The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-08-18
TURKS FIGHTING
TO SAVE EMPIRE
CLAIMED THAT CAPTURED PRIS-
ONERS ARE BEING PUT TO
DEATH WITHOUT QUARTER
Men and Resources of the Ottoman
Empire Are Given Freely to De
fend the Nation
By HENRY WOOD

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent }
CONSTANTINOPLE, (By Courier to
Dedeagatch and thence by mail to
New York; July PA warfare al
most without quarter is being con-
Quoted by the Turks on the Gallipoli
peninsula, according to stories cir
culated here. That no prisoners are
being taken is freely charged.
What becomes of some of the Eng
lsh and French who fall into the
hands of Turks, was unconsciously
tipped off by one of the Turkish
wounded recently. Upon his arrival
at a hospital at which the American
Red Cross is in charge he expressed
his amazement at the resemblance of
the American DOCTOR whose name for
obvious reasons l dare not mention, to
an English soldiers whom his com
pany had taken prisoner few days
before and later had killed.
But why did you kill him?' de-
manded the American Red Cross doc
tor.
why, he was our prisoner re
piled the simple minded and some
what puzzled Turk.
No doubt exists any longer in the
mind of any Turk that the existence
of the Ottoman empire is at stake in
the fighting now going on at the Oar
danelles. This is believed to explain
to a large degree the manner in which
the last men of the empire are still
coming forward to fight and in which
the government is permitted without
protest to drain the entire country of
its last resource for the conduct of
the war.
Not day passes at Constantinople
that the trains and boats do not bring
in small but fresh contingents of
men from the farthest points of the
empire. AS a rule each lot does not
number more than so or 100 but they
come regularly every day if not sever
al times a day. For the most part
now they are old men with gray hair
and gray boards. They march stol-
idly into town, clad in rags with which
hey left their herds or villages. and
proceed to the commissary headquar-
.ers. There they are fitted out with
uniforms and arms and few days
ater march out again for the Darda-
lelles.
In equal manner every incoming
rain and ship brings it's little quota
If food for the army. For the most
part, this consists of a herd of sheep.
t is driven through the streets of the
,ity from the train or boat that
brought it in, to the army slaughter
louse, and the next day it too is rush
ID to the Dardanelles in the form
If fresh meat
To secure food supplies for the
lrmy the government has adopted the
'ule of requisitioning everything it
reeds. Only in very few instances
las even a small portion of the price
,een paid in cash. The rule is to
rive a receipt which states that the
government at some indefinite time
n the future will pay.
In strange contrast to the official
announcements of continued success
es by the Turkish troops on the pen
nsula is the arrival of the wounded.
Iven without the official announce
nent that an engagement had taken
lace the population of Constantinorle
would know it within "a hours by the
rrival of the wounded
When the approach of hospital
transport is signalled all of the pub
ic cabs are ordered to the waterfront |
0 bring the soldiers up to the hos |
itals. Street cars flying the flags |
f the Turkish Red Crescent Society
re also used One night this in
ormlnaDlo cOrLeSe OI WouHueu oeSo'i
assing my hotel at 10:30 in the eve
ing. At 1870 in the morning it was
till passing. In as far as possible
rounded are made to arrive at night.
makes less impression Oh the pub
C. 1t is believed that there are not
,ss than 100000 at Constantinop1e
ut they are all soldiers with slight
-ounds as the most seriously injured
re kept at Rodesto where more
rompt attention can be given them.
In an effort to raise additional rev
nues for the war the duty on IL
CONTINUED on Page ~