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2/29/1948 - Turkish Economics; RDR’s Home by Richard D. Robinson

RDR Robert Coliege NOT FOR PU LI ATION Istanbul Turkey February Ir aiter S Rogers Institute Current Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr ogers I continue briefly ciscussion Turkish economic which I launched first letter I subject peculiar importance Istanbul because backdrop front which moves By enlightenment I readin dusty stack reports submitted P obert College economics students times I quote seems typify official Turkish attitude today subjects agriculture industry power politics The present Turkish Government opinion Turkey become prosperous develops native resources builds commerce industry The Government strongly refused listen Turkey mainly agricultural country should concentrate The present situation world proved claimed merely agriculture enough sustain country because modern power derives strength wealth ariculture alone The present tendency Turkey exploit develop resources create industry beinG needs normal abnormal times In other words verified local economist Turkish Government country sufficient whatever might The alternative course would production possibly three times being become large exporter foodstuffs hungry Europe Asia This would obviously create foreign credits purchase manufactured items quantities excess those which could produce locally This reason considerable uneconomic factors inherent establishment certain large industries Turkey There indication Turkish Government beginning realize fallaciousness their economic planning turning agricultural development An improved system construction ports primary objectives U S Turkey would admirable direction opening agricultural areas which hitherto virtually unaccessible R However remains Just these roads harbor constructed militar3 purposes farmer I report subject several months hence In event thatisthepictur Ieitfromher To finish economic synopsis I forth details called income It little significance determining economic Imajo local Turh lawyer The basic enacted February minor variations since I The gross income include either capital gains losses The paying public divided major classes employees employers Farmers included under ployees follows Profit Tax Under I00 TLgross monthly income Over i00TL CrisisTax 0to30TL 151to350TL 351to600TL above Aviation Tax For incomes monthly Equilibrium For incomes gross monthly Tax amount profit For instance TL gross monthly income considered ordinary worker TL would follving taxes For Lira Income For Lira Income Profit Tax Crisis Tax Aviation Tax Equilibrium Tax TOTAL TAX NET INCOME AFTER TAXES OF TAX OF GROSS INCO Even though second income example three times amount first percentage taxes practically Furthermore should noted these taxes month month basis consideration whatsoever annual income Nor there consideration family losses incurred Obviously heaviest impact lower income brackets which incidentally largest families found thereby decreasing effective purchasing power consuming public depressing economy general Taxes employers quite different First employers divided classes those required books those required The second group includes individuals business themselves having rental their place business under TL engaged import export trade For these bookkeeping employers equals rental their place business rental their place residence regardless income For those employers required maintain accounts others profit statement submitted being based profit period graduated Brokers middlemen professional people agents another required books maintain large business establishment placed advantageous position proportion their income might might This further effect tending limit private industry business extremely TL always indicates Turkish Lira pound I00 kurus piastres Rather graduate moderate sized small establishments business generally profitable concerned business person limited stall rental which rudder The scene Istanbul endless stalls tively large private shops industries Government owned concerns little taxes though might legal monopoly actually competing private enterprise This seemingly unfair competi further discouragement private enterprise Since Government concerns operating practically major fields industry retail outlets extremely difficult private firms major industry remain business But enough economics I Turkey I I barely mentioned personal activities society which Beth I currently circulating formal weekly schedule includes thirteen hours private Turkish lessons local Berlitz School Turkish eminar conducted Dr Kingsley Birge three hours instructing junior class Robert College economic theory hours teaching English Turkishry captain commencing least afternoon inspecting Iatanbul factories Robert ColleGe engineering classes In addition usual reading research composing Institute letters I myself midst lively informative social whirl which whirling rather dizzy speed since Turkey October Participating members include among others Turkish girls workin Istanbul TCA Girls Service Center close Grace