The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-08-20
Turks Fight For
Freedom,
Nationalist Party Determined
to Drive Out Greeks and
Rule Homeland

Angora, Asia Minor, July IL
The Kemalist government, with
the aid of its army, is determined to
solve the Near East problems it
self; a fact to which the Allied
western powers are said to be blind.
This is the chief impression
which the Associatped Press corre-
spondent received on a trip Of hum
dreds of miles by sea and land from
effete, befuddled Constantinople to
the clear atmosphere Of this little
city, situated on a wide plateau,
where the Nationalists have pitch
ed their political tents.
The stranger, putting his foot on
the soil Of Nationalist Anatolia,
feels a new air It is not a privilege
extended to all and sundry but once
good faith has been established. the
doors Of primitive hospitality are
opened wide, and the stranger may
do what he will or go where he
pleases.
Re-visiting the interior after two
years, when the Natinoalist govern
ment had just received its baptism
by the declaration Of rights OF the
Turkish people at Sivas, the corre-
spondent found the same gray, be-
flowered, treeless distances. the
same toiling peasants. the same
dull villages and towns. But the
air is charged with new purpose.
The correspondent saw Mustapha
Kemal Pasha, Halide Hanum, the
woman Nationalist leader. and 9TH
er personalities with whom he
talked at length two years ago. To-
day, they make the same declara-
tions as then; they are fighting for
their homeland and for national
existence; they will have nothing
less.
They are also close students Of
American history; they compare
their war to Americas struggle for
independence. What boots pow
erty or ill-clad soldiery, if the heart
be right and the cause be just?"
they ask.
The correspondent put the
question bluntly to Mustapha Ke-
NAL, to Yussuf Kemal Bey, his
Minister for Foreign Affairs and to
other leaders. 'Are you not un-
sportsmanlike to organize yourself
yes for the purpose Of beating e
just peace after you were whipped
in the great war;"
| The answer came: "No. We have
given up Syria and Mesopotamia.
We have left these former Ottoman
countries to their own destinies.
What further penalty should we
pay for our defeat?"
It is the intention of the Nation
alist Turks to live or die on the
issue Of national independence and
the Integrity Of the soil inhabited
by Turks with no interference from
foreigners,
II LAS regards Bolshevism, it is ap-
parent that the Turks are securing
arms and a. certain amount Of as
fsistance from that, direction; yet
they are as afraid of Belshevik con-
tact as western Europe is. The
Turks do not desire any political
foreign control from any direction.
= The intention is to drive out the
fGreeks and then TO retake Constan-
tfnep,e. make it their commercial
Fcspitaf and begin rebuilding Tur-
key on the basis Of good roads. ed
ucation. and export trade.
Today, they are refusing to is-
sue Nationalist paper money. for
fear of debasing the old currency.
The Turks declare that the Ma
|tionalist movement. which has
historically been going on for half
q century. but has been smothered
by the greed Of sultans and pashes
is destined to live.
-e~o-