The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-16
7EX-SUL TAN'S OPINION
OF WOMEN DISCLOSED.
Expresses Nothing But Pure Pity
for the Men of the
West
TOO MUCH FREEDOM
Turkish Woman His Ideal Of
What the Fair Sex
Should Be
BERLIN. March IS.

Further interesting memoirs OF ABDUL
Hanlid, the prisoner ex-sultan OF Turkey.
are published in the March number of
"Nord und Sud" BY the courtesy OF
Professor Ludwig Stein. the editor. am
able to give the following extracts:
The memoirs deal principally with relig-
ious and moral questions. Abdul Hamid
was in the habit every day during his
long reign OF debating for some thir,y
minutes his private thoughts to All Bahbi
Bey and the present publication Is taken
from this work. The memoirs have been
translated from the original into German
by Herr Heinz Bothmer. the Turkish
consul in Berlin. Speaking Of the status
OF women. the ex-sutan says:
Every man who has any sense will de-
plore with me that women are given too
much freedom, that they rule the salons.
and are seen to walk about IN streets,
while men are slowly drifting to be their
servants 1 understand this is tho case
in America. Why do Europeans criticise
our women? Are Turkish women not
prettier and moro moral than others?
In our country the woman belongs TO
the household. and belongs 10 one man
alone. In Europe she has much too much
Y
only half have read in books and
newspapers about womanhood in the
west Is true-wei, 1 pity the western
men!
Beware of the West
The former sultan appears to have
neen favorable 10 some reforms" being
introduced in Turkey, but these reforms,
he says, must not be rushed on US We
want 10 60 ahead but haste Is deviiish.
while leisure and after-thought are di-
Vine lie does not approve OF young
Turks going abroad for any length OF
tine. for ne fears nothing as much as
the poison or European civilization"
Beware OF ;deas that come from the
west. They are most dangerous for our
country. When 1 see how happy our
Moslems are, feel l must oppose with
all my power the coming or the European
new spirit. This spirit poisons our souls
ana our character. Islam is not unfavor-
able 10 progress. but any progress must
come from within, not from without"
Dealing with the present conditions OF
Islam. Abdul Hamid states: The koran
breaches virtue more effectively than
any other religious work. Therefore Is
lam will in time be victorious in the
whole world. Our trouble comes from the
fact that our empire docs not constitute
religious unity. We have TOO many
Christians in our land. Only evil can be
expected from the fact that moro than
what happens in Germany.
The salvation OF Turkey can only be
In deep religious belief There lies our
future. England. France. Russia arc in
my hands. one word from my lips vii!
suffice 10 open holy war (Tschibad)
Then Christian nations will see their
doom. That time has not como yet, but
II Is bound TO come when millions OF
brave Moselms will shake off the yoke
of the Giaour-S5, 10000 living in British
.A1n ntAa On AZ ~.
TWO hundred and fifty millions pray
every day for Allah and the khallfa
Can one really think that the Moslem Is
a weak instrument in the concert OF ma
tions 2"
His Secret Police
This rather bellcose statement Is inn
mediately followed by some thoughts
about "tolcra nee" in Turkey, which, ac-
cording TO the ex-Sultan's opinion. is far
greater there than anywhere else. He
bitterly cr!ticises the young effendis,
who censure everything that is done in
Turkey. "These unfair pessimis;s are
cur worst enemies he says. Thanks
TO my secret police, l know exactly
where they are 10 DC found. Thank
Allah. our good people keep far from
these eternal sewers OF discomfort. A
real Moslcm is always an optimist." The
ex-sultan expresses his opinion on sav-
cry as follows:
Il have just received a petition from
the ant-slavery congress asking me TO
suppress slavery in Turkey. l am sur
prsed to see how little Europe knows
about our customs and habits How can
the patriarchal rela tionshp existing here
between masters and servants be called
slavery?
Tho Koran compels us to treat our
servants well, and our laws adequately
protect the latter against any a buse OF
power at the hands OF their masters.
There is no slavery in my empire. 4
"deharijeh" (maid servanD in Turkey is
happier than a maid in Europe. Why
curse the slave merchants? They only
secure servants for a certain time.
MANY an abandoned child. dying of
hunger in the street. has found its SAL
walton at the hands of these so-called
"slave merchants" Many girls have
found good positions in families by this
process. and some oven have been mar
red by pashas."