Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-24
WILLY MIKES IN
TURKISH AFFAIRS
Letter to ''Nicky" Shows
People Mere PaWns in
Hands of Rulers.
Copyright. 1927

In the hands of powerful rulers the
people are merely pawns. This is
clear from the letters the German
kaiser wrote to the ear in the years
1903, 1904 and 1905. In 1908 the Bull
garS of Macedonia struck against
Turkey for freedom from intolera ble
oppression. Austria. Russia and Ger
many stood by while Turkey smoth-
cred the rebellion, and then urged a
series of reforms on Turkey which
carried out. The powers had Inter
veped, but the peasants of the Bal
kans were still encouraged to hate one
another.
The kaiser now assumes a larger
figure in Turkish affairs. Russia.
which wanted the Dardanel Giles opened
and Turkey cut to pieces. has ac-
guessed in the soft-spoken program
of the kaiser. 1t is the German am
bassador who interviews the sultan
and suggests that the reforms wanted
by Russia and Austria be carried out.
The letters were copied in Moscow
by Isaac Don Levine and brought to
this country.
Kaiser Cautions Sultan.
''Neues Palais. September 10. 1903
Dearest Nicky: 1t is impossible for
me to pass over the sudden and tragic
death of that sweet little sunshine
without sending you just a. word 10
tell you how deeply I feel for YOU all
in this sad affair. It is really very
difficult to realize the fact that this
darling child is no more among US.
How joyous and merry she was that
day at Wolfsgarten when 1 was there
SO full of life and fun and health, and
to think that one shall never see her
again in this world, What a. terrible
heart-rending blow for poor. Ernie
who dotted and adored that little en-
chantress. May heaven give him
power to bear up under such a blow
II am still under the charm Of the two
days 1 was able to spend with you and
they remain a delightful souvenir fol
me. You remember our conversation
about the Balkans and Turkey. and my
later telegram with my instructions u
my ambassador to give the sultan ar
energetic lecture, that 1t was high time
for him to at last conform himself &c
the 'Muerzsteg program Well these
instructions have led to a conversation
between my ambassador and the sui
TAN few days 40. which took an
hour and three-quarterS. The sultan
was very tough and decidedly in the
idea that a refusal to comply with
the wishes of Russo Austria. back ID
by me. would bring no great harm
to him, The ambassador had to make
use of every power of expression
feasible for him versus a monarch. to
bring the gravity of the situation
home to his majesty, and left him "a
Sadder, but wiser man after he had
made it quite clear to him that on no
account whatever would / raise a
hand in his support Or speak a word
for him, should he involve himself
and his country into serious conSe-
Quences by refusing to fulfill the
wishes of their majesties. the Rus
sian and the Austrian emperors, who
had shown almost angelic patience and
forbearance with his bearing, and
IN1L~-
and MuerZsteg program backed up
by me. The ambassador is under the
impression that very animated in
trigues are going on in the palace
among a band of organs of very shady
nature who surround the sultan and
with incredible lies managed to abuse
his credulity and to keep away the grand
viZer, whose influence is feared by them.