REFORMERS IN THE HAREM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 242, 6 October 1908, Page 3

REFORMERS IN THE HAREM

' THE WORK OF REVOLUTION. SECRET COURIERS. HOW TURKISH WOMEN HELPED. Monastir, August The marvellous transformation of Turkey into a constitutional State has been greatly helped by Turkish women. They have teen employed by that allpowerful organisation, the Young Turk Party, in work which would often have been difficult, if not impossible, to ac- ' complish with safety by the men. ,'udeed, a' remarkable feature of a remarkable situation i 9 the aspiration to freedom of the Turkish women here. In Salonika or Constantinople, where there is a large foreign element, it is less astonishing; but that it should reach Monastir shows that the move-1 meat is indeed far-reaching. In Salonika a lady of distinction, wife of a Young Turk officer, appeared in !ths streets unveiled aad carrying a banner on the day that the Constitution was proclaimed. Far from meetiag with criticism, she was applauded, and her husband's comrades publicly kissed her bands.

In Monastir they are not quite so far yet, but I have .had the satisfaction of being received in the harem of Kesim Itosha, a rich merchant and Young Turk adherent. He introduced me to his wife, Belkiss Uanum, and to his sisters, Farrak Hanuin and Manaar Hanum. They were not veiled, wore European dress, and had all the charm of the high-bred, cultured woman. They spoke French, and Belkiss Hanum conversed with ease on the political questions of the day.

All had helped in the conspiracy, o-, as they called it, "preliminary work," for the realisation of the present state of things. Many women, they told me, had travelled to and from different centres with important communications. As couriers they were more useful than men, being immune for molestation. _ In order to parry spies in their dwellings, several ladies in Monastir had of late jrears dispensed with servants, performing menial duties themselves. Again, some ladies dressed in black, to put on white for the first time when the Constitution was proclaimed. "There has been no woman spy among us," said Belkiss Banum. When I asked if their own emancipation was part of the movement an energetic "Yok. yok, yokl" (No) came from all three. They would prosecute no claim for the movement, but the freedom of one sex Would necessarily entail that of the other. The Koran doe 3 not prescribe seclusion for women. It arose rather from custom than religion. We spoke of Christianity and all it had done for women, and of the circulation of the Bible.

The Bible is revised in Turkey to inBure loyalty to the Sultan. Thus the word Macedonia does not occur in the Epistles. Instead of "Macedonians" the great Apostle alludes to "dwellers in the Kossovo, Bitol, and Pristhin vilayets!" By the way, nowhere arc geographic names more distracting to foreigners than here. The connection between BHol and Monastir is not. apparent, but to endeavor to reaeh the city by means of the latter name would take one far afield.

These daughters of the Prophet, entertaining a foreigner for the first time, had the most perfect self-possession of any ladies I ever met. Their quiet dignity and slow, graceful gestures were exquisite. 1 ean think of nothing moie fascinating than these women, combining the intellectuality of the West with the charm of Eastern reserve. In appearance their dull white appearance complexion startles at first, but it undoubtedly throws out the clear lustre Of the eye* and hair, which is marvellons.

• doming on here from Uskub many] changes could be noted in the disposition of the populations, who seem already quite familiar with the Constitution and a little disenchanted with What it 'has brought. Deep dissatisfaction is shown by the Albanians.

1 The Albanian has never fused with Uty other branch of humanity, but is loyal to the Sultan. At present, however, it has dawned on the tribal chiefs that they are no longer free to harry the Christians at pleasure, and they are holding councils to consider the situation.