AN INTERNED TURK IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3182, 5 September 1917, Page 5

AN INTERNED TURK IN BRITAIN

HIS BUSINESS SUPPLYING: AIIMT MESSES WITH CIGABETTES.Kesbid Sadi' Bey, Xoung Turk, politician, ex-Turkish Embassy otkcial, and London cigarette merchant, is interned at Wakeiiold Canip,, Yorkshire.' Meanwhile (says tile "Daily Mail") the cigarotte business which he owns in London continues to supply naval and military messes with his very exceliont brand oi Turkish cigarettes. Sadi .Bey, as he is known for short to a wido circle of acquaintances in London, has had a curiously mixed business and political career in England. He caino to England us a boy of i'ourteeu, was educated there, ,re- . turned to Turkey, came back in 1901, and has since lived in England while keeping up a close correspondence with Turkey. Among his influential friends in Turkey aro Talaat, the Grand Vizier, and Envcr, Minster for War. In England his very profitable cigarette businces, which enabled him to live at the Carlton Hotel, and his capacity of intrigue, brought Sadi Bey many friends, among thorn not a few financiers and politicians. When war was declared by England against Turkey they persuaded a soft-hearted Home Secretary that Sadi Bey was a simp'le-minded cigarette merchant, whoso cigarettes were described by the Navy as "simply topping/' iind that he was therefore a most "essential" national asset. In his guise as a cigarette merchant Sadi Bey, who left the Carlton when the German waiters disappeared and rented a comfortable flat in Egyptian House, Piccadilly, enjoyed life in London as a gay Turkish bachelor until September, 1915, w.hen ho was taken away from Piccadilly and thrust iiitp confinement at'Wakefield. ~ For nearly two years Sadi Bey has been waiting for his ''influential friends" to release him. Not very long ago he had great hopes of an exchange, but the Home Office, to'whom his friends made representations; looked up his dossier and informed the Foreign Office that it could not be done. Investigations* into the cigarette company were made, without haste, in February, 191 G. In August a firm of accountants was appointed supervisors. They reported in dne course that the business was owned by an enemy. Nothing has happened since. No order has been made to wind up and sell, the business, and, as things stand, it appears that, if Jteshid Sadi.Bey has patience, he may return after the war and take over a greatly enhanced business and a fine accumulation of profits.