Turkish friend living village Armenian Turkish government monopoly Tekel official Turkish lawyer Chinese Consul Chinese Turkestan whose mother tongue Turkish closely modern Turkish younger U S Consulate Socony Vacuum people assorted missionaries guise Dr Shepherd American doctor Istanbul director Ameri hospital members Robert ColleGe faculty widely traveled these parts Ed Greenwald AP correspondent Dr Kingsley Birge outstanding Turkish scholar missionary background Hunt Damon Turkish USIS director Phoebe Clary Director Girls Service Center Turkish resident standing several English business families Turk Enlish exiled Queen fghanistan Beth promptly asked going entourage Turkish woman lawyer young Turkish doctor miscellaneous assorted students obert College various racial backgrounds It obvious I circulating among economic class So language remains barrier difficult otherwise However summer I start breaking start talking people villages which constitute least thirds population Although I mentioned briefly first letter where Beth I living remarks would doubt interest second floor rooms unpainted frame house overlooking Bosporus Across Dr Birge tells population lives towns I0 persons figure should larger because population statistics major cities Istanbul Izmir surrounding country essentially rural nature See Appendix A population figures moored small Asiatic straits Since arrival palatial looking presidential yacht stirred moorings I believe purchased defunct American All ships Black Sea millionaire another right We contingent Turkish Soviet grain ships bounded England heavily laden ussian tankers returning Soviet shipload rlenians route Syria homes Soviet Armenia courtesy USSR Occasionally Armenians lustily through Bosporus I particular group quiet staring strange shores Our house situated Greek section called Boyajikay Greeks village known officially Mirgun It about miles north Istanbul proper still Istanbul Vilayet metropolitan district province included population figures Of The Greek section village estimated Turks These groups sharply divided geographically great extent socially I there considerable antagonism collectively between racial groups becoming A village barber Greek afternoon would there still considerable improvement Suffice barber bitter references Turks In event waning antagonism between groups sharp upward surge Varlik wealth I42 which levied primarily against minority racial groups apparent confiscating their wealth The taxes heavy cases families forced everything owned order Not infrequently unpaid balance remained family forced serve labor Anatolia It subject frequent debate whether actually intent national government confiscate wealth minority racial groups whether simply matter honest administration locally which there appeal The evidence I heard would indicate ntent Government However I revise conclusions further study In event I heard single Turk having wealth confiscated forced labor payment I heard Greeks Armenians But whatever reason effect villae create greater antagonism between Greek Turk After talking Greeks village opinion particular group little effort assimilate themselves Turlish society On occasion members group declared presence never could Turks though raised Turkey never country One Greek villager quite friendly constantly remids refer Turk Turk Greek The Turk still racial connotation these people rather national It interesting particular I speak Turkey raised right village likewise father grandfather before In village Greeks mintain separate school which moist Greek children Certain courses history geography required taught Turk other courses taught Greek The school maintained entirely local contributions effort going small Some villagers though lived Turkey their lives barely under stand Turkish In truth Turkish better villagers RDR However largely through initiative Turkish Government situation gradually easing Christians become officers Army soldiers minority groups uniform Turks given similar duties Incidentally interestin reports regardless liberal Goverrment attitude Anatolian peasant soldier Christian officer Therefore impossible troops Bather administrative posts This heresay I reason believe Minority groups government All recent Not there change matter administration That something quickly difference between actual administration Far instance I authority still difficult Greeks Armenians Jews secure permission Anatolia And there prohibiting living anywhere please All there reason believe policy Turkizh Government racial differences I concrete exmmp myself Last I Turkish produced motion icture The Medal Victory which Turkish Liberty after World War I The scenes obviously battle against Greek forces Hob there reference other during entire picture except simply enemy interpreter omission natural obviously intentional Our house wired electricity But villae there kitchen furnishin running water rarity village charcoal pressure cooker caused little ourselves stove Part marketing front passing peddlers village shops However groceries bazaars Old Istanbul Strangely enough prices quite lower there Incidentally