TEN YEARS OF KEMALISM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1932, Page 8

TEN YEARS OF KEMALISM.

THE CHANGES IN TURKEY. Ten years ago Gazi Mustapha Kemal as Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish army inflicted a crushing defeat on the Greek forces in Anatolia. The Allied Powers were confounded, and while they were haggling amongst themselves and later negotiating a new peace with the victorious Turks, first at Mudania and then at Lausanne, the Coniman-der-in-Chief had turned statesman and embarked on the reforms which have completely changed Turkey socially and politically (wrote a correspondent v of the London Times recently). On November 1, 1922, temporal power was transferred from the dynasty of Osman to the Grand National Assembly, and the seat of Government was 1 definitely transferred to Angora. Thus after five centuries of Imperial Ottoman sovereignty directed from Constantinople Turkey reverted to a purely Turkish State with its centre in Anatolia, such as existed under the Seldjuk and first Osmanli Sultans. Almost a year later, on October 29, 1923, the Turkish Republic was' proclaimed with Mustapha Kemal its first President. AYithin a few months the title of Khalif, all that had been left to the former dynasty, was abolished, and all the members of the family of Osman were expelled from Turkey. Having thus rid itself of the retrograde element in' the State, tlie new Republic turned its attention seriously to the modernisation of Turkey. Religion was disestablished, religious tribunals (sheri) were abolished, and convents (tekes) and religious schools (medresses) were closed. An entirely new system of education wherein religion had no place was- introduced, judicial codes which were a mixture of those in use in Switzerland, Germany, and Italy were adopted, and many of the public services and a great part of the trade of the country were monopolised. In a word the whole machinery of the State was completely refashioned in a spirit of perfervid nationalism. FRUITS OF AHCTORY. The sudden change occasioned much confusion and not a little hardship to the trading communities of the country, which until then had been almost entirely composed, of Armenians, Ottoman Greeks, and foreigners. The Kemalist soon found that, contrary to his expectations, the business of commerce was something more than the supplanting of tlie Armenian or Greek at his office desk. But lie was not deterred; having won back his country lie was determined to enjoy the fruits of victory, and if the Greek and Armenian had flourished by trading, why not the Turk?

Although flushed with victory and fascinated by this new game ot commerce tlie Ivemalists' did not forget that they owed everything to their prowess in war and that their future security depended chiefly upon the army and its mobility. They continued, therefore, to pay close attention to its training and embarked on the construction of railways, which would not only open up the country but could also in time of need be used for strategic purposes. Some of tho new railways have since been completed—namely, Angora-Sivas, Samsoun-Sivas, and Kutahia-Balikossir. AVhen the Kaisoriyeh-Ulukislila line is completed Samsoun, on the Black Sea, will bo linked with Mersinn, on the Mediterranean. The navy was strengthened by the recommissioning of the Yavuz (ex-Goeben) and tho addition of new destroyers and submarines built in Italian shipyards. Nor was the need for an efficient air force overlooked. Aeroplanes were bought, foreign instructors employed, and to-day tlie Turkish air arm, though small, is well-equipped and liiglilv trained. " FOREIGN RELATIONS.

In her foreign policy the new Turkey retained close friendship with the U.S.S.R., from whom she had received great help in the war against the Greeks in Anatolia, but for a long time an atmosphere of suspicion marred her dealings with the AYestern Powers. Only gradually did the suspicion give way to warmer feelingb. Italy was the first Power to get on friendly terms. Great Britain followed, and soon afterwards Turkey set out to co-operate with her old enemies, the Balkan States. She is now on the friendliest terms with Greece and is the warmest supporter of a Balkan Federation. To-day she is on the point of settling her differences with France. If further proof of her peaceful intentions is needed, her recent efitry into the League of Nations supplies it. >

It is in the country’s social life that the most striking changes have occurred under the Kemalist regime. Turkish women have become completely emancipated—matrimonial laws have been framed on modern lines and polygamy abolished. The wearing of the fez and veil, the old national headdress, is forbidden by law. Latin characters have taken the place of Arabic in Turkish script; every village has its school, and whereas in the days of the Sultans 95 per cent, of the population were illiterate, to-day every Turk is compelled to learn to read and write. These are some of the social reforms. Truly they alone constitute an amazing record for 10 years in a country known for conservatism bordering on fanaticism. The mainspring of all the reforms, political and social, has been Ga.zi Mustapha Kemal, and the observer inevitably asks himself whether they will outlive this soldier-statesman or die with him. Three years ago he was far from well and the foreign Press published alarming news about his state of health. , _ In Ismet and Fevzi Pashas the Uazi has two loyal and able supporters. The former commanded the troops on the Western front in the war in Anatolia, and as Foreign Minister in the first Nationalist Government he represented Turkey with no small success at the Lausanne' Conference. For the last seven years he lias been Prime Minister and during that time he has completely identified himself with the aims and work of the Gazi. Fevzi Pasha is the best type of so'dier, and to him is due the present efficiencv of the Turkish Army, which worships him. If these two meir outlive him they should be able to guarantee the continuity of the Gazi’s policy. But more than any particular statesman or soldier it is the youth of the country which will assume a future for Turkey in keeping with the Gazi’s ideals. Every year thousands of boys and. girls are going out into the world from schools and colleges which have instilled in them Kemaiist ideas. They will be the men and women of to-mor-row, hardly remembering the veil and the fez arid all that they symbolised, and unable to write the Arabic characters. That they will allow their country to revert to its former state of sickness is upthinlcable.