CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 22 (Associated Press)- A renewed military occupation of Constantinople by the Allies is imminent. The inter-allied representatives have notified the Grand Vizier of the measures they purpose to take.
Franco-British reinforcements will be quartered in public buildings requisitioned in Stamboul, where already there are several thousand inter-allied forces.
It is considered that the troops are required to guard against threatened disorder, owing to the presence of followers of Mustapha Kemal Pasha, the Nationalist leader, and Bolshevist elements and the failure of the Turks to ratify the peace treaty. The latter situation is deemed to be a big factor in the allied decision.
There are now upward of 100,000 forces of Russian and Turkish soldiers sleeping mosques, cellars and ruins of the city. They are lacking in food and clothing, and it is recognized that they are a potential menace to the enormous stores of foodstuffs and clothing in the warehouses.
There seems to be little fear that the Allies will lose control of the situation unless the Kemalists advance, or in the remote contingency of the much-advertised Bolshevist Spring campaignalong the Romanian border, through Bulgaris to Constantinople.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, March 31, 1921 (Associated Press)- An entire Greek division has been captured by the Turks at Eski-Shehr, and the Greeks are fleeing from that city, according to notices posted up in Anatolia.
The Greeks thus far have made no statements on this report.
Mustapha Kemal Pasha, head of the Turkish Nationalists, has issued a wide-spread appead to the Islamic reces to send recruits, and a hurry call to the army under Kiazim Kara Bekir, Division of the Turkish Cilician Army are arriving at Angora, indicating that the withdrawal of Kemal's forces form the Bagdad Railway had long been planned. In his proclamation Kemal Pasha says:
"The fighting initiative belongs to us. If necessary we will retrear to Erzerum in order to preserve the army for decisive battles. Turks should not be alarmed at the Greek claims of victory. It is due to the fact that our army numbered only 60,000 theirs 100,000. When the forces are equal we will strike."
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PARIS, June 29- The Temps tonight prints a dispatch from Constantinople saying that the Greeks evacuated Ismid yesterday and that the Kemalists now have an open road to Constantinople, fifty-six miles away. The dispatch adds that the evacuation took place according to an agreement between the Turkish Nationalists and Greek officers.
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LONDON, July 8- Owing to misrepresentations by Mustapha Kemal Pasha, a cloud has temporarily obscured the brightening outlook in the Near East. As stated yesterday, General Sir Charles Harrington, in reply to a request from the Turkish Nationalist leader for a parley, intimated that he was prepared to meet him on a warship off the Black Sea coast to hear his case.
Mustapha Kemal, however, has distorded the facts and sent an arrogant message intimating that he is ready to accept the British suggestion for a meeting on condition that Great Britain accept the whole of the Turkish program, which includes complete Turkish control of Constantinople and the Straits and the return of Thrace and Smyrna.
But Kemal has been disillusioned, for General Harrington has explained to him clearly how he misrepresented the facts, at the same time intimating that he is himself is still willing to accept the original invitaion.
The wily Turk is believed to have been actuated by a desire to sow distrust among the Allies by creating in France the impression that Great Britain is going behind the back of her allies.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 28- The French authorities today formally handed over the City of Adana, Asia Minor, to the Turkish civil authorities, in accordance with the terms of the recent aggreement reached between the French Government and the Turkish Nationalists. Military Governor Muhieddin Pasha issued a proclamation urging the population to live in harmony and to refrain provoking untoward incidents.
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Fatma, the woman in question, was a Corporal when she led a patrol composed almost entirely of women in an atteck on the enemy's rear and returned with twenty-five prisoners, including an officer.
Battallions of women were created last year and have shown great bravery and suffered heavy casualties.
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The shadow of the return of the Turks to Europe has hung over the Balkans, with fear in Rumania, that if he crossed the straits by force, as he did centruis ago, it would not be this time without the co-operation of Russia. Bulgaria, never the scene of conflict, might also have saved a victoriious Turk, although now apperently suffering less from the pains of the Treaty of Neuilly because of the Entente's promise of a little window on the Aegean.
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GAYA, British India, Jan. 2- The Caliphate conference, at its concluding session have decided in the event of Great Britain's participating again in a war against Turkey, to launch immediately a civil obedience campaign.
This would include the spreading of propoganda throughout the police force and the army, prevention of recruiting, refusal to subscribe to war loans, boycotting of foreign cloth, picketing of liquor shops and prevention of the export of grain.
The conference also requested to recruit a legion servece under the Angora Government.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Oct. 29 (Associated Press)- The National Assembly at Angora has voted the establishment of the Turkish Republic. Mustapha Kemal Pasha has been unanimously elected President.
The Assembly accepted the constitutional amendments proposed without opposition and loudly cheered the republic.