illeal bargain bazaars Obviously another books If enforced entire Istanbul would servin short order Back village soldiers during their spare doing chores villagers Army privates kurus about cents Their winter uriform light colored heavy burlap material entirely ithout generally quite ragged dirty Their happy There PX USO shows clubs expense leaves Enlisted personal servants homes officers Officers drawn college graduates apparently there working ranks The I largely horse drawn nerican military vehicles gradually appearing Last I watched cross Bosporus landing operation managed clumsy ferry craft II I I would participate under II Turkish citizen liable three years service uponfinishing school If chooses college graduates serves The Istanbul Used three different It applies Istanbul Vilayet similar merican county This takes greater metropolitan sides Bosporus Golden Horn Or Istanbul refer proper An finally there Old Istanbul which section lying peninsula between Golden Sea lrmora RDR months months enlisted months officer cadet months officer active A newly graduated medical doctor serves Apparently registered reserve completion their service I Turkish light cruiser destroyers through Straits single They latest On plane cominG States month group U S Navy officers coming Turke primarily trinin school Numerous Turkish officers tates training An aircraft officer plane going States January The artillery captain I giving English lessons hopes suaer There numerous military zones unfortunate motorist hiker blunders caught In practically entire Black Sea coastal military I Our villae doctor Sunday The following asked Vickey French landlady radio radios village quiet respect Beth asked Vickey convey condolences doctor family It developed Vickey going funeral right enough speakin terms either deceased family quite Therefore could transmit message It seems doctor besides merely doctor major landowner village generosity kindliness At speaking I should introduction erstwhil doctor When first arrived lodgings October Beth thought might attack acute appendicitis The first thing which nearest doctor disgust Vickey diately prescribed cologne heart stomach Just thing appendicitis In event codger It developed shortly person hypodermic kinds drugs contained dirty rusted Without asking Beth trouble inquired which would prefer I I bounced short order feelings Incidentally Beth recovered hours later In event doctor absent perch stove village apothecary Thus I write fingers crossed overly troubled vermin I largely weather although I communicated intelligence Beth In Anatolia supposed literally crawling bedbugs fleas One Turkish tutors recounts story battle Ankara invading bedbugs Finally after losing several rounds solution clearing thoroughly pesky creatures standing center immersed soline Every thing quiet three hours until parade ceiling commenced friend rudely awakened buggy landing operations pillow His defense construction quito nettiug protection against aerial bombardment However enemy penetrated defense Finally abandoning rules warfare threw sulphur forced himself evacuate scene battle However temporary victory could stand sooner enemy could reentered victoriously followin though somewhat nauseated His landlady meantime these preparations quite unnecessary after RDR nights attack would another strangero I tened appropriate mental notes overly amused I shadow things during pending Anatolian months DDT supposed peculiarly ineffective against Anatolian bedbug I strayed rather afield But having digressed I might complete ression account weather truly unusual Up early Februery literally winter It should almost exactly parallel latitude York City Furthermore there nothing between Russian steppes other Black Sea In event until about three weeks sunnyo The fruit blossoms January February And weeks northerly winds A sunny weather followed their heels everyone thought Spring But winter began earnest The winds shifted suddenly north brought below freezing weather heavy As I letter lurry almost obscures Anatolian hills across Straits which taking appearance frosted cakes Sincerely yours Richard D Robinson RDR APPENDIX A P0PLA T10N STATISTICS OF TURKEY BY VARIOUS CATEGORIES Taken Turkiye Yilligi Turkish Annual pages unless otherwise noted Total Villages Cities Year Population I Increase Density population persons VILLAGE POPULATION Population Class Under I00 I01 Totals Number Villages Total Population Each Class The village class found Assuming midpoint particular population class estimate upper limit It probably assume upper limit village these statistics RDR Z RACIAL C01ONENTS Explanation The mother tongue criterion except Greeks Jews which figures Orthodox Jewish religious groups Race Number Arabs Armenians Circassians Georgians Greeks Jews Kurds Lazes Tartars Turks Others TOTAL RACIAL DISTRIBUTION L3 Turkish speaking people population provinces except following Province Turkish Kurdish Arab Laz Agri Coruh Diyarbakir Elaziz Erzincan I Malatya Mus Siirt Urfa Van Figures these tables taken unpublished manuscript Dro Kingsley Birge An Introduction Turkish Area Studies