Evening star., 1912-07-13
.BACDAD PROGRESSING,
DECLARES HAKKI BEY
Describes Conditions in Asia
Minor-InfIuence of Brit
ish Is Growing.

CONSTANTINOPLE. July 12.-Ismail
Haiku Bey Babenzadeh, the former min
lister for public instruction and deputy for
nance of Bagdad in an interview with a
correspondent, has been described as the
most remarkable debater of the Ottoman
parliament. He possesses many admira BILE
qualities, being at once a cultured effendi,
a clever Journalist, a capable lawyer and
an arGent patriot and politician.
His experiences of his recent journey
from Stamboul to Bagdad. as well as his
views concerning the prospects of the
most important parts of Asia Minor. are
of great interest at the present moment
Land Looks Barren.
In travelling by train to Aleppo Haiku
Bey was struck by the exceedingly bare
aspect Of large tracts Of land Along the
railway line there Is no shadow what
ever-no wood, not even an isolated tree.
Aleppo itself is poor in trees, although 1t
possesses two beautiful modern boule-
wards, and there is no protection from the
scorching rays of the sun. The terrible
nakedness of the country after Aleppo
creates a very gloomy impression. On
the shores Of the Euphrates one can
journey for days without seeing the
slightest vegetation. The reason OF this
depressing baroness is that many of the
nomadic Arab tribes dislike trees. and cut
them down whenever they can. A sun
bath for them is an indispensable thing.
and they consider any vegetation as a
serious obstacle to their customs.
In approaching Basdag, say Hakki
Bey, one cannot help noticing certain
high degree Of progress. The fashions,
the way of thinking and living. the whole
trend of mind of the Bagdad propulation
is imposing itself in an Irresistible man.
ner on many far off district Date
and olive trees are more numerous, and
the small canals made for irrigation pur-
poses-''veins of the life of the soif' and
NERVES of neutrality-suspicious. so fire.
quent that the passage Of carriages is
made impossible In many quarters.
Buried Treasures.
With enthusiasm Hakki Bey speaks Of
the fabulous riches and treasures buried
in many of the sacred shrines Of the
Irak. The wealth amassed in some Of
these shrines would be more than enough
to cover the expense of the entire con-
struction of the Bagdad railway. Ker-
bella and Nedjef. for instance. which are
well known places Of pilgrimage. possess
ancient objects of art Of inestimable
value-magnificen oandelabra. swords.
gems. etc. The gems of Kerbela alone
are valued at more than thirty million
pounds. In one of the mausoleums OF
the town there is sword for which the
former Persian Shah offered $500 Turk
ish iras. All these objects. however
are sacred and must not be sold Enor-
nous quantities of curtains. carpets and
shawls. each in itself representing q
small
mosques.
Concerning the influence Of the British
at koweit and Bassora. Haiku Bey
thinks 1t is increasing rapidly. The con-
tinual penetration of this influence into
the Irak from the Persian gulf either by
the Tigris or Euphrates is remarkable,
seeing that there exists complete liberty
of commerce. This circumstance some
what alarms Haiku Bey, who fears that
Turkey is losing ground.