The influential Popular Party at a meeting previously held accepted Mustapha Kemal Pasha's proposal to proclaim a Turkish republic and for the election of a President, who would be empoered to nominate a Premier. The party also accepted the foolowing proposols by Kemal:
"The language to be Turkish; the religion Islamism; the President of the republic to be elected by the Deputies for a term of four years, eligible for reelection; the President to be the Chief of the State, with the right to preside over both the Council of Ministers and the Grand National Assembly; the President to nominate the President of the Commissars, who will choose his own clooeagues, to be submitted to the Assembly for approval."
The Turkish constitution was so amended within the last few months that the proclamation of a republic was merely a matter of form. It provided that Turkey should be proclaimed a republic, with a President elected for a period of four or five years. The title of President of the Grand National Assembly has been held by Mustapha Kemal, who also holds the post of commander-in-chief of the army.
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The article entitled "A Turk Salvation Army Leader" in your Sunday issue was indeed very interesting to read, but even if the name Garabed was not mentioned the photograph alone of "Joe the Turk" would be enough evidence that he is an Armenian, Christian born, and no convert at all. It is also interesting to note that in spite of all the efforts of so many American missions in Turkey, they have not been able to convert a single Turk in Christianity from the date of their very establishment to our own days. Probably this is news to many of your resders.
N. PAPADOPOULOS
New York, Dec. 4, 1923
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb. 25- "The Turkish Army today is capable of facing any enemy. Each of its units is so strong it is certain of overcoming any corresponding unit of whatever army to which it may happen to be opposed." This was the claim made by Kemal Pasha in a speech today summing up the lessons of the recent tactical games.
"Moreover," he continued, "if one of our units were oppesed by two units of an enemy army we should, if not actually defeat them, at least pin them to their ground so tightly they would be completely immoblized. Comrades, it is only by the offensive one can obtain a final decision. I beg you never to lose sight of that."
The President said Turkey had no idea of attacking anybody, but several passages of his speech seem to indicate that every step in the reorganization of the country will be calculated to maintain miitary efficiency.
Money can be found in the budget for the engagement of upward of 100 foreign experts to assist in every branch of administration, but the Government has decided to reject the Caliph's demand for an increased civil list on the score that as the treasury is empty and as the Caliph is the spritual head, not only of Turkey but of all Moslem States, it is only just that thay should all contribute to his needs."
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PARIS, July 10- According to a message received in Paris from Constantinople the Turks have arrested General Tinenberg, the Bolshevist military attache at Angora, and the Commisser, Casantoff, and Consul General Prasoloff.
All of the prisoners are charged with spying. The Moscow Government has dispatched a manacing note, demanding that they be immediately released. The Angora Government refused to comply, and notified the Moscow Government that all relations with Soviet Russia would be broken off until the Bolshevist propaganda in Turkey should cease.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 2- A bitter fight to overthrow Mustapha Kemal Pasha commenced today with the opening of the Grand National Assembly.
The opposition leader, former Premier Raouf Bey, has behind him the Left of the Assembly and such powerful men as General Ali Fuad Pasha, who directed the Turkish attack against the Suez Canal; General Kiazim Kara Bekir Pasha, who crushed the Armenian uprising in 1920; General Refet Pasha, who commanded the Turkish troops in Thrace during the allied occupation; Djamboist Bey, who was Tallat Pasha's Minister of the Interior during the war; Bekir Sami Bey, former Ambassador to London, and many others.
The new opposition party has been ostensibly organized to overthrow the Cabinet of Ismet Pasha, who is a representative of Mustapha Kemal, on account of the scandalous handling of Turkish-Thracian refugees, failure to bring foreign capital to Turkey and unsatisfactory ecenomic conditions and lack of roads ans schools, but is actually aiming to smash the hitherto supreme power of Mustapha Kemal, who today, as President of the Republic, holds the title of Ghazi, or National Defender.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, March 22- The decision of the Great Powers that their Ambassadors still normally reside in Constantinople has not pleased the Turks and a note on the subject has been presented to the Allied Missions pointing out that the permament presence of the Ambassadors in the capital is in accordance with international law and custom and that "there is no reason or possibility" why this rule should be modified in the case of Turkey.
The Powers were reminded that facilities have been offered to them for the construction of embassies in Angora. The note concludes with an expression of hope that the transfer of the embassies will take place as soon as possible.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, June 26- The Turks can now pray bareheaded in their mosques. The senior Judge of the Supreme Court so rules, based on the holy writings, although the Judge is careful to explain that the headgear must be removed as a mark of respect, not because of heat.
This is a logical outcome of the recent decision to abandon the fez for modern Western headdress. Another sign of the changing times is seen in the announcement that three women have accepted by the Aviation Association of Angora to be trained in aviators.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 17- Following closely in the wake of President Mustapha Kemal's campaign against the ancient fez and kalpak and in favor of modern headgear, the hat profiteer has appeared in Turkey.
