Atatürk, Kemal, 1881-1938; Turkey -- Description and travel; Turkey -- Politics and government -- 1918-1960
One afternoon “the Pasha” joined us to pay visits to the houses
surrounding his kiosk. We made a strange party: the Ghazi Pasha and his
aide-de-camp, the Englishwoman, and a big white ram! The magnificent
goats of Anatolia follow one about and welcome caresses such as we
lavish on a pet dog. The Armenians weave handsome shawls from their
silky hair. Angora is also famous for its cats and its rabbits.
[Illustration:
Mustapha Kemal Pasha Walking in the Grounds of Tchan-Kaya.
]
Naturally, the “veiled” tenants stood in too great awe of their Pasha to
say much, so we first walked on to inspect the new family of a favourite
dog, then visited another happy family of geese and chickens and the
horses! Like many Orientals, M. Kemal is over-merciful to his beasts,
who are apt to grow fat and lazy from insufficient exercise.
Mustapha Kemal always says, and means, that everyone has a right to come
and see him. He enjoys talking with peasants, and pays a generous
tribute to their sterling worth. But in Turkey, some mysterious inborn
tact prevents the uncultured from awkward attempts at intrusion upon his
superior, however brotherly the hand of friendship between them. It is,
however, almost impossible to compare the two countries, for, despite
the Moslem’s respect for authority in every shape or form, rank and
family do _not_ count with him as with us, and the feudal habits, of
which no so-called democracy can cure us, must appear strange indeed to
these simple folk.
* * * * *
I have been privileged to hear “the Pasha” explaining the new Turkey he
has created, expressing all his ideas, hopes, fears and anxieties; and
this, at what is perhaps the very summit of his career, when his nation
has just entered upon her existence of freedom and independence.
Yet I hesitate before the attempt to analyse or to describe the
character and political achievement of this man; to convey all the
subtlety and the strength of his mind. The complexities, and the
apparent contradictions, of the Oriental are always baffling to the
West; while, though far superior to vanity, the Pasha knows his own
value and takes himself, as it were, too much for granted, to encourage
or assist others in the dissection of his character. I can but rest on
the tolerance all great men extend to our judgments, if prompted by
sincerity and justice and a love of truth. As it is written in the
proverbs of old Japan: “If your judgments are tempered by the dictates
of truth, the gods will protect you, even though you offer no prayers to
them.”
* * * * *
We are naturally enthusiastic before a New Turkey, built out of nothing.
Surely these people are capable of carrying on? If some ask: “Will this
man lose his head?” we answer: “He has not done so under the strongest
temptation. Why should we fear?... He has not made himself Dictator; he
has refused wealth and honour; he has abolished ‘decorations!’”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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