The Washington times., 1915-08-22
TURKISH POLICEMEN
ARE MOST ACTIVE
As Existence of Empire Is
Threatened Work at Con-
stantinopIe Apparent.
Bv HENRY WOOD.

CONSTANTINOPLE (hy courier to
Dedeagatch and thence by maiD, July
l4.-More and more as the existence or
the empire becomes menaced more ana
more does the Turkish police depart
ment, the one and only department OF
government for which the Turk has
ever shown a real genius increase Its
activities. The Turks say they have
million and a quarter men under arms.
One would be tempted to believe they
were referring to the number of police
men.
Recently complaint was made to
Enver Pasha that there was too much
surveillance Of the scorpion, the United
States station ship now anchored in the
Bosphorus at the foot Of the American
College sor Girls.
But it Is the duty of the police to
watch everything, to watch everybody
replied the thirty-three-ye -year-old minis
ter of war. Every twenty minutes or
the dav and night patrol boat passes
NV house. l am watched like all the
rest"
Foreigners Are Watched.
This sensation OF being constantly un-
der the eyes of the police produces on
the part of the foreigner here a degree
of caution. He never knows at what
instant chance word which he may
utter may be overheard by a secret
policeman and in consequence Of which
he may be charged with the utterance
Of treason.
Only a few davs ago Colonel Leipsig,
the military attach of the German en-
bassy was killed He was a magnificent
type of the German officer, over six feet
tall, a gentleman both IN appearance
and In actualitY, known and loved by
everyone The official announcement
said that while changing from uniform
to civilian dress in a little railway sta
ton upon his return from the Darda- =
nelles. his revolver had been accident
ally DISCHARGED. the ball entering his
forehead.
There WAS scarcely a foreigner in all
Constantinople who did not sec in this
mysterious death the elimination at
least in part of his convictions that
sooner or later the Turks will turn on
the German officers now stationed at
Constantinople. But not n single per-
son in all Constantinople once expressed
this suspicion.
They say It was accidental is what
everyone said to his most intimate
friend and TO this remark silence alone
followed. A word more uttered might
have been overheard by a secret police
and the individual hauled up for treason
Question Of Germans.
That the position of the Germans al
Constantinople is becoming daily more
delicate there can be no question.
know personally that even in the case
of the death OF Colonel Lelpsiz the Turk
ish censor insisted that the official an
nounccment as prepared by the German
ambassador be submitted before being
telegra phed to Berlin. and that the orig.
| inal text was altered Many German
officers after their days work at the
| quarter general" change to civilians
| dress before appearing on the streets
| in the evening. German and Austria r
| civilians are leaving by every train
| Part of those who left on the same train
| | did, left cursing the country which
| had joined them in war. One German
correspondent representing one of Ger.
| manyS greatest papcrS-the BerlineI
| Tageblatt-was expelled because he 81 "
| things as they actually were and no,
| as the Turks wanted him to see them
But there is every indication that the
| German soldiers, sailors, and officers
now in Turkey will stay to the end
| Whatever the fate of Turkey may be
| there is every indication that not q
! man will hesitate to share II, and II
! the Turkish empire passes out Of exist.
ence it is likely these men will pass
with it,