Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-21
ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence

strated by the correspondent of The
Associated Press who on April was
received by His Majesty Mohammed
V. and cabled to America the views Of
that ruler on this war and other sub
jects of vital interest to this country.
| The success Of this attempt to
obtain at first hand the sultan's
view was mainly due to the fact
that The Associated Press correspon-
dent had .itnessed the bombardmen.
Of the Dardanelles coast Notifications
and that His Majesty wanted to hear
the story of the bombardment from q
neutral, feeling, perhaps, that his en-
| touraye had somewhat overdrawu the
account of the Turkish victory. He
also wanted to get an outsiders opin-
ion Of the Ottoman forces guarding
| the strait that leads to his capital. and
last but not least, and this may in
some parts be looked upon as unusual
for Turkey, His Majesty was interest
! ed in the lot of the people who had
been driven from their homes during
the commandment.
| Mohammed V is a kindly soul-an
| old man in whom the fullness Of years
and the tribulations of life have pro-
duced a pleasing mellowness Of spirit.
| Two other newspapermen were per-
mitted to see the sultan. One Of them
was Raymond E. Swing. Of the Chi
| cago Daily News, who together with
The Associated Press correspondent,
| had gone through the bombardment Of
March 18th, and the other was DR..
Emil Ludwig, correspondent Of the
Berlin Tageblatt, who had also been
at the Dardaneiles but had left sew
eral days before the bombardment.
The cabled interview, however. did
| not cover the way in which the cor
respondents were themselves inter
viewed not only by the sultan, but by
his first aid de camp, Brigadier Cen
eral H. Saith Pacha, who received the
party and conducted them to His
| Majesty.
Il know it is almost impossible to
| believe that the shells Of the Allies
did not work greater havoc" said
Salih Pacha, when review of condi-
tons in the Dardanelles- forts had
been gicen by The Associated Press
correspondent while awaiting presen :
tation. NO doubt, our enemies will
say that they did more than they have
Gone. l am glad that in this in
stance the world does not have to
merely take our word for it,
Saith Pacha was very sorry that a
certain lieutenant, who on many oc-
casions had distinguished himself by
his bravery, had been killed The old
solder regretted that the officer had
died in the manner in which he did
| suffocation under a small hill of earth
which a shell had thrown over him.
Poor Hassan,' he said. But some
Of us have to go that road, of course
Conversation drifted from one
phase Of the bombardment to another.
Salih Pacha showed the greatest ir-
| terest. His Majesty Is keenly inter
ested in what you saw" he said. I
wish you would tell him all you know.
But you must speak rather loudly be-
cause my ears are not as good as they
used to be-getting a little old, you
know"
l. Then a court official announced that
! visitors. Saith Pacha rose and init
mated that single file be formed. The
! little procession was headed by him,
then came The Associated Press cor
/ respondent, Mr.. Swing and DR.. Lud-
wig. To the right and left and in the
rear walked several court attaches.
On the highly polished parquette
! floor of the great central hall Of the
palace lay a carpet runner. Evil
IDENTIFY it is etiquette to keep one
feet on this. Saith Pacha followed
the runner with an impressive mill
tary precision, coming almost to a
complete halt, and facing about, when
corner was reached. In this man.
ner a second hall was also partly
traversed. In this hall the grea.
stairway of the palace is located. The
party assembled the steps slowly. it's
members having ample opportunity -
| observe the dignified spIendor of their
surroundings, the most striking fea-
ture of which were the crystal balus-
trades of the stairways and landings.
| On the second floor Of the building
it became evident that architect and
| decorator had been held in check. The
ceilings are tastefully decorated as
are also the walls, but generally an
almost severe plainness prevailed. To
the right Of the stairway lies a short
corridor. -Salih Pacha led the way
into this, and a few steps brought the
party to a door, which someone inside
opened. Another introduction Of the
Visitors followed. This over, the
man to whom the callers had been
presented disappeared through the
door Of an adjoining room which he
entered for just a moment. When
he reappeared he was salaaming
deeply to some on in the room.
Enter in the manner in which you
have followed me-" said Salih Pacha
to the visitors. Il shall enter last"
AS the visitors appeared in the door
His Majesty arose from the divan
where he had been sitting, returned
the simple bow that was given. smiled
in a most engaging manner and said
few words of greeting in Turkish.
Opposite the divan had been placed
three chairs. To these His Majesty
pointed with an invitation to the
callers to be seated. Before the jour-
nalists sat down, Mohammed v shook
hands with them in so hearty a fash
ion that the rattle of cuff buttons