Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1914-11-19

a. finished my work Ut 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. I dido the wiIhelmstrasse.
That incident is one Of those In my
secret service work OF which I am not
entirely proud. or course from my
viewpoint Cecilia Coursan was not
woman. she was simply the paid agent
Of another government and II was
case OF her wits against mine; at
least with this sophistry / quoted my
doubts.
Three Years Later.
Three years later found the same
little woman in an obscure cafe In
Antwerp She was no longer in the
French service, concluded that her
bfunder 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, j found
way TO assist her to at least three
months board and lodging by sending
her anonymously 500 francs. 1t was
conscience money. '- @.
When / thus located and coupled
| up the chiefs OF the French secret SER
Yica with the situation In CONSTANT
nopie, began quietly to cultivate the
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 hareuns. learned OF
the discomfort Of the Young Turk
party. gathered that the time was
| ripe for an ogerturning OF the govern
ment. In my report made q correct
forecast OF the trend Of affairs. drew
attention to Enver Bey. who was even
then considered clever, even danger
Gus, by the Grand vizier. As a most
aggressive Young Turk. they had sent
him to an obscure post in Thessaion-
| la, but upon sounding out the younger
officers l 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 the
German foreign Office. l learned be-
| yond ell doubt that the Sultan Abdul
Hamid was nothing but a tigurehead,
that the Grand vizier, bought by
Russian and French gold, was running
the government In way that was
antagonistte to German influences and
that the swarms of demi-mondaines
in French and Russian pay were cor
rupting the higher Turkish officials to
their cause. All these things includ-
ed In my report and after four months
I was back In Berlin.
what the Kaiser Set Out to %.
To better understanding the diplo-
matte significance OF this mission,
shall recast the political situation. The
modern German policy in the European
Orient, inaugurated by Bismarck as a
defense and check against Russia, has
always been keen on the friendship and
| good will of the Turk for reasons which
will be obvious enough later. During
the Capriyi chancellorship, the relation
between the two empires became
rather lax. Wilhelm II, with his keen
farsightedness, set about to remedy
this. In his usual spectacular. but in
most eases efficient, manner he went
with his royal consort In state to
Palestine, calling first on the Sultan.
The tremendously enthusiastic reeep-
ton that the Moslem countries &C.
corded him is a matter OF contempor.
airy history. This was really master
stroke of diplomacy although sharply
criticised at the time. @
Until the kaiser's visit, France, with
more or less right, considered herself
protector general of all Mohammed.
ans, From now on this began to
change. The immediate result of the
emperor's visit was o close under
standing between the WiIhelmstrasse
and the Sublime Porte. The buying
of vast quantities of guns, ammuni.
ton, and the influx of Prussian off,
Gers and drilling instructors, besides
huge orders OF all sorts of German
goods was significant.
The always uneasy jealousy OF
France and Russia was at once
aroused. England, In this instance, not
taking any stand In affairs. England
had spent many lives and much
money. notably In the Crimean war,
to keep Russia out of Turkey and was
averse to encouraging Russo-French
Influences at the Sublime Porte. How
far England would like either Ger.
many or France to acquire control of
the Dardaneiles remains to be seen.
With Russia, il has been bloody wars
and grim struggles since the days OF
Catherine the Great to gain control
| OF the Dardanelles. Unceasing III.
| trigues have been and are still go
| ing on at Stamboui Russia's infiu-
enee has heea steadily undermined
by Germany. in Turkey and Asia
Minor.
The Result Of My Mission.
Germany, always including Austria
1.-THE external policy of both countries
On all these questions is synonymous),
found FreEch.Rnssian influences at
Ike