The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-24

Vioer ana experienced OmcerS ana
filled their places with young favor
ties whose total knowledge Of mill
tary affairs had been obtained from
books and who spent more time in
political wire pulling than In practi-
cal training for real campaigning.
!Ss,0oo.0oo was appropriated yearly
the war with the Balkan states began
It was found that no provision had
been made for the supplying Of the
soldiers with food. ammunition while
in battle. or for caring for the wound
'ed. Turkish soldiers often were OBJ
.liged to march or fight for two days
without food and so inefficient was the
service for supplying Of ammunition
in battle that Turkish gunners stood
at their guns ana were shot down by
the enemy without being able to fire
q shot in reply. The young officers
completely. lost their heads In battle
Hguratively! or were 80 afraid Of
deserted their commands and sought
their own safety in flight. Now every
ons asks what was done. with the
100000 a year that was appro-
priated for the special purpose Of
making the army an efficient fighting
force. The Turk Is. naturally a brave
out osai Zoo 1u Or n am Saa me mot than nse can wi any
other man. No n blames the Young
Turk military officers for not being
experienced In fighting for experience.
can only be obtained in real war. but
they had totally neglected those very
branches Of the military service which
in time Of peace and for which an
abundance Of money was supplied
them. But this money was squander-
ed by the Young Turks and their
|~favorites.
Accomplished Some Things.
Summing it all up, what have the
Young Turks accomplished? That
they did accomplish, something for
the good OF the country annot be de-,
MED; They accomplished the great
the tyrannical rule OF. an arch-fiend
Abdul Harnid. and paved the way for
q. Just and progressive government.
Their work was in keeping with the
Turkish character: 1t was destructive
rather than constructive; they abol-
ished many cruel. unjust and oppres-
ment and while It Ia true that they
established q little. tyranny Of their
own. yet on the whole their rule was
better and more humane than that
which they abolished. The country
is now in condition for a peacefully
minded government Of a non-partisan
policy for the development Of the
country. Whether any Turks, either
young or old, have the ability. to per-
sistently pursue such . constructive
governmental policy against heavy
odds. to final success Is q question.
The Turk is nc by nature g builder;
he first made his appearance in west
ern Aisle until the present has been
that Of q ruthless destroyer. For him
to now reverse that history means
that he must learn. 1t the feet Of for.
eigners. The Turks have taken. great
pride in their being q military race.
put their time. strength and money
into the constructive development Of
their country 1t viii be worth. its ter.
rible cost But the responsibility for
this present war docs not rest entire-
~ upon the Youns. .Turks. That they
made life in Macedonia almost nnen-
durable by their attempts to "otto-
mamie" that province 10 well known
and that gave an EXCUSE for interior.
ence on the part Of the Balkan states.
But the seeds Of this war were sown
500 years ago when Turkey conquered
that country: Racially. religious!y and
70 the Balkan states: their popula-
any form Of Turkish. rule nor would
the free Balkan states allow them
to be satisfied. Responsibility for the
disorder. anarchy and %"atrocities''
that have made life in these regions
unendurable for the last three years
must be placed upon the Balkan
states az much as upon the Young
Turks. Nsvertheless It IL better that
than by any Aslatic power: Tho turk
is much more in his native element
I'm Asia than In Europe. II remains
Ito be seen whether the Turk has It
In him" to properly govern and do
lvelop his Asiatic provinces. We hope
sroan aH 9 fos such Sns 'h Sop.. are rk very ye s%nii
Of the worlds progress Is too swift
nowadays to allow much lingering for
any incompetent race to acquire COM