The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1915-04-08
Turkish Women
Without Wells
Meet Reporter
Three Assert Their Great ESpeeta-
tlons In Future Of Ottoman
Empire

told by them the educated Turkish
women Of today know more of Am
erica than Americans generally know
of Turkey.
The interview was remarkable for
the fact that the three Turkish girls
were allowed to appear without the
traditional wells. Louise Wallace,
one of tile American women In charge
at the institution who had arranged
the interview, had advised the young
women to put on the wells, Without
which they never venture into the
presence of men; but the three rep
resentatives of feminine Young Tur
ky thought they could meet Amerl-
cans without hiding their faces.
Accordingly Elfzaish Hanim, Semi.
ha Hanim, and Hattie Hanim we're
ushered into Miss Wallace's office to
meet the American newspaper man.
The girls were not sisters, Hanim was
being the family name but the Turk
All Speak English
All three spoke English with ease,
while Miss Efzaish used American
isms with delightful grace. They
also spoke French and German be-
sides their native language. Hattie
Hanim was taking an advanced his.
tory and sociology course, Efzaish
Hanim was absorbed in science ex-
olusively, and Semiha Hanim studi
ed history and science.
THE young Turkish woman is very
anxious to get a better education
said Miss Efzaish with eagerness.
She thought the women of Turkey
were the superior of their brothers
in that respect. MANY of our men
are still somewhat Indifferent to edu-
cation, but conditions are improving.
The new regime Is doing everything
possible to catch up. So far, howev.
er, the schools for the girls have been
sighted n little. The boys schools
are much better and, believe, really
good. But We hope that within a
few years the girls will have the
same chance as the boys"
Some time ago one of our univer-
stiles started a course of lectures for
women" remarked Miss Semiha.
The rush for admission was so great
that many failed to get the opportu-
nifty they sought The lectures are
given by the professors who teach the
men, which | take to be one Of the
many signs that the seclusion of the
Turkish woman is nearing its end.
Provinces Ahead
Most Of us still wear the veil, of
course, but the condition which once
existed in Turkey may be consider
ed as of the past. You will still find
more yelled women in Constantine
pie than you will in the provinces,
where few women are in seclusion
today or course, the harem Is still
in existence, but | believe that its
days are counted. | wish to correct
a popular error concerning the har-
EN-. II is generally believed that the
harem Is a Mohammedan institution.
II Is not. AS we know the harem II
is entirely Ottoman and was first a
Greek institution. When the Otto
mans took Constantinople they found
the harem right here"
No tendency toward modern femin
ism was manifested by the young
women. Miss Efzash said that this
was far from her mind. Miss Hattie
did not seem to be interested even
in the question put to her on the
subject.
"The women of Turkey have more
to do right now than occupy them
selves with equal suffrage and tn,
like. In fact, We do not need sucl
movement.
I'm Turkey the woman has tn
same personal property rights a
the man. We are hedged in by oil
conventions and customs instead c
legal and political handicaps impoi
cd by our men. have every RICH
any man in Turkey has, with TIL
exception, the man can divorce hi
wife by merely telling her to 6,
while the woman must bring Il la
suit. But even here we are bette
than some women.
Easy 10 Get Divorce
" In England, for instance, woI
an can secure divorce on Just OF
ground; all we have to do is to sho
that life with the man we wish
divorce is not agreeable, The womf
of Turkey is better off in that I
spect than many others. What v
need is not political equality wi
our men, but better education.
are slowly getting that. Neanwh
we are not trying to invade the bu
ness and industrial world Of o
country. There are mel, enough