#34: Hostile supervision (1920-1921)
In December a Turkish lawyer, Saduk Bey Mehami, came and
announced that he had been appointed Comisser of us Americans
in Relief work, and also in education. We accepted the former
in view of all the circumstances, but protested the latter
for the College and Girls' School had been fully authorized
by the Ottoman Government for many years. Our protest was
unavailing. Saduk Bey was notoriously hostile to us. He was
commonly quoted as saying that he would not rest till our
campus was turned into a barley field again. His bitterness
was probably due, at least in part, to the fact that he had
taken possession of a College house, occupied by an Armenian
professor, who had disappeared in the deportation, and he
refused to pay any rent until it was collected under the
authority of the British. The Comisser made things trying for
us beyond all precedent. Yet in January, when I telegraphed
Constantinople recommending the appointment of an American
to reside in Angora, at least as a *liason* representative
for the interchange of information and for better mutual
understanding, I received a message of thanks from the
Great National Assembly at Angora. That was in 1921.
Christmas eve just before, I had received a confidential
message from a visiting American to the effect that I was
the next man marked for deportation. And one day when I was
summoned to the government an associate asked me whether
I had my belt on, meaning to inquire whether I had money
on my person, so indicating his doubt as to whether I would
ever come back. I offered to withdraw as Director of N. E. R.,
but no one criticized my management and no one wanted to
accept my responsibility.
.............................................................
On the evening of February 12, Zeki Effendi Ketani, our
head Turkish teacher, after presiding at a meeting of the
Turkish students' literary society, was assassinated in
the street on his way home and within twenty-four hours
was dead. We had no doubt that his death was caused by
Turks who could not bear to have one of their own number
happy in helping us to conduct an American and Christian
school.
Almost that very day the headquarters of the Army Division
covering our region were brought to Merzifon with General
Jemil Jahid in command. Troops were assembled in
considerable numbers.
.............................................................
For long hours that wintry day, the officers eagerly
sought for arms and ammunition in every nook and corner,
without finding anything, for there was nothing to find.
British officers, when they left with their soldiers,
had offered us a supply of at least a few first-class
weapons and recommended us to accept and hold them for
some possible emergency, but we had refused to receive
them. Our city governor, a colonel in military rank,
who accompanied me to conduct the search of my house,
was friendly and kind. He looked things over rapidly as
Mrs. White escorted us about. Then the Governor and I
sat down to chat, drink coffee and listen to the victrola
together.
NEXT: "Pontus" (1921)
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