May. During the absence of Ismet Pasha at Lausanne, he also acted as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
I heard him several times during my stay in Angora, and his fearless speeches were not only a political event, but always caused something of a sensation outside the capital.
He has never disguised his love for England, nor what he owes to her education. The disillusion after Mudros and at Malta was hard to bear. He had not only to mourn for a shattered idol, but to suffer abuse from his fellow-countrymen for a trust of which he had been so proud.
He is, however, far too intelligent to quarrel with a whole nation for the errors of its Government. "The future depends on England," he said; "we can do nothing to improve relations until peace is signed; but there will be abundant opportunities in the future, and, if England is willing, she can come to us then."
"In six months," I replied, "we shall be as great friends as ever we were."
"That, again, depends entirely upon you."
I asked him whether large concessions had been made to France in return for her political support.
"As the first to understand the Nationalist movement," he replied, "we owe her a great moral debt; which I have myself acknowledged and called on the world to witness. But for concessions, the field is open to all. We shall, naturally, accept the most advantageous offer."
Rauf Bey has strong theories about education; and has determined that it shall be made to develop the new Ideal. He closed a school at Adalia because the children had been taught that Smyrna is Greek and the Eastern villayets are Armenian. "Every Turk should learn that Smyrna has never been Greek; an alien minority, protected by foreign powers, has been the cause of all our troubles."
It is, obviously, of the first importance that Turkish children should be inspired, from the beginning, with
