The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-17
TURKEY FORGED INTO WAR BY RUSSIA AND ENGLAND" DECLARES TALAAT BEy
Prime Minister Talks to Associated Press Re- garding Ottoman Empires Position in Great Conflict Nation is Ready to Eight to the Bitter End, He says

Constantinople, Feb. 17-'"Turkey de- cIared war without being urged by Germany or impeIIed by any other in fuences save those of the empire" :" said Talaat Bey today in a statement to the Associated Press, made in re- DIV to questions concerning the polit- tcal and military situation in his coun- try.
 TaIaat Bey today fills the posts of minister of the interior, minister or finance and minister of marine in the Turkish cabinet Two weeks ago, in addition to these offices, he was also rotuis4er Of war which gave him the four most important portfolios in the administration Ike Is young lulA and is undoubtedly the most rnpoItane 141l man in Turkey at the presetn time. ills advice is needed everywhere and he Virtually directs the public affairs of the Ottoman empire
 ssTurlxey.3 TaIbaat Bey continued, "engaged in military operat1onS onty xJFer actions on the part of Russia a1ad Great Britain made defensive measures necessary and today Turkey has taken all steps meedful to carry on the war. Christians are not menaced by the HoIy-War.
 Christians Not Suffering.
 ..christians in the Ottoman empire who are participating in the destlnles s.0f from conditions brought about by the presetn state of affairs and any state rnealts top the contrary are a result or British. French and Russian intr1gues, the purpose of which Is to direct against Turkey, the pressure or neu- traI countries of lower standing Tn the Ottoman wor1d.'''ss
 7l TaIaat Rev complained of the atd- tude of foreign newspapers, including the American press which he said were obIivious alike of the position or Turkey under the pressure of the en- tente powers and the efforts of the Young Turks to accomplish the re- forms associated with that party.
 s.Gn land and sea alike the Russians and the British provoked hostil1t1es, Talaet 9Bey declared Our action finally was the result of efforts to bot tie up our fleet by mining the entrance to the Bosphorus.' 2
 .erTurkey1'' said. the minister in reply to an inquiry as to what had been gac- conp1ished up to the present time, Is prepared to carry on the war to the end of the European conflict. The ability of being able to face the enemy on four fronts simultaneously against forces three or four times greater than ours and mobilize at the same time an army Of more fhan 1000, GOO men for a allies, a matter Of great importance and for our allies a precious advan- tage.'
 Answering a question, Talaat Bey said f11s Holy war was a fact in spite of claims of the, enemy and he add ed that Christians were the enemies of the MussuIman world
 Policy of-ReprisaI
 Questioned concerning the off cial mentioned ''reprisaI policy the minister answered: @
 Turkey decided at the outbreak o1 hostilities just what retaliatory mea- sures she would. employ in case the powers o the triple entente acted contrary to the regulations set dowr by international law
 No other war ever had been so en tflussastically- received in Turkey. the