BRITISH AND TURK.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18428, 8 July 1925, Page 11

BRITISH AND TURK.

CORDIAL RELATIONSHIP. A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT, j (SriCIAL TO "THE TSXS3. "j j (By T. J.'Pemberton.) LONDON', June -. One of the extraordinary features of the unveiling ceremony on the heights of Chunuk Bair was the presence of the Turkish Governors and otjier prominent official?. Further, the organisation of i!ic transport carried out by the Turkish iehabitants was probably the greatest concerted action they had undertaken since they arrived back on Oallipoli. One has to remember that these were the men against whom the British were fighting only ten years ago. Many of the relatives of these Turkish drivers had fallen victims to ihr bullets and bombs of British. Xew Zealand, and Australian soldiers, and yet iu the great trek across Kelia Flat and up to the heights to Chunuk Bair, British and Turk? fraternised, and together thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of Hie situation, the mild adventures along Ihe road, and the unusual spectacle of a three-mile caravan of mvtlcy vehicles. The fact, (hat all this wa's possible is due to .the influence of the Imperial War Graves Commission. For four or live years the Imperial | Wur Graves. Commission has worked on the Peninsula, first as the controllers of the territory, but, after the Peace Treaty as guests among the Turk* and under their protection and laws. Those laws, to an Auglo-fsason, are mysterious things. They are for the most part made to be broken, but there is a very special way of breaking them, and only the privileged may do so. The methods of Ihe Turks are in most cases cn-

tirely different, from European. Their officials arc sensitive, and yet amenable to respect and kindness, 'it is a difficult laud to live in. 'Yet ever since the Turks came.into power again the members of the Imperial War-Graves Commission have steeTed a. careful course. They Lave never offended their Turkish' hosts, and their prestige is- high. The uneducated Turk has no interest in the English strangers. Ho has no sympathy for our way of commemorating qut dead. When the Turk is dead his body is just dust, and is thus

treated. The inhabitants of Gallipoli find it extremely difficult, no doubt, to understand why the unbelievers should build monuments and-make permanent gardens ovrr the, bones of those who fell in the war, and yet in'some remarkable way they have been taught that the unbelievers' methods shoujd not be challenged, and the unbelievers themselves should be tolerated an'd even helped in their strange schemes. It may bo that the Turks have a deep-rcotcd conviction that the British people arc their best friends. In spite of tho widp difference of outViok there is something which engenders a bond of sympathy. What it is it.is.difficult.to say. An Eastern Barometer. It was of no importance to the Turks of Gallipoli and of tho Asiatic side that 400 British visitors should be transported more or less comfortably from Kelia Bay to Chunuk Bair. Tito peasant Turks'aro indifferent to -the small money gain. But such is the influence of the Imperial War Graves Commission that through the Turkish I higher officials the edict was'sent forth and the one hundred ami .twenty-five, carts concentrated on Kelia at tho appointed hour. Further, it was more remarkable than it would on the surface appear that Turkish officials should stand in' the shadow of tbo great memorial at Chunuk Bair while a Christian dedication service was being pronounced, and on the outskirts of the English crowd' were, several hundred Turks mildly interested in the unbelievers' strange ceremony. By their actions, by their consideration for the customs and prejudices of their'hosts, the members of the Commission have been able to convince the Turks that"-our r stately monuments have'ho other object than honour for our dead; that, we have-no desire to flourish the emblems of our religion before their.'eyes; that in thus commemorating -pur. dead we do not intrude a single note of. military triumph. • It' is a wonderful .achievement. Perhaps these ' cemeteries and these memorials will, remain as -the" barometer of our relations with Islam. If they : remain undisturbed we shall 'know that nothing is seriously wrong m the tost

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. IMPRESSIONS OF GALLIPOLI. •(«0* -OT7I OTTk' COIMSPOSBMI.) . LONDON. June 2. • Sir-James Allen Jas returned from his Mediterranean, cruise, '" ,- uuToiling ceremony. Russell, vhb.alsotookpart m the cere but' General Sir Com _ and Lady missioner completed, tne p* « Orient liner. ,' of ' the , arrival of fiie On the night before tne fe liner at s _ tho opportunity ot sengers, number c hunuk attendance at the «srow intcr _ Bair, and for their nceTned , thc est in what so ul £\X Commissioner Dominion. 1™ the general imhas g--vxne a J er his da y pressions lelt on uia.u» , on the Gallipoli l?f pleas"l.was naturallyJ er > Comin i SS ioner, ed,"- .said the *"=;% ok the trouble •'that so many to cross the More a deep interest in oU f. had themthan a score of tn °,-, llnn |; and mimselvcs served on.OjJ . who had faers of others had retotnes gone through tho campai| of again had "omo to visit relatives and friends »BP tho cir . in the cemeteries tn f, that cumstances it waS ' no British people this large party ot• *» fu lly and should have participated !*> sympathetically. /•„ cleave a good "It was my intention" and t a m impression on the Quito convinced that wc-u* d tn c At the ent€rtainmcnt on the re Ormonde after tho % r fS'officia s were about twenty Chanak present, including tne vans the and of Gallipoli, the hcac^.police, various villages, heads or " ocsnd- others. It was qi» to *- loy themcasion. They seemed *» n £\£ left a selves, and I am. quite sure good impression. , .. great api li l also camo away wtJJJLf of 'the i prcciation of the capabi"" Grave 3 members of the Imps* ™ _" d to their I Commission, not only in ret, rC iaF work, but also in regard to geoni ! lion ship with the Turks.. t j, e past to have Rone through dur^"" a Eeric-us few years and never l uia °Ve T«*smistake in their attitude to £ {<) . baV e Colonel C. 15. Hughes <J» a remarkable influence, ?°\ a3 wellGallipoli, but at CbnstantinoP' t fo r i "Sir John Burnet, as .produced the cemeteries, lias certainly r ]!t(C . iust the thing that suits h fine r .Lone Pine Memorial is veryj^____- _ (Continued at foot of a«*- w

than 1 expected. ft. , . , , out are very jjwgis throughpeaceful. Naturajjy i delicat€ > and e J with our Offa-jJjJ ?™ very pleas'•Finally, after^, m °/ lalof Achi Baba, aad * ,n & on the to P ,c,w from an ac r0 nk lllemb€rin S what l I am impressed^* 1 !® two years ago, position of th© Xul-i im Pregna.ble tho campaign. Tati • a ™iy during oW n lines of commit 5 "account our T inccd that the'w^*' 011 ' I am conpa ign was an .j&^V o ** of the camion." proposi-