SECRET OF TURKEY’S POWER.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3334, 16 August 1926, Page 2

SECRET OF TURKEY’S POWER.

(By Lady Drummond Hay.)

Mustapha Kemal Pasha, the President of the Turkish Republic, who is known as “The Man on the Hill” to his legion of worshippers in Angora, the nciv Turkish capital, is one of the three most picturesque figures of modern days. The Ghazi, or conqueror, as he is called, sprang from humble stock, like Mussolini, of Italy, and Riza Khan of Persia. The story of his career is more thrilling than fiction, and culminates in his being acclaimed Kemal the Conqueror, Deliverer of Turkey, after having led a. successful revolution against Turkey’s Sultan.

His romantic marriage with Latifa Hanouni, a wealthy young hero-wor-shipper from Smyrna, who flung herself, jewels and money at the pomiilesii onicer, and their subsequent divorce, 1 find to be but one of the piquant romances of his kaleidoscopic career. The Ghazi, after transferring the Turkish Republican Government to isolated Angora in Asia Minor, now directs the efforts of New Turkey to take her place in the world of Western civilisation. He does not visit Constantinople, the traditional capital, but sits, like a patriarch, at the top of a wooded ravine, from whose heights Now Angora, the child of his genius, spreads botore his keen blue eyes. His house on Tchan-kaya Hill is a nine-roomed villa, whose balconies and portals, covered with fresh green foliage, give the modest dwelling of this lias tern potentate the air of an English country house. When 1 was up there one day 1 saw a bevy of exotic femininity laughing and talking on one of the flower-garlanded verandahs. There were four Turkish Hanourns and two iiegresses, all the best of friends. The Ghazi’s personal bodyguard is decidedly one of the sights of Angorafine, tall, sinewy fellows, bronzed by the,hot sun till their strong tacos gleam like burnished copper under the German-shaped steel helmets. They are armed with pistols and bayonets, and it would fare ill with the person who could not give good account of himself. Every time the Ghazi goes to town, these guards, stationed at equal distances of about 200 yards, lino the live miles of white road from the house to Angora, while others, two by two. patrol the guarded route. Mustapha Kemal takes no chances, lie feels he has yet much to accomplish for his country. It comes all vhe more as a surprise on this account, to learn as [ did in Angora, that he cares s', little for his health. Unless it he that, always superior to his lei low-country-men in physique, mentality, and ins,pi ration, ho will not recognise that na tnre exacts her due sooner or Inter. I found him much aged within the last two years, judging by former pho tographs, though his magnetic blue eyes retain all their fascination and appeal. The Turks told me that he exercises the most uncanny powei through his eyes, either oh an indivi dual or a multitude —that he has on! to look to he obeyed, and a glance from him will break down the resolu tion of the most stubborn.

He contrasts strongly with Musso link to whom he resents being compared, and is not prone to commit him self internationally by speech, altboug’ among Ids own people and his chosen friends of the foreign Diplomat! Corps, if all reports are to be believed he casts away all reserve, abandoning himself to a freedom and good fellow ship which the more conservative ole ments do not hesitate to criticise adversely. Tlie opposition, such as it is, would appear to feed very largely on the dis •satisfaction of-a certain section of the Turkish public at the President’s a] leged indiscreet mode of hie, and this opposition for its reaction on the mah portion of the population.

'Such trifles, however, mile into insignifiancc before the JRiazrs energy and the brilliant-results of his herculean efforts. Public censure is to lie deplored as ungrateful to the nublic’s benefactor. Genius ever turns excesses and eccentricities, but in the Ghazi’s case finds a palliating counteraction in the fact that excesses extend also into the realm of work. The President is the hardest-worked man in the Republic. Pair-haired, blue-eyed, the regular blonde type, it would be difficult to distinguish the Ghazi from a Northern European since he has given up wearing the Turkish ‘‘kalpak,” or lanibswool fez. When he decided to adopt European dress and head-gear, and to impose- i 1 on the nation as a whole, the Gliaz : was photographed in every known kind of hat, including the top-hat, blacl bowler, and soft hat. and had th photographs distributed' throughout th land in order to encourage others. He is the Beau Brummel of Turkey, and sets and leads masculine styles. He will never be in danger of bceom ing a dandy in the unfavorable sensof the word, he is too much of a man for that, spending every spare niomcii of his leisure on his model farm about 20 minutes from the capital. The call of the land lures this son of the people from State cares and artificial joys and it is on the land that he show himself at his simplest and best those privileged to see the master mi i. in relaxation.

Those ivbo love him. adore him, an 1 those who hate him fear him as wciJ. A comparatively inactive Opposition A compelled to wait with Oriental patience for the will of Allah.