The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-07-20
NO GERMAN CONTROL
IN TURKISH AFFAIRS
Correspondent Says Teuton Of
ficers Merely Advise, But
Do Not Command.

Constantinople, (by mail lin Otto
nan government circles the view Is
held that much mons, Use is being cir
culated about the rciations OF Turkey
to Germany. The many official reports
issued on the subject have had no re-
suit, 1t is said, so that now the govern
ment offices at STEAMBOAT care No ''''"'"r
as To what degree OF German suzerainty
oVav the Ottoman enpne 10 al ssG-.
The facts of the case are declared to
be as follows: Enver Pasha, minister
of war and vice generallissimo Of the
Ottoman army. and the former Ger
man ambassador to Turkey, Baron
Hans Won Wangenheim. were the men
who first brought the Turkish and Ger
man governments together on the war
issue. Both of them took the stand That
Turkey would be sacrificed by the
entente unless her government adopted
the radical measure of Joining the
central powers This view was also
taken by the next strongest man In
Constantinople, Talaat Bey, minister
of the interior. To the group were
soon added the grand Vizier and the
leaders OF the progress and union party,
official title of the Young Turks.
This was the only connection between
Gel many and Turkey at the time war
was declared upon the entente. It was
discovered soon that things did not al
ways work well when left entirely to
official channels. The presence In Con-
stantinople Of Liman Won Sanders
Pasha, head Of the German military
mission, caused considerable friction.
Sanders Pasha was none too well liked
at the German embassy. 1t was said
Sanders Pasha considered himself en-
tirely an Ottoman officer, and resented
even the slightest suggestion from the
embassy. In this he was supported by
Enver Pasha, whose loyalty to the field
marshal was unshakable, even when
Berlin suggested that he be removed
because the operations on Gallipoli
were not swift enough.
Some Friction.
The resulting friction never went be-
yond the bounds Of disagreements
among friends, but to eliminate 1t be-
came the duty q a man in a somewhat
obscure position in Constantinople,
Corvette-Captain Human, commander
OF the German naval base here. Captain
Human Is in the German imperial
naval service, though born In Smyrna
as son of the Archeologist Human, ex-
cavator of the ruins OF Pergammon.
Captain Human knew Enver Pasha
when the latter was a telegraph opera
tor and today the two address one an
other IN the German familiar "du" or
thou.
1t fell to the lot of Captain Human
that he never failed. Born in Smyrna
he seemed to have imbibed with the air
q good deal OF the psychology Of the
oriental. He knows the Turk, his tenn
permanent, language and methods OF
thought, and when Baron vol Wangen-
helm and his aides had failed to per-
suade the officials In STEAMBOAT they
would ask Captain Human t. try. But
the captain never had to go further
than the office of Enver Pasha. There
would be an explanation Of what was
wanted and then Enver Pasha would
make a telephone call with satisfaction
all around.
That the Germans had ever been able
to impose their will upon the Turkish
government in a despotic manner is an
absurd claim. The Associated Press
correspondent has seen from a num-
Der of incidents that the Turkish gov
eminent officials look upon themselves
as full equals in all affairs they have
in common with the Germans.
1t is q fact that no officer from Ger
many ever served in any capacity in
the Ottoman army or government as
German officer. Before he could occupy
himself with matters distinctly Turk
ish, or before he could issue single
order in the Ottoman army, the Ger
man officer had to enter formally the
service OF the sultan and change his
uniform for q Turkish one. No excep-
tons have ever been permitted In this.
The attitude Of the Turkish govern
ment Is that while German officers,
nom commissioned officers and men
were needed in the Turkish army, they
could be admitted only as Ottoman SOL
iiers All nre subject to the Ottoman
military and civil laws. though on the