large/6798/withturkspalestine_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/withtheturksinpalestine_01_aaronsohn_64kb_15
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English
6798
My own position was a curious one. I had every intention of completing the process of becoming an American citizen, which I had begun by taking out "first papers." In the eyes of the law, however, I was still a Turkish subject, with no claim to American protection. MY OWN POSITION WAS A CURIOUS ONE I HAD EVERY INTENTION OF COMPLETING THE PROCESS OF BECOMING AN AMERICAN CITIZEN WHICH I HAD BEGUN BY TAKING OUT FIRST PAPERS IN THE EYES OF THE LAW HOWEVER I WAS STILL A TURKISH SUBJECT WITH NO CLAIM TO AMERICAN PROTECTION
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. 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. LL 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 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
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