIC sentinels guarding threatened L.
lam
The incesSan rumbling OF wagons
over the cobbled roads, the tramp OF
armed men. and the occasional sound
OF a bugle band playing some warllke
eastern song-ali this discord OF
sound moves in one direction through
Pera. down the hill through Galatea.
across the great pontoon bridge. and
ends 1T the station. Constantinople is
! preparing for dawn-surely one or
| the darkest in all the strange medley
of her history.
| At dawn the faithful" will be sur.
rounded by a ring OF "infidel" enc
mics. stretching from the Adriatic TO
| the Black sea Greece, Montenegro,
arms against one so-called decaying
nation, governed for 80 years by the
sick man" and for three by success
sion OF inexperienced cabinets. some
times controlled, more often not con-
trolled. by a constitutional legislative
assembly "oi which the prophet makes
no mention In the Koran"
This is a war entered upon by all
parties with practically no money at
all and with but very little hope of
obtaining any. Now, perhaps, we
shall hear less OF war being impos-
sible because the great bankers will
not allow 1t. II is surprising how long
war can be carried on by people
like the Turks without money.
They Issue paper receipts, with
promises to pay after the war They
seize everything they require, espe-
cially horses, of which they stand In
great need.
Constantinople is at present almost
| without wheeled transport. Only the
carriages of the ambassadors and a
| few old screws. which have obtained
exemptions from the military on ac-
count of intirmity, remain on the
streets. Even these are so scarce that
you often see two-horse Victoria be-
| ing driven about with single wretch
ed lame animal attached TO the pole.
/ The horse tramway service has been
entirely suspended.
The few good horses that remain
are hidden away In obscure streets
behind locked doors. to which admit
lance can only be obtained by knock
ing the requisite number OF times.
Then the bolt is stealthily withdrawn
few inches and head looks out TO
see II you are a friendly cash down
purchaser or a vile confiscatory SOL
der, who will not only take the horse
in return for worthless piece OF pa
per. but also the harness and a cart
and any fodder. II they happen TO be
there.
Constantinople resembles today
some city which has been swept by a
! terrible pestilence. The shops and
| booths are almost deserted, or else
the remaining articles are being dis
posed OF 10 the few purchasers by
| boys in their teens, assisted by elder
| ly women. Almost the entire male
population has been swept northwards
| by the tide Of war.
The normal Turkish life OF the city
must now be carried on by the old
men, beardless youths, whose turn Is
| likely to come very soon. and by WON
en-. The sacrifices which will be de
manded by all classes during the com
| ing winter are awful TO contemplate:
| the sufferings and poverty in many a
home will only be known TO ne suf-
| ferers themselves-who VIII bear
them without a murmur-and TO the
i bread winner. il by chance he sur
wives the struggle and returns.
How hopeless and despairing would
seem the position OF Turkey today
but for the Mohammedan faith. that
unbeatable bond which holds all
classes together when the existence
OF the nation Is threatened by the at
lacks OF the ''infidel."
The soldiers go forth singing
praises TO Allah. and the women
cheer them on their way. There are
no vain regrets, no tears at the sud
den rending OF all domestic ties. no
execrations heaped on government.
which has made such calamities come
TO pass.
A factor which cannot be over.esti-
contempt In which the mass OF the
Turks who form the raok-and-fle OF
the army regard their Balkan adver-
saries The simple-minded soldier re-
CARDS Bulgaria, Servia. Montenegro
and Greece as revolted provinces
which have once acknowledged the
sway OF Islam. and which IL is his
bounden duty TO bring back into the
fold OF the Faithful
In Constantinople. there are Greeks.
Bulgarians. Wallachs. Armenians.
Kurds Zaibecks, Arnauts. Druses, Sy-
rians OF many sorts. I,azes. Jews.
Ethiopians, Arabs. and Circassians.
Besides these and many other tribes,
there is motley horde OF mongrel
Ievantines and Europeans.
II is not pleasant 20 contemplate
what may happen when the last yes
tiee OF civil control disappears. and
all this medley OF diverse races and
creeds Is handed over 10 the ravages
OF war. The 100000 christians who
remain i'm Constantinople tremble for
their safety. as the capital has been
entirely Invested OF It's garrison, ana
ONLY the firemen, some gendarmes,
and men who are to old to serve at
the front remain 10 preserve order.