The Harrison times., 1914-11-21

as I finished my work at the hospitals
/ would do So She then asked me to
take charge of her mail and to for
ward any letters that might come for
her. | did-.to the Wilhemstrasse.
That incident is one Of those in my
secret service work Of which ! am not
entirely proud OF course from my
viewpoint Cecilia Coursan was not a
woman, she was simply the paid agent
Of another government and it was a
case Of her wits against mine; at
least with this sophistry | quieted my
doubts.
Three Years Later
Three years later found the same
little woman in an obscure cafe In
Antwerp. She was no longer in tho
French service, / concluded that her
blunder in Constantinople had "brok-
en-" her. for she seemed to have gone
down the ladder She did not recog-
nize me, but as she seemed to be In
straitened circumstances, | found a
way to assist her to at least three
months board and lodging by sending
her anonymously 500 francs It was
conscience money
When | thus located and coupled
up the chiefs Of the French secret ser
vice with the situation in CONSTANT
nople, | began quietly to cultivate tho
acquaintance OF the average Turkish
officer. | had to learn the tendency OF
their thoughts. Imet officers and mer'
chants administrators and students.
From them all | learned that they
were sick Of the intrigues and wire
pulling Of the harems, | learned OF
the discomfort Of the Young Turk
party. | gathered that the time was
ripe for an oyerturning Of the govern
ment, In my report made correct
forecast Of the trend Of affairs. drew
attention to Enver Bey, who was even
then considered clever, even danger
Gus, by the Grand Vl2ier As most
aggressive Young Turk, they had sent
him to an obscure post in Thessalon-
Ia, but upon sounding out the younger
officers | found that he was still re-
garded highly without doubt, my re-
ports, In addition to the reports made
by Won der Golz, the accredited Ger
man instructor Of the Turkish army
helped me to shape the policy OF tho
German foreign office. | learned be-
yond all doubt that the Sultan Abdul
Hamld was nothing but fgurehead.
that the Grand Vizier bought by
Russian and French gold, was running
the government In way that was
antagonistIc to German influences and
that the swarms Of demlmondaines
in French and Russian pay were cor
uptlng the higher Turkish officials to
their cause. All these things | includ'
ed IN my report and after four months
/ was back In Berlin,
What tho Kaiser Set out TO Do.
TO better understanding the dlplO-
matte significance Of this mission, !
shall recast the political situation The
modern German policy in the European
Orient, maugurated by Bismarck as n
defense and check against Russia, has
always been keen on the friendship aad
good will OF tho Turk for reasons which
will be obvious enough later During
the CapriW ch ncellorshlp, the relation
between the two empires became
rather lax. wilhelm II, with his keen
farBlghtednoBB, set about to remedy
this. In his usual spectacular, but In
most cases efficient, manner he went
with his royal consort In state to
Palestine, calling nrst on the Sultan.
The tremendously enthusiastic recep-
ton that the Moslem countries ac'
corded him IL matter Of contempor-
ary history This was really master
stroke OF diplomacy although sharply
criticized at tho time
Until tho kalBer's visit, France, with
more or less right, considered herself
protector general Of all Mohammod'
ans. From nC". on this began TO
change, Tho immediate result OF tho
omporors visit was n close under
standIng between the Wllhelmstrasao
and the Sublime Porte, The buying
Of vast quantities of guns ammuni'
tIon, and tho influx Of PruBslan ON
GERS and drilling instructors, besides
huge orders OF all sorts OF German
goods was significant
Tho always .noasy jealousy OF
Franco and Russia was at once
aroused, England, In this instance, not
taking any stand In atfalrs England
had spent many lives and much
money. notably IN the Cflmeah war,
10 keep Russia out Of Turkey and was
ayefse TO encouraging RuBso'Frenoh
Influences at the Sublime Porte, How
far England would like either Ger
many or France to acquire control OF
tho Dardanolea romans to be seen
with Russia, It has been bloody wars
and grim Btfuggles since the days OF
Catherine the Great to gain control
Of the Dardanelos unceasng In
trIguop have beou and are Btill go
Ing ON at stamboul RuasloH INIT
oneo has been steadily undermined