WHY THE TURKISH ARMY WAS BEATEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15252, 15 March 1913, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHY THE TURKISH ARMY WAS BEATEN.

"It is no fault of mine," is the keynote of an article appearing in February's issua of the Deutsche Bundschau, over the eif- « nature Of Marshal von der Goltz, who or*/ . ganised the Turkish army. Marshal von der Goltz state* that many ■■'.,. years ago ho had carefully prepared a pl»n of manoeuvres representing a Turco-88l- ', garian war. The Turkish army was «% "M manded by Nazim Pasha, and the batfc!*' .4 was to be fought around Adrianople; m J somewhat similar conditions to the recent { war. Several days before the marußttrres. ,'r however, wholesale arrests of commanders '■>'■, of both armies took place in Constants M nople. What had happened was that t& 1 ex-Sultan's spies had reported the coining ; ■. " war" to their master, who feared a con-' v spiracy, and Marshal von der Goltj, whs "? was already in the field, hurried back to Yildiz Kiosk, to convince the Sultan tt*fc § the manoeuvres were quite harnu'ea. -p; to obtain the release of the arrested officers. The release was granted, but t!»«* - was never a question of manoeuvres agita. . The marshal repudiates as irrespoaaK* statements the attacks on him regjHp? the Turkish rout. He left th& Turkwa'tK' • vice seventeen years ago, and was dpSS the post again in 1909, but refused. .':T!i! , articles appear to have been written at ih» 4/ suggestion of the German Army Staff, ai the bitter attacks made on the marsMl have made a bad impression in Germany.■'*.