large/6798/withturkspalestine_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/withtheturksinpalestine_01_aaronsohn_64kb_16
large/6798/withturkspalestine_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/withtheturksinpalestine_01_aaronsohn_64kb
English
6798
Of course, we never dreamed that Turkey would do anything but remain neutral. If we had had any idea of the turn things were ultimately to take, we should have given a different greeting to the _mouchtar_, or sheriff, who came to our village with the list of mobilizable men to be called on for service. OF COURSE WE NEVER DREAMED THAT TURKEY WOULD DO ANYTHING BUT REMAIN NEUTRAL IF WE HAD ANY IDEA OF THE TURN THINGS WERE ULTIMATELY TO TAKE WE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN A DIFFERENT GREETING TO THE MOUCHTAR OR SHERIFF WHO CAME TO OUR VILLAGE WITH THE LIST OF MOBILIZABLE MEN TO BE CALLED ON FOR SERVICE
 understanding of the disturbances that came thick and fast when in August, 1914, the war-madness broke out among the nations of Europe. The repercussion was at once felt even in our remote corner of the earth. Soon after the German invasion of Belgium the Turkish army was mobilized and all citizens of the Empire between nineteen and forty-five years were called to the colors. As the Young Turk Constitution of 1909 provided that all Christians and Jews were equally liable to military service, our young men knew that they, too, would be called upon to make the common sacrifice. For the most part, they were not unwilling to sustain the Turkish Government. While the Constitution imposed on them the burden of militarism, it had brought with it the compensation of freedom of religion and equal rights; and we could not forget that for six hundred years Turkey has held her gates wide open to the Jews who fled from the Spanish Inquisition and similar ministrations of other civilized countries. ERSTANDING OF THE DISTURBANCES THAT CAME THICK AND FAST WHEN IN AUGUST NINETEEN FOURTEEN A WAR MADNESS BROKE OUT AMONG THE NATIONS OF EUROPE THE REPUCUSSIONS WAS AT ONCE FELT EVEN IN OUR REMOTE CORNER OF THE EARTH SOON AFTER THE GERMAN INVASION OF BELGIUM THE TURKISH ARMY WAS MOBILIZED AND ALL CITIZENS OF THE EMPIRE BETWEEN NINETEEN AND FORTY FIVE YEARS WERE CALLED TO THE COLORS AS THE YOUNG TURK CONSTITUTION OF NINETEEN O NINE PROVIDED THAT ALL CHRISTIANS AND JEWS WERE EQUALLY LIABLE TO MILITARY SERVICE OUR YOUNG MEN KNEW THAT THEY TOO WOULD BE CALLED UPON TO MAKE THE COMMON SACRIFICE FOR THE MOST PART THEY WERE NOT UNWILLING TO SUSTAIN THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT WHILE THE CONSTITUTION IMPOSED ON THEM THE BURDEN OF MILITARISM IT HAD BROUGHT WITH IT THE COMPENSATION OF FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND EQUAL RIGHTS AND WE COULD NOT FORGET THAT FOR SIX HUNDRED YEARS TURKEY HAD HELD HER GATES WIDE OPEN TO THE JEWS WHO FLED FROM SPANISH INQUISITION AND SIMILAR MINISTRATIONS OF OTHER CIVILIZED COUNTRIES
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