TURKEY IS UNEASY OVER GERMAN ARMY

Halil Bey Intimates That Presence of Kaiser's Troops Is Not Needed

NOVEMBER 23, 1915
According to German reports, the advent of the first detachment of the Kaiser's troops in
Constantinople was hailed with extravagant enthusiasm. ON the other hand, significant
warnings to Germany not to expect special privileges from Turkey and apparent
reluctance to have German armies enter Turkish territory for operations against Egypt or
elsewhere were expressed by Halil Bey, forms the triumvirate reputed to be in supreme
control of Ottoman Affairs, in an outspoken interview granted by him to Emil Ludwig,
special correspondent of the Berliner Tabeblatt. It appears on the first page in that
newspaper's issue of Oct. 23, just received here. Halil Bey's statements, says Ludwig,
corroborate what Enver Pasha and Talaat Bey had already told him some months ago.
"I believe in the friendship between Turkey and Germany," Halil Bey is quoted as saying,
"but the Germans must understand that they must not come here as conquerors, but as
collaborators. Germany's policy, we know, has always been friendly to us, and we hope it
will be even more so after the war. Distrust of the great European powers is deeply
implanted in Turkey, and can be rooted out only gradually.
" Is it to be wondered at? For centuries our land has been badly treated and could not
afford to trust Europe, whose great powers sought to cheat it. You will have to excuse
Turkey for its attitude. In order to create complete trust, Germany, which has never
maltreated us, must raise our credit without demanding special privileges, such as all the
others have demanded.
"This is possible on account of geographical and economic conditions, and it is possible
only in the case of Germany. We are primarily an agricultural country, while Germany is
primarily industrial. Even in the case of Austria-Hungary, the situation is otherwise. we
fill our needs by barter. We seem poor, and we need money, but we are rich. Over there in
Asia are our treasures. German capitalists, who will come here after the war, must profile
by investment. But--no special privileges any more. That is all over. Remember what an
extraordinary situation there has been here. In other countries a foreigner comes after a
native in the matter as Armenians, in Turkey, it was the reverse."
"How about an attack on Egypt?" inquired the correspondent.
"We have enough men for it," replied Halil Bey.
To the inquiry whether Egypt was a war goal of Turkish military policy Halil Bey replied:
"We hope to secure something for ourselves of there as to be acquisition of territory. But
the goal of the war assuredly is the strengthening of Turkey at home. And the Germans
ought to help us in that."
The correspondent also touched upon the Armenian question, which he calls the "thin ice
of Turkey, which one avoids as dangerous." Halil Bey said on this subject that the
Armenians had been guilty of treason and conspiracies with the Russian and other anti-
Turkish activities. He declared that the Mohammedan population of Armenia had become
so enraged at the Russophile elements that they had finally resorted to violent acts. The
Turkish Government, he added, despite its own wishes, had been powerless to check
these outbursts because the land was without policemen, who had been turned into
soldiers and transported to the front.