Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-07-20
NO GERMAN CONTROL
IN TURKISH AFFAIRS
Correspondent Says Teuton Of
ficers Merely Advise, But
Do Not Command.

Constantinople, (by mail.)-In Otto
man government circles the view ls
held that much nonsense is being cir
culated about the relations of Turkey
to Germany. The many official reports
issued on the subject have had no re-
suit, it is said, SO that now the govern
ment offices at Stamhoul care NJ 1""eor
as to what degree OF German suzerainty
over the Ottoman empl4e -, a..>au..
Inc facts of the case are declared to
be as follows: Enver Pasha, minister
Of wal and vice generallissino Of the
ottoman arln and the former Ger
man ambassador to Turkey, Baron
who first brought the Inrklsh ana Gen
man governments together on the war
issue. Both Of them took the stand that
Turkey would be sacrificed by he
entente unless her government adopted
the radical measure of joining the
taken by the next strongest man in
Constantinople. Talaat Bey, minister
of the interior. To the group were
soon added the grand vizier and he
leaders of the progress and union party,
official title of the Young Turks.
This was the only connection between
Germany and Turkey at the time war
was declared upon the entente. 1t was
discovered soon that things did not al
ways work we'll When left entirely to
official channels. The presence in Con-
s~tantinople 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
Sander Pasha considered himself en-
trely 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 u~nshakable, 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-
You'd the bounds of disagreements
among friends. but to eliminate 1t be-
came the duty Of 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 he German familiar dur or
thou.
1t fell to the lot of Captain Human
to straighten out all ~tangles. 1t is said
that he never failed. Born in Smyrna
he seemed'to hav 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 Won Wangen-
helm and Ills aides bad failed to per
suade the officials in Stamboul they
would ask Captain Human t. try. But
the captain never had to go further
than the office of Enyer 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 nae ever been able
to impose their will upon the Turkish
government in a dcspotic 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 a fact That no officer from Ger
many ever served in m capacity in
the Ottoman army or government as a
German officer. Before he could occupy
himself with matters distinctly Turk
ish. or before he could issue a single
order in the Ottoman army, the Ger
man officer had to enter formally the
service OF the sultan and change his
uniform for a Turkish one. No keep
lions have ever been permitted in this.
The attitude Of the Turkish govern
ment Is that while German officers,
non-commissioned officers and men
were.1eedad In, the Turkish army, they
could be admitted only :as-Ottorpan sdl-
iiers. All are subject to the Ottoman
military n civil laws. though on the