Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-07-26
AMERICANS STIR
LEThARGIC TURKS
ConstantinopIe Becomes Cosmo.
politan City With Ending
of War.
NOW HUMMIkG WITH ENERGY
American Soldiers, Red Cross, Y. NJ.
C. A. and American Business Men
Now Throng City-CaIi 1t an
Vasion Of Wealth."

COnstantlnople. - Americans make
Constantlnople hum with their energy,
business methods and way of going
ahead that makes even the old Turk,
Indifferent as he is to all that passes
around him, lift an cyelash in mild
surprise. American soldiers, Red
Cross. Y. NJ. G. A.. American bust
ness men, Amercnn-made machinery,
food, clothing, merchandise Of every
sort and kind are now in this most
dirty, casual and ancient city. The
Turks, when they talk about it at all,
call It "The Invasion of Wealth."
The Prussians have gone; the Ger
man invasion is over But, besides
this American invasion, Is the Rus
sian invasion, which the Turk, when
he talks about it at all, calls, owing
to It's contrast with the American
species, THE Invasion Of Poverty"
Russians, Too, Abound.
Every day the orderly, prosperous
businesslike, keen-eyed American
grows more numerous. buster, better
mt home in this most fascinating old
city on the Golden Horn, the most
wonderful city that ever was. with
its mingling Of the races. It's white
marble palaces, its noise, dust, and
its seal of the Orient.
Every day more and more Rus
SLAMS, poor, ragged. disordered, idle,
"devil-may-care," hungry and pleas
ure-loying flock here from the bol4he-
visits, escaping by way of the Golden
Horn from Odessa. At STEAMBOAT, at
more or less Americanized Pera. at
Chiclin and other suburbs, Russians
abound.
And what contrast, The Ameri-
cans, clean-shaven every day, method
icai, wideawake to all around; the Rus
SLAMS, dirty, unkempt possessed with
the one idea, to amuse themselves.
They gamble every night in the hells
of Pera, throwing down sheaNes Of ru-
bles in notes of n thousand, two and
five thousand. which they feverishly
change at the rate Of six cents per ru-
Bile instead Of the once nominal 80
cents.
American ways and energy have
even penetrated into the Turkish
homes. Many Turkish women now go
about with uncovered faces because
the American women do it," end few
are taking an active part III politics
holding meetings ut the famous Hip
podrome to agitate for woman suf-
frage, quoting the woman leaders of
the suffrage movement In faraWay
America which they have never seen
and whose language they do not know.
Public order is good throughout the
city. Patrols of Italians and Turks
see to that. At crossroads English po-
licemen regulate that curiously intri-
cate Eastern traffic with the same
calm they showed a few months ago
ut Piccadilly Circus.
Prices Are High.
Americans find life dearcr here than
in New York. a cab. drawn by an
emaciated horse, SD for short
course: cup of Turkish coifetC5o
cents, about the size of Il thimbc.
One furnished room costs 500 Il
month, but no extra charge is made
for the various kinds of bugs that in
Fest il. White bread can he had ut 80
cents per pound; American flour is
very popular in consequence.
Except for the women who have dis
carded their wells, nobody seems to
care about politics; the great thing is
Observation-Disclosures for Greek, Armeni-
an and Israelite-and each and all
want to do business with the Amcri'
cans. There Is market for every
thing that grows or makes. And the
Turk, who does no business, but
smokes his cigarette, sips coffee and
lets others toll for him, is ready to
pay the price. For he is by no means
so poor as he gives his neighbors, far
and near to understand.