The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1922-10-13
THE TURK AS HE REALLY ISTOA
CAREFUL AMERICAN OBSER VER

contained his family. We took with
us as much bread as the skiff would
hold. 1t was an unforgettable scene
In the blackness of the night one
could hear the moaning and sobbing
on every side from the dark unlighted
ships that heaved at their anchors
like looming ghosts. We discovered
the water to be swarmng with little
boat similar to ours, and likewise
crammed with bread and water. We
came upon a dozen of them clustered
about the lowered gangway of a
refugee ship. We heard the voices
of the boatmen and the hysterical
shouting of the starving people on
board. Then we discovered that the
mysterious boatmen were bargaining
with the Russians, offering bread
and water in exchange for jewelry
and gold-and the Russians, jammed
iii so tightly that they could not
even sit down, frantic for a drop
of water, crazed with hunger, were
giving their last possessions, all that
stood between them and starvation, if
they should ever reach the shore.
The boatmen were Levantines. hy-
brid Greek and Armenian merchants.
There was not a Turk among them.
For hours we rowed about in search
of the ship and came upon a dozen
replicas of the same horrible scene.
The fact was known the next day
throughout the city, but the press,
effectively muzzled by the Allied
control, made no mention of it. At
that moment the British government
was interested in stirring up approval
for another loan to Greece.
The European Powers have been
meddling with Turkey for the past
hundred years. Their battleships
have been anchored in the Golden,
Horn, their diplomats have beef
weaving webs of intrigue under the
very nose of the Turkish throne,
and their peoples have been syste-
fed with propaganda. And
all because Constantinople and the
Dardanelles are the key to Eastern
Europe and the Near East. Jealousy
and fear have been the motives.
They have looked longingly at the
fertile fields and oil wells of Ana
tolia. They have watched each other
like preying vultures, covering their
greed under the cloak of the Chris
tian banner. Colonies of Greeks have
settled the seacoast with no intent |
to remain there as Turkish subjects, |
but with the idea of becoming pow
erful and rich enough some day to
claim the country for Greece. 1t is
as if France should suddenly lay
claim to Quebec and Louisiana, or
Spain to Florida. i
The Turk-Charming
The Turk of the educated class is |
a charming and delightful person, a |
master of the social
graces which we associate with the
status of gentleman. His home |
life is quiet and retired and in social
he is noted for his in |
kindness and courtesy. Har-
ems are practically a thing of the
past, for the Turkish law requires
substantial property settlement on
each wife. The unsettled conditions
since the war have impoverished them |
to such degree that but very few
have the means to support more than
one wife, even should they desire
such.
But it is also true that the edu-
Gated class is very small fraction
Of the Turkish people. There is no
middle class devoted to commerce
and shipkeeping The bulk of the
people are artisans and farmers. |
X
The Turk is no more perfect than
the rest of us, but, like most of US,
he is good enough when left alone.
That is all he wants. Mustapha
Renal, directing an ill-organized and
ill-fcd army has been victorious over
the trained troops of Greece that
were equipped by the money obtained
from Great Britain, and he has
driven them from Turkey. The ragged
Turkish army fought doggedly and
because they were
fighting for their own land.
Meanwhile the Powers lie in wait
raising the old hue and cry. 1t is
the hands of the Allied control that
are bright with the blood of the in
oocent victims Of their ambition and
avaricc.