MUSTAPHA KEMAL PASHA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3145, 27 November 1922, Page 2

MUSTAPHA KEMAL PASHA.

(By J. Saxon Millb.) To most of those who are reading about the events in the Near Eiast the Turkish commander 4 is a name and nothing more. And the name itself is rather outlandish to our ears. Turkish children not only get what we should call ai "Christian name" of their own, butt sometimes 1 , as in Russia, add to this tiro personal name of their fathers. This may have happened in the case of Mustapha Kemal. But another explanation is l that the name Kemal was added in order to distinguish the little Mustapha, from his teacher at the military school, who had] the same name. Anyhow, the future "Turkish Genera] was originally named Mustapha. But what about the "Pasha" ? The explanation of that is that every Turkish military officer assumes this title when he reaches the rank of BrigadierGeneral, and he continues to dub himself "Pasha" whatever higher rank he may subsequently attain. Mustapha was born at Salonica, the son of a Turkish official!. All sorts of stories are told about his earlier days; how he went to the High School at Salonica, got into trouble for has obstreperous behavior and was consequently withdrawn from school by nis parents. After a year or two he was entered in the military academy of his native town. His earliest ambition had been to become w seldier. But he was ai born politician as well. At Constantinople, where he continued his military education, he became interested in the "Young Turk" movement, and as a prominent leader in it came into collision with the authorities of the AbdW Hamid 1 regime. He spent some time in prison. After his release he served in the army and took part in the revolution which dethroned "Abdul the Damned" in 1909. We hear of him afterwards on active service in the Italian war in Tripoli and in tho Balkans. He also served as military attache in the Turkish legations at Sofia and Vienna. It is said that he strongly disapproved of the pro-German policy of the Turkish Government, and, if he could have bad his way, would liave thrown his country on to the side of. the Allies. He was always an opponent of Enver Pasha. But once his country had taken sides, he served her with the greatest ability and distinction. He had a, high command in Gallipoli, where he distinguished himself very highly. But he was destined to play a still more conspicuous part in Ottoman history. When the war ended he was given a command in Asia Minor, which led to his establishing a rival Turkish Government at Angora and defying the Powers with which he had been actively at war. Angora, an Anatolian town about 200 miles east-south-east of Constantinople, fainorß for the wool obtained from the Angora goat and for the most celebrated of all classical inscriptions, tho Monumentum Ancyvanum, is an extremely inaccessible place, and here Mustapha organised his National Government and drilled his army until the time came for the decisive stroke which he has just delivered with great determination and, success. Mustapha Kemal Pasha is .sometimes called the ."Brigand." Hut such a term is quite misleading as a personal description. He was not educated abroad as a good many of the "Young Turk" spirits were. But he is far more Western in habits, appearance and culture than the old-fashioned traditional Turk. He speaks foreign languages, and when arrayed in a flannel suit or an ordinary morning costume might easily be mistaken for an Englishman. There is no doubt that he possesses the Tiirlcish military genius in a high degree. Whether he is also a moderate and constrictive statesman, with an adequate sense of the realities of things, remains to he seen. He is still a. young man, not much more than 42.