THE YOUNG TURK LEADERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 77, 27 April 1909, Page 4

THE YOUNG TURK LEADERS

EWER BEY. A SOLDIER TURNED POLITICIAN BY CIRCUMSTANCES. If Ahmed Riza Bey, with his 18 years of patriotic exile in' Paris and London, is tile veteran of the Young Turk movement, Major Enver Bey, the friend of Niazi Bey, may perhaps lie called as tiic most brilliant 'of its younger exponents. The rising of the army in July last was largelv the work of Enver and Niazi, and it is "noteworthy that at the entry of thc Salonika troops into the capital these two officers, with the veteran Ahmed Kiza. received an ovation. After last year's revolution the Monastir correspondent of The Times wrote t Before leaving Salonika I had a long and interesting conversation with Enver Bey, who, speaking in very good French, thoughtfully, slowly, and modestly explained at length the 'present policy and future intentions ol the Committee of Union and Progress, of which he is a prominent member. The following an: his words, taken down at the time and published with his consent:— HOW HIS POLITICAL CALL AROSE. '' "You see me at work in a political bureau, but please understand that 1 am not a revolutionary leader, but a soldier compelled by circumstances to take my share in politics. lam here more by accident than by design. Though 1 hav,. been a humble member of the League of Union and Progress for several years, 1 took no public action till I was denounced by the Palace spies as a conspirator and ordered to report myself at Constantinople. Instead of obeying this order I did as my comrade Niazi did and escaped to the hills. This gave mc a prominence which I was far from seeking. Happily, my brother officers know that my only ambition is to work humbly for my country.

NATIONAL, NOT .MILITARY. ''The revolution is a national, not a military revolution the rising of a whole 'people against a Government which had driven them to despair. Th t . army is not tlie master, but the servant of the situation'; it is the instrument of 'the nation's will. I wish to make this perrectlv clear. The Committee of Union and Progress stands behind the Government and is at present taking the place of Parliament, acting as an advisory board and keeping the members of the Administration informed of all matters of public interest. Though the revolution was directed against the Palace despotism, the League will support the Sultan, the lawful Sovereign,-so long as his Majesty respects the Constitution. * "With regaru to the European Powers, the Committee wishes to inspire confidence bv giving no cause for offence. For the moment, law and order have been restored to Macedonia not by international action, but by the peacemaking inlluencc of the revolution. The question of the withdiWal of the foreign 'Gendarmerie' officers is one for the Powers to consider. It will settle itself, ff order continues in Macedonia, the Powers, in due course, will doubtless recall their officers, who will have no locus standi.

ALL CREEDS IX THE ARMY. "As regards the army, the Committee ot Union and Progress desires full measures of reform. All Ottoman subject.must hear their share of personal nii.litarv service, no matter what their faith or 'creed, dust as the Army of Great Britain in India contains Moslems. Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians, so can Christians serve shoulder to ehonlder with .Moslems in the Ottoman Army. The annv requires reformation. Our system and method of training must he more practical, and scope miist be given for individuality in order to secure solidarity of esprit de corps. Hitherto, initiative has been crushed out ami hardworking ollicers have been denounced to the Palace as conspirators. In future the army will afford legitimate iield of work for all who wish to rise in their chosen profession. YV L , want a national army, not an army representative of Moslem ascendency. I'AX-I.SLAMISM - NOT INCLUDED. •'Pan-Islamism has no place in the programme or. the. Committee. Egypt is outside the sphere of its vision. The Young Turkey party will not interfere ■with the good work of the British Coveniment in Egypt, and will lend no countenance to agitators. All the League has to consider is the regeneration and development of Turkey on constitutional lines, and hi this work we hope to receive the support of King Edward's (ioveriiiiient and the sympathy of the Eng lish nation."

So spoke this young Turkish officer, who, at the age of*27, by his courage and force of character, has won the greatest respect and popularity among his countrymen and is using the inllucncc which he has acquired with the wisdom and prudence of an experienced statesman. XIAZI HEY. STORY OK THK 11IS1XC AT UKSXA. Xiazi Bey was one of the central figures in the July rining, and organised the revolt at Besna. At the beginning of his military career, in the ("iraecoTurkish war, Xiazi distinguished himself in the campaign in Thessaly, and on one occasion captured, single-handed, seventeen Creeks. He was ordered by the Sultan to go to Constantinople with his prisoners, but the son of a Palace lavurite took them from him and, personating him before the Sultan, obtained his Majesty's reward. WTTIXU DOYVX IXSURRECTIOX. After the war the young lieutenant returned to Resna. He had learned by personal experience the character of the Sultan's entourage, but his loyalty to bis Sovereign and his patriotic instincts remained unimpaired. After the Bulgarian iiiMirroctiou of 1003 Xiazi distinguished himself by his great ~nergy in the pursuit of the bands, often remaining many weeks or months together ,i;i the mountains, lie succeeded in killing a large number of insurgents. The bravery, men showed in facing inevitable death made a deep impression cm him, and he could not but realise that they were inspired by some great motive, but as a Turkish patriot he could not sympathise with them.

Ho whs «o»n, however, in the midst of experiences -which proved that violence, plunder, espionage, and oppression were going on unchecked in Macedonia, ami that the judges themselves were bribed. Foreign officers wcr,, placed on Turkish soil, and Xiazi, who had joined the Young Turk organisation, saw that European intervention would ultimately end in the loss of Macedonia to Turkey." Assembling some thirty members of the Resna committee, he counselled action. THE TAKIXti OF THE OATH.

In his own story of What took place at-Resna, Niara says he addressed -hi« colleagues, saying: "We can stand this no longer. W e cannot live to see our country taken ironi us. Shall we go to the mountains and raise the standard of the Constitution?"

"All agreed," said Niazi, "and we took the oath once more on the Koran and revolver. This was on. the Thursday night. Next morning -we waited till the Mohammedans went to the mosque, and then proceeded to the barracks. The soldiers knew nothing of the conspiracy. Early that morning I had sent a detachment to the mountains pretending that a baud hail arrived in the neighborhood, and two hours later 1 sent the remainder of the troops after thera as a reinforcement. The barracks were therefore empty. We broke open the depot and took away all the rifles and ammunition and .Cfwlil). AVe then marched out through the town. \'ou know the rest.''

■AIIMKD 15IZA. The reward of t!it- Young Turk k-suk>r, Ahmed .Riza. fur his long exile was to lie elected last December I'rcidcnt of the new Turkish Chamber of Deputies. The announcement was received with the utmost enthusiasm, and Ahmed Hiza, obviously laboring under considerable lotion, took the chair and. addressed the House. He described how, twenty years ago, he left llru.-a and made his wav to I'ark where he worked on behalf of the Ottoman constitutional liberties, aided by devoted patriotic friends. Their workhad been linally crowned with success, but much remained to be done. ire l>e»{P'd the .Deputies to iorf(ct old quarrels U7id to combine for the general Weifare, remembering that the eyes not only of the nation, but of Europe, were lixeil upon them. Destruction had been lieeosar.Vi now their more dillicult task, was to show themselves capable of :l constructive iiolicy. constitutioinil j„ |( s ~],. jects. and lmirked by moderation and prudence in its development.'- ||,. ,|,.. dared that the Committee of l'niun and Urogn-s would carry out their tu-l< with the culm and dignity which had thus far marked their policv. Nad expressed the hope that his comrades would nut allow lliemstdvci to be inllneiiced bv ncivonal interests in (he performance „f tlicir duty to the nation. Success would be assured only hy an honorable irid di« interested policy. |