Leading Articles in the Reviews. 



71 



FREEMASONRY IX THE AFFAIRS 

 OF TURKEY. 



An anonymous writer in the Cvrrespondant of 

 lune 10 considers the present an opportune moment 

 to reveal something of the part, as yet htlle known^ 

 which Freemasonry played in the Turkish revolution 

 and in the e\ents which ha\-e followed it. 



After explaining briefly the beginnings of Free- 

 masonry, the writer goes on to show that it was not so 

 recently as yesterday that Freemasonry first tried to 

 get a footing in Turkey. So far back as 174S a lodge 

 was established at Constantinople, and the members 

 were about to become the object of severe measurt>5 

 when the British ambassador intervened in person and 

 succeeded in getting the " Brothers " set at liberty. 



ITALIANS AIDING THE TURKISH REVOLUTION. 



During the reign of Abdul Hamid II., P'reemasonry, 

 notwithstanding all the measures taken to check its 

 progress, succeeded in gaining a strong hold in Turkey 

 long btfore the revolution. In recent years it has 

 played many a curious part— behind the scenes. Two 

 of the principal lodges from which the revolution 

 emanated are related to the Grand-Orient in Italy ; 

 another lodge is associated with the Grand-Orient of 

 France ; and at Salonica there is a lodge associated 

 uith the Grand-Orient of Spain. Soon after the revo- 

 lution the \'oung Turks made no secret of the part 

 taken by Freemasonry in the events which culminated 

 in the destruction of tlie .-\bdul Hamid regime. Kefik 

 Hey, one of the most influential members of the first 

 Committee of Union and Progress, told a Parisian 



journalist that his friends on the Committee acknow- 

 ledged the great support they had received from 

 Freemasonry, and in particular from Italian Free- 

 masonry : — 



We met together as Freemasons because a large number 

 amongst us are Freemasons (he saki), but in reality we met to 

 org.inize ourselves. We chose a large number of our comrades 

 from the lodges, because of the care with which they made 

 inquiries about individuals. These lodges had affiliated them- 

 selves with the Grand-Orient of Italy, which had promised, in 

 case of need, to obtain intervention from the Italian Embassy at 

 Constantinople. 



MASONIC SUPPORT IN MASSACRES. 



Masonic lodges have continued to increase every- 

 where, springing up like mushrooms. The Government, 

 in fact, became entirely masonic, and it was necessary 

 to join a lodge to maintain one's position and one's 

 e.xistence. The inassacres of Christians in JIacedonia 

 were in great part due to the masonic and Jewish 

 influence which, dominates the press of Austria- 

 Hungary and other countries. The Young Turks 

 counted entirely on the support of their brother masons 

 in Europe, and the attitude of the European press in 

 the affair of the massacres of Adana encouraged them 

 in that conviction. 



HOW TURKEY WAS DUPED. 



Now the tables have been turned. Reckoning on the 

 support of the European lodges, the Freemasons of 

 Constantinople and Salonica did not take the smallest 

 measures for the defence of Tripoli. The vigorous 

 resistance which has been olTerecl to Italian arms is 

 entirely due to the Arabs. The Committee has done 

 nothing but accept all the prestige and pose more 

 than ever as the irreconcilable defender of the rights 

 of the Ottom.an Empire. It is a strange spectacle to 

 witness the masonic lodges in Turkey, composed of 

 lews, freethinkers, enemies of all religious ideas, calling 

 the faithful to arms for the defence of Islam and the 

 glorv of .\llah. The fact is, the Freemasons of Turkey 

 were duped by their Italian Brothers, tlieir initiators 

 in the " Temple." The Italians had no further use for 

 their friends in Turkey. When the war between Italy 

 and Turkey is concluded the masks will drop oil, and 

 the Ottomans will at last recognise that in Mussulman 

 as in Catholic countries FreemH.sonry sooner or later 

 brings ruin and abasement in its train. 



ClehlultUr.) 



fiuilibruini. 



Austria's iijAuence in the Italk.-ins holds the balance between 

 KuH^i,! -in.i l!;tly. 



THE HEALTY OF LONDON. 



Mr. ]. Foster Eraser, writing in London for Jul\' 

 on ■• Beautiful London," says : — 



I shudder at the thought of London being lown-planned, 

 straightened out, made symmetrical, geometrical. The utility 

 of ihe block plan of slrect-building, which is a characlerislic of 

 many cities on the other side of the Atlaiiiic, I .iilniil. But 

 these ready-made towns, cul-of-a-piecc as it were, lack charac- 

 ter and individuality. What contributes to ihe l>eauly of 

 London is its infmite variety, its noble parks and palaces, Ihe 

 bits of (|uainl old architecture to be found up dim alleys, the 

 heaves, the curves, even the narrowness of its streets. Change 

 is ever going on. it is in evolution. 



