The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1916-05-12
CUSTOMS
ALTERED BY WAR
WOMEN FIND THE GIGANTIC
STRUGGLE A REAL EMAN-
CIPATION.
FRANCE HAS INFLU ENCE
Boycott Against Enemy's Goods Was
Half Hearted, Even During
Dardanelles Battle.

According to correspondence from
Constantinople appearing in the Ger
man newspapers, Turkish women are
now permitted more freedom than
heretofore has been known, and the
war has been the cause of this en-
ancipation.
"Since the allies abandoned the
Dardanelles attack" writes a cor
correspondent, "Constantinople has
become normal and is now as far re-
moved from the theater of war as any
big city in neutral countries. The
cafes and motion picture houses are
we'll attended and the theaters are
crowded. Recently there was big
first night in the Petit Champs, the
occasion being the performance of a
French comedy. The actors were
Turks, but the actresses were all
Armenians, as Turkish women are
not yet permitted to appear on the
stage, but the general opinion is eX-
pressed by all thinking Turks that
before long their women will make
their first appearance as actresses.
The emancipation progress since the
beginning of the war. In the best
society in Constantipnople the women
no longer wear their wells when re-
ceiving' their guests. Though wells
I no hxyf he l. sel,
women in the street, still the fashion
| has made them so fimsy and trans
parent that they might just as well
be dispensed with.
Consequently all the fascination
and mystery that heretofore has sur
rounded the harem has suddenly dis
appeared. There is no longer any
such thing, and in its place there is
simply the usual family life. The
Turkish woman is as much a house
wife as her European sister, and in
! this war her resources have been
taxed to the utmost. Despite the
fact that the rich agricultural country
of Anatolia is not far distant, the
prices of all necessaries of life have
increased enormously. Coffee, which
is Turkeys great drink from morn
irg until night is almost prohibit;se
in price. Sugar has Become III a
luxury that honey is now used TO-:
sV. eetening purposes and milk ~:
or'y be purchased bv he well-t) dc
classes.
French influence mas strcr :
hold in TuRny. JeslIte the Eisl
prices the store windows are filled
with goods from Paris, and even
while French guns were laundering
at the gates of the Dardanelles the
boycott against French goods was
only a half-hearted affair. All Ger
mans here acknowledged the deep
French influence, and all cultured
Turks speak French as fluently as
their own language. OF course, some
of them also speak German, but the
Germans will have to work mighty
hard II they nope TO dlspel the french
influence. At present there are so
many German soldiers and sailors in
the streets that the German lang
uage is heard on all sides, and, by
order of the government the French
signs on show windows have been re-
moved and all announcements are
displayed in the Turkish language"
The writer adds that Turkey is
awakened from its long lethargy
and that the war has brought a new
life in the empire. Progress is now
the keynote, and the indications are
that within few years Constantin-
ople will be one of the most beauti-
full cities in the world.