New-York tribune., 1918-07-05

paw
Vienna.
Mohammed V. was seventy-three
years old, having ascended the throne
\. the age of sixty-four.
The reign of the thirty-fifth sover-
.isn Of Turkey in direct descent of
.he House of Osman, founder of the
empire. was characterized by q weak
ness that resulted in the most disas
trous years in the history of his peo-
ple. Under him Turkey has virtually
become q German vassal in the auto
cratic scheme of the German powers
.or Teutonic domination of Central
Europe.
He ascended the throne by a coup
detat on April 27, 1909. after having
been held a prisoner for thirty-three
years by his brother, Sultan Abdul II,
IN the royal palace and gardens in
Constantinople. The scheming Abdul
Il intended that his own son, Prince
Burhan Edne. described as the most
brilliant and gifted of the princes OF
the House of Osman, should succeed
him. The plan was thwarted, however,
when Parliament deposed Abdul and
Ylscsd his prisoner brother. Mohammed
Reschad Efendi, on the throne as Mo-
hammed V.
Had No Experience
The decree of deposition was drawn
up by the head of the Moslem Church,
the Sheik- ul-Islam, and Mohammed was
declared Sultan, with no experience in
the duties of government, being pur-
pcseiy denied education in such mat
ters during his Imprisonment by his
brother.
Mohammed V was born in Constan-
tinople November 3, 1S45. He was of
studious disposition and we'll read.
His long confinement, with rich liv-
ing, undermined his health and several
times he was reported dead or serious
Il i'll, latterly suffering from harden
ing Of the arteries and Bright's dis
ease. His appearance showed the raw
ages Of an unsteady throne. Because
Of his enforced seclusion he was total
ly unfit for public life and is reported
TO have said regarding it:
During my Imprisonment of thirty
three years my enemies have slandered
me and called me madman bordering
on imbecility."
He was, wthal, good-natured. but
veal; and ingenious, with an almost
infantile curiosity, and beclouded with
religious fanaticism.
At his accession the Young Turks,
who opposed the form and ceremony
Of his brothers. reign, hailed him as
their champion for freedom. He prom
ised progressive reign in a speech
lead from the throne by the Grand
Vizier, but despite his message to the
world that he would always be an
ardent supporter of the cause of lib
erty and enlightenment he remained
merely pawn in the hands of the
Young Turk party.
Never a Strong Ruler
His hand in the government was
never strong, his illness and weak
will power keeping him Continually at
the mercy OF Turkish officers and the
liberals. He feared deposition during
the Turko- Italian War in 1911, spend
ing nights praying in the shrines of
Constantinople. He appealed to the
army to remain loyal, saying that their
reasonable demands encouraged the
Italians to attack the Dardanelles. The
decrepit state of his government, how
ever, lost most of his European domln-
ions to him in the Balkan wars. When
il was reported in 1918 that he had
become reconcled to his brother, the
Young Turks invaded his palace in
protest
At the outbreak of the present Euro
pean struggle in 1914 Moharnmed is
sued a proclamation blaming the
Triple Entente with thrusting the war
upon Turkey. He exchanged fellclta-
tons with the German Emperor. who
decorated him with the Iron Cross:
When England and France declared
hOstlities against Turkey, Mohammed
arranged to assist Germany with
troops when necessary. In return he
was appointed Field Marshal by the
Kaiser
Heir to the Throne
The next heir to the throne, Iusser
lz2eGine, is the eldest son of the late
Sultan Abdul Aziz, who was deposed IN
1876 and Immediately afterward driven
10 suicide. He is first cousin OF
Nohammed V, Mohammed's eldest son,
Lla Eddine, q man now about thirty
eight years of age, being ninth in the
line of succession. The fact that the
cousin rather than the soE succeeds
TO the trrone is due to the religious and
civil laws which for hundreds of years
have determined the succession OF the
reigning house of Osman.
Yussef is extremely short Of stature
and will enjoy the distinction OF being
the smallest ruler in Europe. He is
more than fifty-eight years old, but,
unlike Mohammed, is in good health
U. S. Men Impress Barthou