New-York tribune., 1922-11-19
Crown Prince
Chosen C,;lipIl
BY Kenlnalists
Abdul Medjid Efferdi Made
Head of Moslem Faith i'm
Succession TO Mohammed,
Who Fled Co1stantinople
Regarded as Nationalist
Cousin to Departed Sultan
Reported to Have Been
Willing to Serve Before

CONSTANTINoPLE, Nov. 1s (By
The Associated Press). Grown Prince
Abdul Mediid Effendi. cousin of Sui
tan Mohamet vi, has been elected
Caliph, according to an announcement
from Angora.
Since the temporal power of the
Sultanate was abolished by the Ma
tional Assembly and it was annouaced
that that body would choose Caliph
to succeed the Sultan from among the
members of the Osmanli dynasty, Alb
dul Medjid Effendi has been spoken Of
as the most likely to be selected.
1t was even reported before the Ma
tionalists definitely decided to abolish
the Sultanate that Abdul Medjid had
been approached by the Angora gov
ernment with q view to the heir appar-
ent accepting the throne, Abdul Med
jid replied that he was prepared to ac-
cept if it semed in the country's inter
est that the then Caliph should retire.
His acceptance also was conditional
upon guarantees that the Sultan's tenn
poral powers be not curtailed.
Princes Agreed to Decline Throne
At meeting of the members of the
Turkish imperial family few hours
after the Sultan was deposed, attended
by Abdul Medjid, particular attention
was given to the decision Of the Ma
tional Assembly that the choice of the
Caliph was to be "that member of the
imperial family who is the best in
structed, best educated, most honest
and the wisest." The imperial confer
rees decided that If the throne was to
be shorn of temporal power none Of
them would accept it.
In the summer OF 1921, when Con-
stantinople advices told of demand
by the Nationalist government that
Sultan Mahomet vi abdicate, the Sui
tan was represented as having replied
he was ready to abdicate in favor of
any member of the imperial family
with the exception Of Prince Abdul
Medjid, who at that time was described
as a member of the Nationalist party.
Rafet Pasha has asked the Allies to
suppress all foreign post Offices in Com
stantinople. He has requested also
that the proposed American, British
and French colleges and schools be
placed under the Angora governments
regulations.
= ANGORA, Nov. IS (By The Asso-
ciated Press THE election Of Crown
Prince Abdul Medjid Efrendi, cousin OF
Sultan Mohammed VI, as Caliph seems
certain. The great National Assembly
held three extraordinary sessions in
Prince and Prince Selim EfYendi, son
of Sultan Abdul Hamid, were put for
ward as candidates.
Angora probably will be the seat Of
the Caliphate until the foreign occupa-
tion of Constantinoplc ceases.
Abdul Medjid Effendi was born in
Abdul Medjid, named as Caliph by
the Turkish Nationalist Assembly, was
in the direct line of succession to that
post. Had Mohamet vi died on Friday
instead Of taking fight on British
warship, Abdul Medjid would auto
matically have succeeded to the Sui
tanate. Whether or not he would
have accepted that post, though, with
any permanency in such case Is a ques.
tion. For Abdul Medjid is a Nation.
alist.
Abdul Medjid is the son of Abdu,
Aziz, the Sultan who began his reigr
with many democratic reforms, who
then toured Europe with much pomp
who lost the Turkish hold on Egypt
who was placed in severe quandary
BY the overturn Of the Second Empire
in France, and finally In 1876 was de-
posed by the young Turks Of his time
A few days later he committed suicide
by cutting his throat with q pair Of
scissors.
Held Prisoner 80 Years.
| Abdul Mediid early showed dispo.
sition to depart from the ways Of Sui
tans. He had Instincts which 1,rnmnt