Ismet Saydam Cakmak Sarajoglu
IF it is true that Mus-
tafa Kemal Ataturk the late President of the Turkish Republic- had said that he ruled as a dictator so that no dictator should come after him, then his wishes have certainly been fulfilled; because four personalities who are controlling the Tur- kish programme
of
pro- gress to-day are any- thing but dictators.
The first of these men is, of course, General Ismet Inonu-the present Presi- dent of the Turkish Republic -of whom I have vivid re- collections when our Orien-
ISMET
Saturday,
HONGKONG TELEGRAPH
April 19, 1941.
4
tal delegation was address the only Turk of our time in ed by him in his Lausanne whom blends the best of both hotel in the summer of 1923. East and West. Born in In his quiet tone and court- Smyrna 1884, the son of Sesit ly manner he had that day rose to the Judicial Division in Bey, a prominent jurist who assured his Conference an- the Sultan's Ministry of War, tagonists that if term's Ismet was educated at the Mili satisfying Turkish claims tary High School and the Civil were not forthcoming by Service High School at Sivas; next morning, then his train thence he went to the Halicioglu Artillery School (War College) would take him back that and graduated as Captain in afternoon to Turkey; and 1906 from the Army Staff he, as the head of the dele College.
*
STRONG MEN OF
TURKEY
By
Sirdar Ikbal Ali Shah
ous. He has been known to torship of the School of Econo- labour. 18 hours a day. He be- mica. Thence he rose quickly lieves in getting work done, and to the post of Minister of Edu- he is polite and courteous to- cation in 1922, and was sent on ward his juniors. If he shows a roaming commission in 1927 undue politeness, it is a sign to study the teaching methods of that the work has not been done other countries.
as well as he wished,
His intellectual equipment The one man about whom enabled him to take an econo- United very little is known is the Com- mic mission to the mander-in-Chief of the Turkish States. In 1983 he signed a Army Marshal Fevsi Cakmak, financial engagement in Paris, then for a time he was What can be known about and a soldier who has passed his Minister of the Interior. Since career in a tent? It is enough becoming Foreign Minister in to say that he commanded the 1938 his capabilities have been close friendship of Ataturk, severely tested, notably in Mos- fought shoulder to shoulder with cow in October, 1939; but he is him in all wars and distur- known to be a man of strong bances, and hus not lost a views; especially where the in- single engagement. A hardened dependence of his country is soldier, he does not like town concerned he will yield to no- life, is seldom seen out except body; yet he is a star performer on occasions of national festi- in diplomacy. He will keep on vuls. Only when he wants to negotiating and devising new have something done quickly for approaches not because he is an his men is he known to step expert diplomatic chess player, into a government office.
but because he believes in the reasonableness of mankind. '
With this well-knit combina- tion of youth and experience, A man who may yet go high professional soldiering and de- is Turkey's Foreign Minister vout feelings for peaceful pro-
Sarajoglu. Sukru
Beginning gress of the nation, these four public life as a political economy men are pulling their weight for research student in Belgium and Turkey, confident in the hope at Geneva during the war, he that the spirit of modern Tur- was one of the first who joined key is for the good of all, but. Ataturk. His scholarship soon with its face staunchly set recommended him to the direc- against aggression.
THIS
FREEDOM
These extracts from the diary of a journalist now in the Army have become one of the most popular features in wartime journalism.
okeydoke by us. Hands up all Church of Englanders!"
Seven hands rose.
gation, upon his return Soon after that he saw, ser- might not after all be able vice in southern Arabia, becom- to persuade his Chief, the ing a Major in 1912, when his Ataturk, that further mili- abilities as negotiator and ad- viser were recognised, and he tary measures would not be was appointed military adviser taken against the defeated to the Turkish delegation that Greeks. "But I have hopes," went to Belgrade to arrange he said, "that I may not go kan War. The World War gave peace following the First Bal-
Most hands went up. from Switzerland without him a further chance to prove an honourable treaty, for we himself a good soldier and ad-
"Twenty-one,
twenty-two, twenty-three. Um. All right. do wish to have friendship ministrator, for since 1914 on-
Hands up with the Greeks."
ward, rising from Lieutenant FT was on the day of our ar- Let's do it this way. Colonel to General's rank, he rival here. A long, ginger all those who aren't Church of served with the 3rd, 4th, and Sergeant who, like the man in Englanders." 12th Army Corps, ultimately the O. Henry story, was about The truth was that his reaching the status of Under- six feet high but had no other
Secretary of State for War. dimensions, had us grouped out- "I take it, you're all Roman extraordinary power of
side the hut.
Candles, Don't be frightened, negotiation which is so
His-right-hand clutched-a-Call out your names one by one; because it's quite all right. strongly backed by his
pencil; his left had a firm pur- sincere desire for preserving peace-
had already con- system of the Sultans too close-chase on a little laundry book. that's the way we'll do it.
ly to be enamoured of it; so as trived to mellow down his soon as Mustafa Kemal raised Chief; the indemnity was the standard of revolution, Is- admitted by the Greeks on met was there in 1920 to help his nation to regain its past the one hand, and Ismet com- glory. From that day he was a promised by agreeing that constant friend and adviser of Greece at the moment was his great Chief, Ataturk. The unable to pay for the dam- final Turkish victory over the age done. Triumphantly, Greeks at Inonu gave Ismet the therefore, wise soldier- last part of his name.
