justly wish to maintain exemption from taxes? As Djellal Noury explained it: "The European and the Turk buy goods, say at five francs. The European pays no taxes and can sell for six francs. As the Turk pays a tax, he has to charge seven francs, and, being cut out in price, is naturally left with a large stock in hand. These are conditions which, obviously, cannot be maintained. Capitulations have strangled the commerce of the country and its progress.
"It may happen that one Power takes out a Concession for the railways, but cannot, or will not, fulfil ifs contract. We have to go without railways. We cannot go elsewhere when a Concession has been granted."
I complimented Djellal Noury upon the excellence of his French. "I used to edit a French paper," he replied, as he looked round the ante-room in search of anyone to whom I might especially like to be introduced. For my part, my attention had just been caught by one of the hodjas.
"These people do not think as we do," he said, catching the direction of my glance.
"Then you are anti-Islam?"
"Not at all; I am strongly pro-Islam. The broad-minded dogmas of our religion can meet all modern requirements, moral or spiritual. But the Koran is not properly interpreted by the hodjas. The will of the people is our religion; service is worship!"
I remember a story of Mahomet I heard in Turkey. "The prophet was one day walking with his disciples, and passed a group of workmen on the river's bank who did not stop their task, even to salute him. When his disciples inquired whether these men should not be called to order, he replied: 'Work and service are the greatest homage that the faithful can pay to their prophet.'"
I had already conceived the idea that Nationalism is a religion. One sees the National Pact beside the bedside, as we have our prayer-books. Colonel Tewfik has a copy, bound like a small almanac, in
