The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-20
Youthful Commander in
Chief Discusses European
War Situation
SAYS COUNTRY WAS
FORCED INTO WAR
Turkish Generalissimo Declares His
Country Is Determined to Show
to World u w Era Which
Makes SSreat Nation

glad yg that question. This is
not q o. of the Turkish govern
men o war of the Turkish peo-
pie" SD Enver Pasha, the most re.
markable man in Turkey, who, at the
age of 33 years, is war minister and
generalissimo Of the Ottoman army,
to the Associated Press correspondent
in the first interview ever given to
the American press.
Undoubtedly the world finds Gift
Guilty in understanding that the Tur-
key of today Is no longer the Turk IS
of the past, but that nevertheless. is
a fact which should be apparent to all
impartial Observers he continued
showing meanwhile the enthusiasm OF
youth, although it was almost in a
shame-faced manner that he admitted
bis light burden of years.
The worlds youngest commander in
chief typifies the Young Turks in in
telieetual attachments and ideals The
conversation with him was carried on
IN German and besides having a
thorough command of the German lau-
Suase he speaks excellent French En-
yer Pasha would be boyish in appear
ance but for rather heavy brow n
mustache. Alert. frank eyes and pleas
ing manners make him a delightful
conversationalist. lie has, moreover a
Wen deserved reputation for being the
hanusomest man in the Turkish army.
When the correspondent entered En-
yer Pasha shook hands cordially and
sald; = am sorry to have kept you
waiting but | am very busy all day
You have come to interview me We'll,
i VIII make an exception in your fa-
vor. ! am averse to talking to men
or the press. What do you want?"
Reasons for War
The exact reasons for Turkey par
ticipating in the war;, was the reply
You refer, no doubt said Enver
asha 50 the ASSERTIONS IN the new =
papers of Great Britain France ard
Russia that Turkey entered the war ia
help Germany. That is very true al
this moment, not when we mobiiized
Today Austria Hungary and Germany
help us; we help them. But we mobil-
lied because there was no way out
Long before we took this step Rus
STA had grown ugly on the Black sea
and in the Caucasus. invading our ter
ritory there, while England had al
ready operated against Mesopotamii
and had concentrated a fleet befo e
the Dardanelles. We were unwilling
to start the ball rolling and even aft
er the Russians attacked our fleet ir
the Black sea we still waited one week
| b bHoIfaYar was declared.
! I've Knew that Turkey would again
| he edj ITO the slaughter block Beins
| Inv 1nnng that this should happen, We
TOOK the only course open. We Turks
feel tRht we have right to exist. es-
peclalty when the best of us are strain
ir- every effort and are catching up
with other countries in intellectua, and
! material development.
There was a time when Turkey was
merely government clique, which was
ually the people are beginning to feel
that they themselves are Turkey.
think that this is the healthiest siEn
here today and there also is the prom
Use that the progress of all civil life
will be rapid.
Taking Care of Troops
1--WE are taking care of our troors
today, hence their loyalty. Formerly a
man was given rifle and had TO SHIFT
for himself as best he could today
we see that his land is cultivated In
his absence. Eaclp village has this sys-
tem-whilo a man is at the front his
neghbors till his soil.
This measure has been so effective
that the area cultivated is 20 per cent
greater than ordinarily
when a man is in the field we see
that he is cared for, simply, perhaps
but sufficiently The Turkish soldier
moreover now knows how to shoot
well. This is instilling the confidence
he formerly lacked"
To the question as to what was re-
sponsibIe for the better quality OF
II oops, which has been so apparent
Enver Pasha replied:
"When 1 reached the head OF the
army l discharged on my second day
in office about 5000 old officers who
formerly had been merely burden on
the Ottoman military establishment
Next I made every effort to have the
common soldier feel that he was part
of the service, instead of subject OF
it, 1t can hardly be believed the dif-
ference this made. The men now have
an esprit de corps"
How did you manage to mobilize
Your army of almost 100000 with
limited resources?" he was asked
"That was a problem, of course. but
we overcame it. We had a lot of old
Snider rifles ready for the junk market
These caused to be distributed among
the gendarmerie taking from them their
modern rifles. There was formerly 9
large gendarmerie force IN turkey, ex-
planned Enver Pasha smiling; now 1t Is
not so great: we don't need it. So we
armed many men with new rifles. Today
every man at the front is well armed
1t was case of helping yourself; we
did it,
Status of Campaign
Replying to questions as to the present
status of the campaign the generalissimo
said:
Conditions in the Caucasus are more
satisfactory. Regarding the situation In
the Dardanelles l will say we are fully
confident that it has been demonstrated
that fighting down the forts there will
be suge task for the allies But ever
should that happen. we would still be
masters of the situation there by means
of howitzers, mines and a fleet. The
allies coming up the straits would be
obliged to move in single file, and the
effectiveness of our protective measures
should be apparent"
In view of the fact that some excite
ment has been observed in Turkey be
cause Of the export of arms and am
munition from the United States to tht
powers of the tr.sle entente. particularly
Russia, Enver Pasha was asked for his
views on this subject, and replied