Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-21
Not a War of the Government
but of the Masses of the
People, Declares Enyer
PaSha in Interview.
RUSSIA GREW UGLY AND
FIGHT WAS INEVITABLE
Foreseeing That MoSIem Ma
ton Would Again Be Led to
the Slaughter Neutral
Course Was Impossible,


fsv uoRrNa JOURNAL SPECIAL tsAstn wrsi
Canstantinoplc, April 10 (via Lon |
don. April 20)--"l am glad you ask
ed that question. This rs not war
OF the Turkish government, but a war
OF the Turkish people said Enyer
paeha. the most remarkable man In
Turkey who is, al the age OF 83 years,
war minister and generalissimo of
the Turkish army. to the Associated
Press correspondent In the first IN
terview he ever granted To the Amorl-
can press.
Undoubtedly the world finds dif-
lHculty Ia understanding that the
Turkey 0f today is no longer the
lTurkey Of the past, but that, never
ltheless, is a fact which should be ap-
lparent TO all impartial observers, ne
loontnued, showing meanwhile the
enthusiasm OF youth, although il was
lalmust i'm n shamefaced manner that
he admitted his light burden Of
Years.
Worlds Youngest Commander.
The worlds youngest commander
lln-chief typifies the Young Turks IN
intellectual attainments and ideals.
1.-THE conversation with him was car
lried on in German, and besides nav
ling a thorough command OF the Ger
Imam language, he spoke excellent
lFrench Enver pasha would be boy
lish i'm appearance but for a rather
heavy brown mustache Alert, frank
leyes and pleasing manners, make
him a delightful conversationalist. lie
has moreover "a well deserved repu-
liation for being the handsomest man
lin the Turkish army.
kAban tba foTrRgn0nNeut entered.
Eneer pasha shook hands cordially
land said:
Il am sorry TO have kept you wait
ling. but I am very busy all day. You
lhave come TO interview heg Well, !
will make an exception In your ia
yor | am adverse TO talking TO men
| OF the press. What do you want
why Turkey Entered War.
"The exact reasons for Turkey
participating in the war; was the
ireply
you refer, no doubt" said En-
liver Pasha, ITO the assertions In the
newspapers of Great Britain, France
land Russia that Turkey entered the
Iwar to help Germany. That Is very
ltnle mt this moment, not when we
Imobilized,
"Today Austria Hungary and Ger
lmany help us; we viii help them.
But we moblllzed because there was
lno way out
aTonp before we took this step,
Russia had grown ugly on our BLACK
sen and In the Caucasus, invading our
TERRITORY, while England had already
loperated against Mesopotamia and
Ihad concentrated u fleet before the
lDardanellcs. We were unwilling to
lstart the ball rolling ana even after
1.-The Russians attacked our fleet In
1.-THE Black sea, we still waited one
week before war was declared.
i Have Right to l1Nist
1--WE knew that Turkey would
Ingain be led To the slaughter block.
lBeing unwilling that this should hap
Ipen. we took the only course open
/ We Turks feel that we have a right
Ito exist especially when the best or
lus are straining every effort and are
lcatching up with other countries In
intellectual and material develop
Iment. / believe that there is much
lgood in the Turkish people, contrary
Ito what our traducers say. At any
lrate. we are about to prove It.
"There was time when Turkey
was merely Il government clique
which was not trusted by the people,
hut gradually the people are begin
lining to feel that they themselves are
Turkey. | think that this Is the
Ihealthiest sign here today and there
Ialso is the promise that the PROGRESS
inf an civilized life will be rapid
! At this moment the war minister's
lchief OF staff entered with papers
When these were disposed Of the I'M
lterview was continued.
ARMY Is Rporganiypd
1--WE are taking care Of our troops
today" said Enver Pasha, thence
Their loyalty. Formerly d man was
Igiven a rifle and had to shift for him
lself as best he could, today we see
That his land is cultivated in his ab-
lsenee Each village has this system
lwhile a man is at the front his
IneighbOrs till his soil.
"rhis measure has been SO effee-
live that the area of cultivated land
Lis 20 per cent greater than ordinar-
jly." he went on when a man Is in
line field we see that he Is cared for,
Isimply perhaps, but sufficiently The
Turkish soldier moreover, now
knows how TO shoot we'll this is In
Istfiling the confidence he formerly
lacked"
sponsible for the better quality OF
TROOPS which has been 50 very appa-
Trent Enver Pasha replied:
when | reached the head Of the
larny | discharged on my second day
lin office about 5000 old officers who
lhad formerly been merely burden
on the ottoman military establish
ment Next made every effort to
have the common soldier feel that he
was part Of the service, instead OF the
lsubject Of 1t. II can hardly be believ~
ed the difference this made. The men
now have an esprit de corps.
Problem Of Mobilization.
How did you manage 70 mopllile
lyour army OF almost 2,OO0.0V0 with
limited resources he was askeu'
THAT was a problem. or course.
but we overcame II. We mad lot u