Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-08-09
ASKED
ARM|ST|CE, BUT
HEDGED DETAIL
WERE INCLINED TO DRIVE HARD
BARGAIN WIFE NIT CAME TO AN
EXCHANGE BODIES.
MAJOR KEMAL OF TURKISH ARMY
TELLS OF EXPERIENCES IN
DEALING WITH BRITISH.

i~nsula, Turkey. Aug. 9.-Though the
British asked for the nine hour arms
tice, which took place on May "A, i'll the
Ari Burnu theatre of war, they were aft
erwards inclined to drive a hard bargain
for il. according To Major Renal, adju-
tant 10 General Essad Pacha. comman-
der of the Third Ottoman Army. Major
Renal was entrusted with the negotia-
lions preceding the armistice. and was
given carte blanche by his superiors
after they had decided what the condi-
iions of the arrangement were to be.
The British sent Il parliamentary
into our lives on May 22nd.' said Major
kemal 10 The Associated Press CORES
pendent. The officer came with a white
flag and | was detailed 10 ask his wishes
These were that We grant an armistice
for the purpose of burying the dead,
many of whom had lain between the
Turkish and British lines for - days
since April %. The stencil had become
unbearable to the British. the officer
stated and a period in which all mill
tary operations were to be suspended BY
both sides and in which the bodies might
be inferred seemed very desirable.
Il transmitted these wishes 10 my
superior after having made arrange
ments for another meeting with the par
llamentary on another dav. | was TO
come to n certain spot and all British
troops were To be instructed not to fire
upon me. Unfortunately, this part Of the
program was not carried out. When |.
ON the following day. came To the place
which had been selected for our meet
ing, | was fired upon by the British ar
tlllery with ehrapnel. T suppose my
coming had not been announced every
where. at least, | prefer TO suppose that.
There was the usual blind folding.
and a little later | met the British Off
GERS who were to act for Sir Ian Ham
ilton. | presented our conditions for
the armistice and a discussion Of them
tool place Immediately.
Only two Of theconditions are Of sufi-
cient interest to be referred To here. be
cause the negotiations concerning them
dictate what the British state of mind
regarding Turkey is" said Major Ke-
NAL when asked to speak Of the negotia-
tons
AS is the practice during armisticeS
the terrain between the two hostile lines
was to he divided into two equal parts
by a line Of S%entieS. Ovr this boundary
the dead were to be ~exchanger. that il
TO say. we would bring across this line
such British dead MS were found on our
part of the terrain and the British
would do likewise. each party burving.
naturally its W dead on its own side
of the line of sentries.
ITO this the British agents agreed. of
course. But the rifles found on both
sides Of the boundary had also to be
disposed of. Tn discussing this point
found that the British were inclined
TO drive %hard bargain. I was in favor
Of an exchange or rifles each party re
turning such rifles as were found with
the dead intact. The British baked. A
long wrangle enSued. From this I ga
thered that the British were under the
impression that we needed the few rifles
on their side Of the line. 7 assured them
that such was not the case.
incidentally. this led To a discussion
as to what was and was not to be taken
from the dead. Tire British proposed
taking all cartridges from the dead. I
o the stand that all dead should be
turned over without a search f1r tho
~" cartridges likely I'D ne IDullu on
them. That point I gained after making
II clear that above the Jaw of military
necessity stood the higher law of hui.
manity which to my mind forbade alb.
s0lutely so wantDn an act as the search
OF a body already well advanced in dis.
solution.
But the British wanted each side Il
keep such rifles as were found. | insis
ted that they be exchanged. We fnall,
agreed 10 exchange all rifles minus theiI
locks.
During the armistice the British
were to suspend all movement Of their
vessels. On this point Sir Ian Hamilton
the commander Of the Allied forces haf
to be consulted. The General sent bacl
the reply that he could not accept tina
! condition.
~ told the British officers that Their,
would be no armistice except this con
dition vas compiled with. To gain tim,
thev suggested that / bring Sir lam,
reply to the attention of nv superior's
This. / told them. was not necessary
because my instructions on the smiled
were final After that the British officer,
demanded that all Turkish shipping OF
the Dardanelles should be suspended
They were not inclined to accept nv ex