Ismet had seen the effute
☆ *.
He was a very young sergeant but had already seen tremend ous doings. down on Dunkirk
"One
two .
three four.
five
six. Beach.
The whisper went around There's one man missing. Who that, every so often, the Medical hasn't been put down for a re- Officer went over him with ligion?". tweezers and got out more and more shrapnel-that he had al ready extracted a jamjar full, which served as a paperweight
Old Silence raised his hand.
"What are you? Try not to make it too fancy, if you get statesman that Ismet is, he building, Ismet's counsel was Ro
In the programme of nation-in his office.
what I mean, because that only makes difficulties we mightn't signed the treaty on July, useful to Kemal that from Oct. But the sergeant, though be able to cone with; and we're 24, 1923, and left for home. 30, 1923, to Nov. 30, 1924, he grave-faced beyond his years, anxious to oblige in the matter acted as Prime Minister of Tur- looked pinkly healthy, His up of religion. Come on, what re- Prominence of mention of key lie was recalled from his per lip bore the merest premoni- ligion?" that occasion is deserved, retirement in 1925 for the Pre- tion of a moustache, a pinch of because it was Lausanne mier's post, which he filled with amber-coloured down. that laid the foundations of distinction till 1937. It was a
villa.
★
He was looking very serious.
* *
"I am not hero," he said, "to give you a religious sermon."
"None," said Old Silence, "I can't put that down," said the Sergeant.
"Why not?" "Religion-Nane? How can I put that? You must have something." The Sergeant's voice was almost plending.
"For the moment I fought 'c "I respect all religions, but adhere "whispered the Lad from to none in particular," said Old the Elephant and Castle-whom Silence.
was,
the Sergeant froze into silence "You don't. believe in a Being?"
with a look,
"I am here to take down your
said the Sergeant.
"I never said I disbelieved in God," sald Old Silence.
religions. Because in this man's glo you've got to have a reil- army you can have any religion "Why?" you like.
The Sergeant scratched his head, "What I want to know is, what do I put you down as?"
"Agnostic," said Old Silence.
tribute which his countrymen those future treaties and paid to his services when, on the agreements which Turkey passing of Ataturk, 348 De- contracted with other puties unanimously elected Is- powers, and thus secured met Inonu the President of their
Republic on Nov. 11, 1938. peace a peace without which the urgent work of During Ismet's life two feel- the New Turkey's regeneraż
ings have held him passionate tion could not have been one, the service of his coun
try and the other a deep attach- carried on. It was the ment for his home and family. Treaty of Lausanne, which When the day's task is done, he helped Turkey to reoccupy is seen surrounded by his two Istanbul, make Ankara her sons and daughter in his snug capital, proclaim the re-
"Do you hear, you over there? public on
Any religion you like. I do not Oct. 29, 1923, abolish the Caliphate, sign The man who has followed mean that if you suddenly take the Turko-Russian Treaty Ismet as Prime Minister, Dra fancy to be a ruddy Dancing Dervish wo can do anything
Sergeant, "It Rok Saydam, is three years in 1925, agree with the older than the President, and is about it.
seems all very irregular to me, but If you haven't got freedom of con- French about the boundary, Ismet's lifelong friend. Al-
"I do not mean that if you selence in this man's army-blimey, adjust her affairs with the though he received his medical become Mohammedans we take where have you got 117 Agnestle it
la, then. British and the Iraquian education in Germany, ho is not upon ourselves to send you There lan't a 'K' on the end, is governments regarding problems have always attracted whenever it is you say your
lover of Nazism. Publle health to a Mosque every Sunday, or there? I thought not.
Go to whatever church you Ilke, Mosul in 1926, sign the Mon- this bachelor statesman of Tur-prayers, if and when you are a I say, as long as you're sincere: even treux Convention of 1936; key, and his services in that Mohammedan. and arrange for a diplomacy direction were so luminous that of peace.
Ataturk always placed great store by him. Thus Dr Saydam Ismet Inonu's whole mental continued as Minister of Health outlook is remarkable because, from 1921 to 1937. with many others, the present He is a great reader, and his writer regarda him as perhaps capacity for work is tremind
*
- "Well," sald the
Bay
an agnostic. Then you don't attend Church Parade of a Sunday." "What I mean to say is, if you Lad from the Elephant.
Hey Wait a minute!" cried the have a religion, then we respect "If you're going to
that you've it. Do you got mo?
suddenly decided to be an ngnostic, "So. If you're a Roman too, you can save it," said the Ser- jonni.“Twenty-three C. of Es, six Catholic, right you are; wo x R.C., one Ag. Very nice, too. Fall you up. If you're C. of E., out."
"This is
all
wrong!
But- H.B.'s all
right!”
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