The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-19

More Thoughtful Turks and Even
Sultan Himself Said to View VIC
tory of Either Side With Dread

/ carriage from his palace at Dolma
Baghche to the great Mosque Of Saint
Sophia The pageant that was pre-
pared to give dignity to the occasion
was a flash of the old glory of the
Ottomans-faint. to he sure, in COM
parison with an ordinary church going
OF the great tyrant, Abdul Hamid, but
still resplepdent. Well uniformed SOL
diers-a rare sight now IN the Turkish
capital-lined the streets and marched
in German fashion, interspcrsed with
bands and %squadrons OF cavalry.
In carriages just behind the Sultan
were the members OF the Wal Ministry,
most refulgent of whom was the
Sheik-ul-Islam, in pricstly
robes. who rode side by side with
Said Pasha. the Grand Nizier. whose
gold lace and princely hearing were
hardly less impressive. 1t was diff
cult to think of these as really nonen-
titles in comparison with the modestly
attired Enver and Talaat, who rode
in separate uno~stentatious carriages.
The object of the whole display was
to inspire the waning faith in the
efficacy OF the old ottoman machine.
religious and sccular-hence this
| SlfstllEb tIlBlihNAEs ~ NV hACh
and coats OF red and gold which
adorned the Sultan's bodyguard and
the general magniicence OF the pro-
cession the glory OF old was once
again made vivid to ottoman eyes.
Not least impressive in the line OF
march were n half dozen carriages OF
neatly bandaged soldiers. wounded in
the glorious victory which was h
reason for this display.
The one entirely ineffective feature
OF the parade was its centre. the
Ghazi, the victor, the Sultan himself.
Not all this pomp could possibly have
convinced the most credulous that this
habby mass of Inertia was the glori-
Gus victor he was meant TO appear.
There was a still more ironical con-
trast on this day of days. AS I turned
from the scene OF the pageant into
the by streets leading to my home
I came upon thousands Of wretched
wounded soldiers being dragged to
hospitals in every conceivable kind of
vehicle. The agony of battle was
on their faces and their handaEes were
foul with days of neglect in transport
tatlon.
The activity in preparation for hat
tie had been so great that the %
sequences Of battle had hardly been
provided for. The thousands OF
wounded that now strcamcd into the
city az rapidly as they could he brought
in crowded transports greatly over
taxed the inadequate accommodations
that had been prepared.
| Schools n barracks were quickly
converted for the needs Of the hour
. and many of these. as may I've sup
posed. were in a bad sanitary con-
1 dition. For several days there was
E almost a total absence of proper ban
. dages, antiseptics and dressing cot
{ ton. These wants, however. were
quickly supplied. The American and
!, German Red Cross helped, and hum
1 dreds Of the foreign population, AS wei,
! as prominent Turks, gave their time
I and services as well as money To
( gather the needed supplies. .Nil So
Cial gatherings were turned intu ban
= dage rollinGs. ana all entertainments
were for the benefit of the Red Cross
. or the Red Crescent.
From the almost total absence Of
Y supplies among the Turks there is
every reason to suppose that the vast
Z sums that had been raised for the Red
{ Crescent had either been grossly mis-
managed or AT least misappropriated
for munitions rather than for means
OF mercy.
For days I worked personally among
the wounded. Poor fellows, No one
could say enough in praise Of their
I fortitude and powers Of endurance.
n Only in the very worst cases was any
( form OF anTsthetic used. | saw one
e fine manly fellow submit to six pain
full dressings, including one for a
= scalp wound OF three shrapncl grooves.
G n for n broken and pierced arm. one
for a perforated cheek and another
V for a deep infected thigh wound. The
e doctor treated this thigh last.
G Three or four times no ran the
n probe, wound with absorbent galzo
and dipped in iodine, into the
d ragged bullet hole for four or fl a
inches. Tears came 10 the poor fcl-
lows eyes and his face grew pale,
d but there was never a sound If inn
II patience from those tightly closed lips.
This was no exception. Thousands OF
- such sufferers passed us c]ouragoouslv
d each day.