TURKEY SHOWS SIGNS OF HEALTHY DEMOCRACY

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5289, 30 December 1946, Page 2

TURKEY SHOWS SIGNS OF HEALTHY DEMOCRACY

Writing in the Manchester Guardian, Mr. Phillips Price, M.P., who has just returned from a visit to Turkdy and the Balkans, says there arc healthy signs that the Turkish Republie is imoving steadily toward democracy. Until a year ago, the People's Republican Party, founded by Kemal Ataturk, was the only political party allowed in Turkey. At that stage, however, the Government took the important step of encouraging the growth of a(n Opposition, and although it is difficult to discern any basic differences between the Government Party and the Opposition, it is encouraging to observe that the Opposition is vocaT and supported by a critical Press. The Turks appear to have passed thi-ough a social and economic revolution without seriously threatening the right of the individual citizen and without cuting themselves off from h"e west by a self-imposed iron curtain. They have taken steps to protect the independence of the judicial system, and they prohibit comment upon cases which are s'ub judice. On the whole, the people appear to be behind the Government, and if any trouble should arise between Turkey and her neighbours, there will be no fifth column. "The nerves of the Turks are tough," says Mr. Price. "Moscow attacks upon their GSovernment . run like water off a duck's -back. The Turks are just waiting until Russia gets in a more reasonable frariie of mind about the Straits question, and meanwhile are occupying themselves with their internal problems."