Fattening upon the demand created by the President's orders that the hat must be worn by officials and his speeches in favor of "the headdress of civilization," the hat delaers were so avaricious that the Prefect of Constantinople, Emine Bey, set a limit to their profits, 15 per cent, on ordinary hats and 25 per cent, on "fancy" ones.
In Angora the hat stores are completely sold out. In Constantinople new hat shops sprang up over night. They are crowded with men trying on hats for the first time in their lives and staring self-consciously in the mirrors.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, Jan. 16- A new corps of briliantly dressed traffic police are giving back to the streets of Constantinople the color lost with the passing of fez and turban.
The crimson and brass helmets of these officers of the law and their batons of red and white stripes, which resemble sticks of peppermint candy, give ptomise that the new era is not to be entirely drab.
The Director of Police, Ekrem Bey, also has instituted the first electric signs for traffic control.
These signs are such an unexpected novelty that crowds of pedestrians, spell-bound by the flashing of colored arrows, thus far have been blocking the sidewalks and roads in such a way as to make it well-nigh impossible for vehicles to obey the new guiding lights.
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The Lausanne Treaty between the United States and Turkey, which is expected to come up in the Senate for discussion this week, brought forth yesterday renewed criticism from organizations and individuals who have opposed it, and support from those who believe it should be ratified.
The Foreign Policy Association issued a bulletin showing that, while evangelistic, philanthropic and medical work in Turkey by Americans has been checked entirely, there has been little interference with educational institutions, except that they have been forced to stop teaching Christianity to any except Americans. The association estimated that $123,000,000 had been invested by America in educational and philanthrophic institutions in Turkey.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, May 6- Disastrous effects in Anatolia if the earthquake Thursday are reported in messages delayed by disruption of the telegragh lines.
The village of Baghardi, near Kutaiha, was said to have been destroyed, with two persons killed and sixty injured. Four other villages were badly damaged.
The recent earthquakes have caused a religious stir among the Moslem peasantry, who attribute the catastrophes to the recent action of the Government in renouncing Islam as the State religion.
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The Turkish Parliement recently appropriated $125,000,000 for new construction to bring out the resources hidden in the ground of Asia Minor and gave large contracts to Swedish engineers. The plan includes a big network of transportation lines all over the Asiatic peninsula. Of the sum voted $70,000,000 will be spent for railroad and harbor construction and $55,000,000 for waterways. Of the former sum a considerable part will be used for building electrifying plants. New harbors are being planned along all the coasts of Asia Minor, especially those in the North on the Black Sea.
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CONSTANTINOPLE, April 30- One of the most picturesque and at the same time most annoying customs in Constantinople will soon be a thing of past. After an existence of more than a quarter-century, Galata Bridge tolls are to be done away with.
Any one who has visited Constantinople will be sure to remember the row of gray-coated men who stand shoulder to shoulder at each end of the bridge. Their duty is to collect tolls from all pedestrians as well as from drivers of all motor of horse drawn vehicles. Pedestrians pay one piastre, which is equivalent today to about half a cent. Taxicabs and private cars pay five cents and heavy vehicles pay more.
The toll connectors possess lynxeyes, it is populary believed that no one has ever secceeded in crossing Galata Bridge without paying. Automobile drivers often throw money on the gorund in order to avoid stopping, while others have become expert placing the toll in the collectors' hands without changing gear or slackening speed. As Galata bridge more or less divides Constantinople in two-Stamboul on one side and Pera on the other- thousands of persons have to cross many times daily, and they find the tolls and expensive item in their budget. It is perhabs for this reason that one of the Constantinole Deputies decided to petition the Grand National Assembly to abolish the tolls, and there is no doubt that the step will be welcomed by the greater part of the population.
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ISTANBUL, Oct.5- Awakening from seven years of political coma, Istanbul broke into election fever today. Huge crowds flocked to the polis in the mosque courtyards, saying there is something to vote for now, since an opposition party has come into the field against the old People's Party. Fethi Bey's new liberal party also brings the minority nationalities to the polis for the first time since the Kemalist regime began. The list of Liberal candidates includes Greeks, Armenians, and Jews.
Another innovation is the participation of women as voters and candidates. The opposition candidates include Makboule Hanim, sister of Ghazi Suad Dervisch, a prominent novelist, and Nezihe Mouhieddine, Turkey's only militant suffragette. The opposition list also includes men prominent in the old regime, such as Rustem Bey, former Ambassador to Washington, and the Greek, Vegleri Effendi, former Prince of Samos.
The Government party has called out the city's police force to keep order at the police, and the Liberals have organized a guard of university students to see that the Liberals are allowed to vote.