Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-01

ahmed. who were arrested and con-
aemned to prison. but the minister of
vlsed the action of the court-martial
and liberated the culprits
rms condition of affairs in Turkey is
emphasized as an object lesson, with
ton of the capitulations by the
committee, which would commit the
tam protection of 'unscrupulous poll
ticians" and a minister of justice
anis COMMITTEES, in spite of its OFF,
cial declarations. is accused of foment-
ing panislamic pressure. In order to
cause eventual revolt against the
Christians in Egypt and India II is
charged that the subscriptions recon-
mended by the committee for the Red
Cross and the Ottoman war feet were
also applied to the panislamic propa-
cation. The tendency of the com
mittee to stir up religious fanaticism
was clearly apparent by the solemn
Seie oration. May % last, OF the four
hundred -and-sixty-first anniversary OF
the capture of Constantinople by Ma
monet ii. After the Balkanic defeats
that commemoration. which had never
acter OF a mussulman manifestation
against all the elements OF ottoman
CHRISTIANS. and thus against the prn-
ciple of "ottomanism'
turkeys budgets. always in deficit.
are now more than ever in a deplorable
condition. This chronic evil of the OF
toman empire. which, we were assured.
was to be radically reformed after the
revolution OF the young Turk in 1905.
the deficit was s24.191,S45: from 1910
1911 the deficit was s30,934,S77; from
191l-1912 the deficit was s34,s01,2o5
The years 1912 and 1913 were devoted
to two successive and disastrous wars
with Italy and the Balkans, which en-
tailed new and heavy charges. After
the treaty of Bucharest Turkey ap-
peared to have accepted In good faith
the result Of her errors and to have
entered upon a period Of pacifcation
and repose. The mobilization ordered
by Enver Pasha stirred the people
anew, and imposed new and onerous
expenses upon the state.
The financial condition of Turkey
might be cause OF alarm for the hold
ers OF Turkish bonds
turkeys but such Is not really
E;roro.. the case. The Ottoman
empire offers certain
guarantees for bondholders which
are quite unusual. The Ottoman
public debt was created by decree of
Mouharrem tho day after the disas-
trous Russo-Turkish war of 1877. The
Ottoman public debt, it should be eN-
planned. is under the sole administra-
ton of an international council OF
delegates elected by syndicates of the
bondholders. This council controls in
entire liberty of action the revenues al
tributed to it by the government a
Constantinople. and thus guarantee
the holders of Ottoman funds. Thes
revenues from spirits, tobacco, salt
fisheries. dyes, tax on silk. etc, repre-
1..ll
the one-half of the revenues OF the en-
pire. The Ottoman government canno
touch these revenues. which are abs"-
lutely controlled by European admins
eminent has been in the direst straits.
and when the functionaries and the
army have been unpaid, the government
has never attempted to touch them.
This attitude Is not only honest, OUT
wise. and creates credit for govern
ment in contracting loans. II the gov
eminent in any cataclysm should ever
seize the sums in the treasury OF the
public debt it would ruin Turkeys
credit without fall
turkeys military condition is very
weak and uncertain. When Enver
Pasha assumed the portfolio of war he
Immediately commenced the reforma-
ton of the army. At the close Of 49,
500 officers, many of whom were sacri-
feed to personal rivalries and for
party considerations. This action Gre
ated an intense feeling Of dissatisfac-
ton among the victims and Their
friends. The grand vizier, Mahmoud
Chevket, had requested the German
government to send a German general
to aid in the reform of the army. That
government sent Gen. Liman Won san
ders, with a number of officers. The
mission would be for term Of five
years, the German would have all the
bowers Of a general in chief. and
there was a plan to give him the COM
mand OF an army corps at Constanu-
nople.
That pretention melted the suspicious
of the triple entente. for it would place
a German general in command OF the
Dardanelles. The ambassadors OF the
triple entente protested, and the pow
ers of Gen. Liman Won Sanders were
limited to chief of the mission and IN
spector general of the military schools
Meanwhile Gen Mahmoud Chevket was
assassinated, and Said Hahn Pasha, the
a ctual grand vizier, succeeded.
A
On paper the Turkish army counts
thirteen army corps. but in reality
there are only five. and
Turkish one-half properly constitut-
ed. The fourth corps is Al
ARMY. Smyrna. where it must re-
main to defend the coasts from an
eventual debarkment of Greek troops.
The others are in Europe. The first
corps is at Constantinople. the second at
Kirk Kilisse, the third at Rodosto. the
tenth at Gallipoli. the half Of a corps
at Adrianople. The battalion during
peace being 500 to 500 men, the total
of the army is not more than $4,000
men.
The mobilization consists in adding
trained reservists, which would in
crease the army to 100000. of which
$4,000 only are combatants. These
,ay be increased by unframed re-
servists. but of questionable value. The
army lacks material. equipages and
transportation, to say nothing or
morale. the most difficult of all things
to restore to an army.
AS for the Turkish navy, IT scarcely
merits mention. for it lacks ships.
men and armament, which are not
either by the presence of
the Goeben and the Breslau or the de-
fensos of the Dardanelles.
The situation of the Ottoman empire
before the European war was already
extremely delicate and fragile. but in
practicing a policy of great prudence
the government at Constantfnople could
prolong indefinitely that state of at
fairs The abandonment of neutrality
on the part of Turkey is likely to be
followed by a coalition on the part OF
Greece. Montenegro, Servia
and possibly Bulgaria.
Because of the foregoing situation, 1t
seems to be simply suicidal for Turkey
to step into the breach. Besides, the
between the progress and
union, or young Turk" and the 'old