Underground Revolutionaries Organize

In 1906, however, the Moslem fugitives who had escaped from Turkey and many Armenian exiles formed an organization for pressing reforms upon the Sultan. It had its headquarters in Paris.

Continuing The Turkish Revolution of 1908,
with a selection from Turkey in Revolution by Edwin Pears. This selection is presented in 5 easy 5-minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in The Turkish Revolution of 1908.

Time: 1908
Place: Istanbul

The system of espionage was extended at an early period, but cautiously, into the army. It destroyed its esprit de corps and created a strong current of disaffection among the officers. Even twenty years ago a Turkish officer informed me that, excepting by name, he did not know any of his brother officers in his regiment. There is no common mess among them, and they were sure to be reported if they were seen conversing with one another. Suspicion ruled the conduct of every public official. Everybody was suspect. Spies were set to report upon spies. One lot of censors spied upon another. The local post was abolished because it facilitated conspiracy. Letters in the Turkish post were ostentatiously opened and delivered open. Nobody was trusted. These and many other causes created widespread disaffection throughout the country. Yet there was no sign of a Young Turkey Party until 1906. I maintained, and I believe with truth, that while disaffection was almost universal there was no organization among the disaffected. Arminius Vambéry, who knows inner Turkish life very thoroughly, states that, owing to misgovernment, every Turk at heart has been ready to belong to the Young Turkey Party for many years and the statement is correct. Still years passed and Young Turkey did not organize itself. In 1906, however, the Moslem fugitives who had escaped from Turkey and many Armenian exiles formed an organization for pressing reforms upon the Sultan. It had its headquarters in Paris. Many of its members had been condemned in their absence to imprisonment and to the confiscation of their property. Though the new organization is not more than two years old, the refugees had received a notable addition to their numbers by the flight from Constantinople of Mahmoud Damat, the brother-in-law of the Sultan and of his son Sabah-ed-din, who is now one of the most distinguished leaders of the Revolutionary Committee.

The tyrannical interference of the Government with the comfort and liberty of each individual alienated every section of the community and scattered disaffection like gunpowder over all the Empire. The spark which was to lead to the explosion was thrown by Abdul Hamid himself. To explain how this came about, we must glance at the recent history of what is conveniently called “The Young Turkey Movement.” I have already referred to Turkish subjects, mostly Moslems who, in order to avoid arrest, or from dissatisfaction with the conditions of life in Turkey, fled the country. To do so was treated as treason, for permission to leave was invariably refused. They had recourse to stratagems of various kinds. For example, three of the Sultan ‘ s own household arranged with a British ship coming from Russia to enter the Bosporus just before sunset, show her papers, and then pass through the Bosporus and Dardanelles without stopping. By the time she reached a spot half a dozen miles north of Constantinople a launch shot out from the shore and ran quietly alongside, and within twelve or fifteen hours the fugitives were outside Turkish territory. They were educated Turks, who would not endure life under a régime of harrying espionage.

Misfortune makes strange bedfellows; if anyone had predicted that Turk and Armenian would make common cause against the tyrannies of Abdul Hamid he would not have been believed. Nevertheless, about October of 1907, such a union was effected. It probably dates from a congress held in Paris of two Turkish and two Armenian societies. All agreed to form one society, and this took the name of the “Committee of Union and Progress.” Arabs, Albanians, Bulgarians, Armenians, and others joined the society. They decided upon immediate action, in order to obtain the establishment of a Parliament or dethronement of Abdul Hamid. The operations in Turkey were largely aided by women. The first six months of this year were spent in preparations. As more widespread in Macedonia than elsewhere, the committee at once commenced operations there. Hunting Bulgarian bands and facilitating Greek bands were not to the liking of Turkish officers. The troops under them were mostly unpaid, and so long as the European Powers took keen interest in that country it was impossible to rob the Christian inhabitants. A mutinous spirit was incipient everywhere at the beginning of July. In Seres half the men mutinied and demanded their discharge in the second week of that month. Disaffection was early visible at Monastir, and General Ismail Pasha, who had been sent to report upon it, was exiled on his return in consequence of the complaints of those against whom he had reported. The committee soon made great progress among the troops. Enver Bey, who from the beginning of July was able openly to declare himself an adherent of the Committee of Union and Progress, met with surprising success.

Niazi Bey, in the first fortnight of July, had also openly declared for reforms at Resna, near Monastir. Shukri Pasha, in the same place, had tried to preserve the loyalty of the troops by representing the movement as one favored by Bulgarians and Greeks and against the Faithful. He returned to Constantinople and was banished by the Sultan to Broussa as having been the cause of, or at least having increased, the troubles at Monastir. Niazi soon formed a band of 300 revolted soldiers and Moslem civilians, took to the hills, and then, with the consent of the inhabitants, took over the administration of the country around Resna and Ochrida. On behalf of the Committee of Union and Progress he declared for a Parliament and for the admission of all races and creeds to equality, and swore he would not desist until the existing system of tyranny was put an end to.

Edwin Pears begins here. A. Rustem Bey begins here. Arminius Vambery begins here.

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