The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-02-06
TURKISH HARE]MS
AREDISAPPEARING
FROM STEAMBOAT
Women Becoming Enamel
pated Object to Being on
Public View.
MOTLEY MOB IN STREETS
Traditional Veil Discarded by
Many or Its Thickness
Modified.

Special Gable to THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1891, bv THE NEW YORK HERALD.
CoNsTANTINoPLE, Feb. 5.-The first
question naturally asked by post war
visitors is how the traditional multiple
home idea survived the war, but 1t
Is no longer possible to get permission
to visit a harem and contemplate the
yelled beauties therein munching the
candy known as Turkish delight.
The Turkish women have not as yet
obtained the vote, but they have be-
come emancipated beyond the stage
where they will submit to being placed
on public view, and while, just as IN
many other countries, men may man
age to keep two or three households
running at the same time, even the
Turks have decided that it Is dan
gerous principle to concentrate all the
attractions under the same roof.
Constantinople to-day provides every
possible type in it's motley throng. Veri-
table mobs parade the streets from dawn
to twilight apparently not caring wheth-
err they work or not. Thousands or
diseased persons brush shoulders with
Western visitors as they try to escape
the menace Of Turkish military automo-
biles or big Rolls-Royce cars manipu-
lated by British control policemen.
Po1ysIot Crowds in Streets.
Groups of American sailors are to be
seen everywhere. all enjoying shore lib
erty. which temporarily causes them to
forget the dry regime in the homeland
Armenian pickpockets lift purses from
the pockets Of would be purchasers un-
less the Jewish money lenders get there
first. Italian carabiniers and Senegalese
rifiemen add to the polyglot note in this
new Babel in which each person goes
about with the usual lack of appreciation
for any tongue but his own. and all
laugh immoderately when a queue OF
several hundred Russian refugees seek
ing the aid of their Ambassador wander
helplessly into the busy throngs. from
which they are only extricated after the
police of all nationalties have tried to
explain the proper route.
What has become OF the Ottoman
woman whose timldity has been de-
scribcd for generations by Eastern writ
ers? She Ia there. but she Is CROWNS
more like her Western sisters every day.
Thousands have abandoned the char
chat, and even those who have retained
the traditional veil have modified ITS
thickness according to their desire tc
appease the jealousy of their husbands.
But despite this ever increa sing
throng of internationals Constantinople
cannot be called city OF gayety. There
are only few motion picture houses.
badly equipped. two mediocre theatres
and several brilliantly Illuminated Rus
sian restaurants which try to stir up
enthusiasm. Everywhere the crushing
tai. 1,.f, ha~ II a
mosphere OF heavy melancholy when
even the Russian violinists and dancers
and titled Russian women who have
been engaged as mattresses cannot de-
stroy.
Little Gayety in Restaurants.
1t is fact that after having cere-
moniously kissed the hand of the lady
who takes your dinner order. it is rather
difficult to stir up enthusiasm over the
faded, overmended silk hosiery of the
refugee danseuse. who are probably
thinking more OF what happened to their
relatives In South Russia than OF their
terpsichorean ability.
To Western people the Greek inva-
sion is becoming highly Objectionable.
They are found everywhere Boosting
that the country Is theirs now and are
flying flags at half-stan whenever q
Greek under diplomat dies. They have
gained fortunes by specializing, but they
have made Constantinople one of the
most expensive cities in the world TO live
in. An ordinary hotel room now costs
about S12. and the Turkish omnipresent
cab about $50 an hour.
A haircut. badly done. costs eleven
francs. and small bottle Of beer nine
francs. But while other features OF the
Turkish capital have changed the love
OF the natives for baksheesh tips remains
stable, although the minimum for the
slightest service, such as polishing a
pair Of shoes. is now about one pound
Turkish.
Despite all the invasions by Moslem
enemies the inner soul OF the nation It.
self still is deeply religious. Nightly
amid the raucous cries OF the Armeni-
ans, the ISLANDERS OF the Greeks and the
vile epithets flung at them by the Jews,
the Muezzln's call for prayers resounds
through every quarter OF STEAMBOAT. while
tho Turks OF all political creeds ignore
the presence OF their new oppressors and
I petition Allah to lift their burden and
bring peace 70 ;heir long tried nation.
L This il the Constantinople OF to-day.
What It will be tomorrow. when the
prospectors and spectators arrive to
test the newly discovered oil fields or
the soviets attempt to drive westward
through STEAMBOAT. nobody knows. Btu,
Il Is certain that the change will not
be for the better.