Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-21
BY LIEUT.. COL. RAwLINsoN,
c. NJ. c., C. u, E., ID. S. o.


A FEELING of impending trou-
IA BILE, which had come upon me
~ recently, was soon to be JUS
Il titled by succeeding events.
There was an undercurrent OF
hostility In the attitude of the Turks
toward me, as an Englishman, which
seemed to have developed following
y dispute between the allies and the
Turks over the meeting place of the
Turkish Parliament.
GO The allies had insisted that the
session of Parliament be held at Con-
stantinople, according to custom, in
stead of at Angora, the place set by
the Nationalist leaders. After con-
siderable delay proportion OF the
members of Parliament, under the
leadership Of Reouf Bey, had agreed
70 go to Constantinople, and to take
their seats there.
This was the state OF affairs when
one night while / was at Ere
rum. l had just finished working at
an up-to-date map of the country,
which I was drawing to show the
new roads, railways and other COM
Inunications constructed during the
war, and had written the opening
lines of q letter to my wife in Eng
land.
Suddenly I heard the tread of many
=
followed Immediately by my door
being flung open and the entry into
my room of the governor of the fort
rsss. AS he stood in the doorway
ecould see in the gloom that the hall
and ting staircase behind him were
Sfilied with soldiers with fixed bayo-
nets. and I could also hear words OF
command being given outside. so that
it was evident that the Turkish army
was present I'm force
7, however, rose at once, and in
.rited the colonel commanding the
Tortress, whom l knew by name and
srepute only, to take a seat by the
stove fthen, as 1 thankfully noticed,
burning brightly, and offered him a
scup OF coffee, at the same time in
quiring to what circumstances I was
indebted for the honor of his visit
30 late at night.
To this he replied. was glad to
observe, by taking both a seat and
the coffee, telling me at the same
time that he was sent by KAHN
Pasha, the army commander, to ex-
press his chiefs regret that he was
unable to come himself in person.
He also said that the pasha had that
Svening received important and dis
euieting news from Angora TO the
effect that, at the meeting of the new
Parliament at Constantinople, when
Reouf Bey, the Nationalist leader, Of
lcially set forth the policy of the
party he had been elected specially to
represent. he and his principal sup
porters in the house had been ar
vested by the allies, and were to be
sent as prisoners TO Malta forthwith!
II y + x
THE city of Constantinople had also.
l. IL appeared. been occupied in for
nal military manner by the allied
troops, and under these circumstances
he was requested by the pasha to In
form me that it was believed that as
soon as this news became generally
known In the town my party would
not be safe and troops had therefore
been detailed for our protection!
To assist in the pacifcation OF the
population, he told me he was in
ztructed to request that I should or
der my men to surrender their arms
and to haul down the British flag
which foated so proudly over our
quarters, In order 10 avoid aggravat-
ing the feelings OF the public by the
flags continued display and our i'm
Inunity from any form of reprisal.
This intimation, as may be imagined,
in no way lost in gravity from the
extremely courteous manner in which
1t was communicated, and I at once
expressed my regret at the deplora-
bile course which events had taken in
Constantinople, Of which up to that
moment I had been In entire igno-
rance
while expressing my warm appre-
citation of the concern of the pasha
for the safety of my party, and &C
1Snowledging the insecurity of our
position in the quarters we then &C.
cupied. at once took exception to
the suggestion that we should sur
render our arms and haul down our
nag.
then PUT forward the alternative
proposal that we should move tmms-
diately to the citadel with all our
belongings, where, in the center OF
The Army headquarters. we should be
quite safe from any exhibition OF
popular feeling. expressed my read
mess to carry out that move duryPg
the night so that at daylight oaI
present quarters would be found &c
be unoccupied.
TO this 1 received a still courteous
reply TO the effect that my visitor
being a soldier, could do nothing but
carry out his orders, which he had
already the honor of communicating
10 mel On that I drew his attention
10 the excellent terms upon which
was, as he well knew, with the Pasha
and requested hiEs To be good enough
=, wuSrnis my proposal to his com.
-sauei, so tnat AT any rate ne shoulu
be aware of my opinion before The
matter proceeded further.
To this end ! Immediately began
10 put nay suggestion in writing be-
fore any more could be said, using for
tha purpose, In my haste, the very
.,aper had before me, which bore as
= &sading the endearing terms In
which IL was my custom to address
my wife. but in which IT was by nc
means my Intention to address the
Pasha. To my great relief, the col
onel consented to do me the favor OF
personally handing my note to his
chief, who occupied house less than
one hundred yards from my own, and
Oh going out for this purpose,
heard his word Of command to tbs
troops outside to stand fast 20 await
his return.
I had. of course. not the least doubt