YUNUS NADI'S REPORT

A T A T U R K' S   D E M O C R A T I C   M I N D

By Orhan Tarhan ,VP, ASA

    In the 1930's many Western reporters claimed that Ataturk was
a dictator.   We think, he could have become a dictator very
easily, but chose not to.  We have in the following a text that
proves his democratic mind.


    A well-known Turkish journalist by the name of Yunus Nadi,
who was the editor of Cumhuriyet (Republic), wrote his memoirs
and part of it was recently published by The Cumhuriyet
newspaper.  It is a little booklet Titled "We did not find Turkey
on the street."   "Finding something on the street" is a common
popular expression that means that the thing came to us very
cheaply, very easily.  In it Yunus Nadi reports on his
conversations with Mustafa Kemal Pasha just before the opening of
the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, early in 1920.


    Mr.Nadi: What is our estimate of the time of the convening of
the Parliament?  Then, do we intend to expect every miracle from
the Parliament?   To be frank with you, I do not intend to, nor
am I convinced that we should.  That is why actually that I feel
some pain.


    Ataturk: This pain is for nothing  ...  To the contrary, I am
one of those who expect every miracle from the parliament.  
Mr.Nadi, we reached  a point in time where everything must be
legitimate.  Legitimacy in national affairs is obtained by only
relying on national decisions, and by interpreting the general
inclinations of the people.  Our nation is very great.  Let us
not fear at all.  That nation does not accept slavery and
abasement.  But one must get it together and ask it, "Hey nation!
will you accept slavery and abasement?"  I know the answer that
the nation will give.  I know the greatness of this nation and I
know that, when faced with this question, it will love his
children who pose this question and will kiss them on the
forehead.  I know that these people will accept all the
precautions and arrangements that its children propose, based on
that calculation.  That is why I am now on this path, by
believing that it is a very sound  path.


    Mr. Nadi: But shouldn't we know that the  Palace in Istanbul
is united with our enemies and shouldn't we at least take some
decisions based on this fact?


    Ataturk: We know all of that.  However,  why shouldn't we
expect the people to think like us,  when the realities we know
are also completely known to them?  To the contrary, I am
convinced that the people will make decisions on this matter,
that are much more sound and definite.  In summary, after the
people have seen the entire situation in this struggle of
deliverance clearly and explicitly, they will one after the
other make all the sound, reasonable, and great decisions and, I
think and I am sure that they will surpass you and even me in
these decisions.  I would say that we should continue to mind our
business fully certain of this fact.


    Mr. Nadi: But my dear General, although the theory is quite
beautiful, the necessities emanating from the situation might
force us to hurry up.  For example the thing that disturbs me is
the absence of an army in Ankara.  It is true that, if we would
not have under our hand an army we can rely to, all this
beautiful theory might go out of the window.


    Ataturk: Well, that is exactly where the difference between
us shows up.  I think, the parliament is not a theory, it is the
reality. In fact it is the greatest of the realities.  Nadi Bey,
there will be first the parliament and then the army.  What will
create the army is the nation, and representing it, the
parliament.  Because the army means hundreds of thousands of
people and millions and millions of wealth, this should not be
decided by a few people.  Only a decision and acceptance by the
nation can create this army and once we will have reached this
point, we will have in fact won the capability and the
responsibility of doing away with all the cruelties and
oppressions that are contrary to the life and existence of the
nation.


    Here ends Mr. Nadi's reporting of that day's conversation.


    In fact, a few days later, on April 23, 1920 the Turkish
parliament convened in Ankara and as Ataturk wanted it, first
created the judiciary bases of a national force, and then the
army itself.   With that army the Dumlupinar and Sakarya
victories were won, and finally on August 26, 1922 the great
offensive of the Turkish National Forces started and destroyed or
swept the 200,000 strong invading Greek Army  all the way to the
Aegean Sea.

[Bu yazI ASA dergisinin Guz 1997 sayIsInda yeralmIs olup, yazarInIn izniyle
PETEK'te yeniden yayImlanmaktadIr.]