The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-25
TURK AND TEUTON
Ambassador Morgenthau's Story of Great War Plots
BY HENRY MORGENTHAU.


Now, Talaat." said, you have got
10 nave some one to advise you in your
relations with foreigners. You must
make UP your mind whether you want
me or the German staff. Don't you
mink you viii make a mistake II you
pace Yourself entirely in the hands Of
the Germans. The time may come when
you VIII need me against the Germans. 4"
what do you mean nv that2" he
asked, watching for my answer with
Intense curiosity.
THE Germans are sure to ask you
to do many things you don't want to
90. II you can tell them that the
American ambassador objects, my sup
port may prove useful to you, Besides,
you Know you all expect peace in n
lew months. You know that the Ger.
mans really caro- nothing for Turkey.
ana certainly you have nc claims on
the allies for assistance. There Is only
one nation IN the world that you can
look 10 as Il disinterested friend and
that IS the United States"
This fjGt was so apparent that |
hafdly needed to argue 1t in any great
detail. However, | had another argu-
ment that struck still nearer home. AL
ready the struggle between the war de-
partment and the civil powers had
started, 7 knew that Talaat. although
ne was minister Of the interior. and II
civilian, was determined not to saCri-
flee n little OF his authority to Enver,
the Germans and the representatives
Of the military.
~ You let the Germans win this
point today" ! said, you are prac-
ticaily IN their power, You are now
the head OF affairs, but you are still
"A civilian. Are you going to let the
military, represented by Enver and the
German staff, override your orders? APP
parently that is what has happened to-
DAY. It you submit to II, you will find
mat they will be running things from
now on. The Germans will put this
country under martial law then where
will YOU civilians be2"
! could see that this argument was
having its effect on Talaat. He re-
manned quiet for a few moments, evil
IDENTIFY bordering my remarks, Then
he said, with the utmost elaboration;
u am going to help you"
He turned around to his table and
began working his telegraph instru-
ment. | shall never forget the pic
ture, this huge Furk, sitting there In
his gray pajamas and his red fez, work
ing industriously his own telegraph key,
his young Wife gazing at hin through
a little window n the late afternoon
sun streaming into the room, Evident
~ the ruler Of Turkey was having his
troubles, and, as the argument went
on over the telegraph, Talaat would
hHnE MS KEY WIN increasing lTTlldIlbh,
He told me that the pompOus major
at the station insisted on having En-
ver's written orders-since orders over
the wire might easily be counterfeited.
II took TaNat some time to locate En-
yer, and hen the dlsnnte apparently
started all over again. A piece of news
which 1'alaat received at that moment
over the wire almost ruined my case.
After a prolonged humping of his in
strdment, In the course OF which Ia
hats face lost its geniallty and be-
came almost savage, he turned to me
and said:
THE English bombarded the Darda-I
relies this morning. and billed two
And then he added;
I'VE intend to XIII three Christians
for every MOslem killed.
For n moment ! thought that every
thing was lost. Talaat's face reflected
only one e~motion-hatred OF the Eng
lish, Afterward. when reading the
Cromer report on the Dardanelles, l
found that the British committee stig-
matized this early attack as a mis-
take. since 1t gave the Turks an early
warning Of their plans, / can TESTIFY
that u was n mistake for another rea~
son. for | now found that these few
strange shots almost destroyed my
plans TO get the foreign residents out
Of Turkey. Talaat was enraged, and
! had to so over much Of the ground
again, but finally1 succeeded In paclfy-
ing him once more. | sawlthat he was
Na~cillating between his desire to pun
ish the English and his desire to assert
his W authority over that OF Enver
and the Germans. Fortunately the
latter motive gained the a~scendancy,
At all hazard, he was determined to
show that he was boss,
We remained there more than two
hours, my involuntary host pausing now
and then IN his telegraphtng to enter
tain me with the latest political gos-
sip, david, the minister OF finance,
he said, had resigned, but had prom
lsed to work for them at home. The
grand Vizier, despite his threats, had
been persuaded to retain his office.
Foreigners in the interior would not
be molested unless Beirut, AleSandretta,
or some unfortified port were lombard
ed, but, II such attacks were made,
they would exact reprisals OF the
French and English, Talaat's CONVEX
satlon showed that he had no particular
liking for the Germans. They were
overbearing and insolent, he said, con-
stantly interfering in military matters
and treating the Turks with disdain,
Finally the train was arranged. Ia
laat had shown several mood in this
interview; he had been by turns sulky,
good uatured, savage and complaisant.
There is one phase of the Turkish
character which Westerners do not
comprehend and that Is its keen sense
of humor. Talaat himself greatly loved
n joke and q funny story. Now that
he had established fricndsly relations
and redeemed his promise, Talaat be-
came jocular once more,
Your people car 20 now he said
with a laugh. ITS time to buy your
candles, Mr.. Ambassador"
This latter, of course, was a refer
enCe to the little gifts which | had
made to the women and children the
night before. We Immediately returned
to the station where we found the dis
consulate passengers sitting around
waiting for n favorable word, When !
told them that the train would leave
that evening, their thanks n graft
tude were overwhelming,