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5/1/1948 - Ankara by Richard D. Robinson

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RDR Robert College Istanbul Turkey May I Walter S Rogers Institute Current Affairs G2 Fifth Avenue Ne YOrk New York Dear Mr Rogers Last spent three Ankara capitsl This fortunate Kirklareli having Thus Ankara impressions based superficial appearance rather which behind scenes making place That later Our Immediate mission chaps American Embassy order machirry motion toward maing status Turkey little mystifying conscious officials I needs This facetious I quite serious As I mentioned previous letters every foreigner Turkey carry person times domestic Turkish passport This documen complete photograph personal description Turkey If person changes Jobs abodes necessary register police I already difficulty explaining interested Turks Just function staff ember Institate study contemporary affairs rather difficult explain allay their initial suspicion information At means involved explamaien every I attempt interview anyone quite naturally wishes ascertain Just information before iving forth There further problem foreigners travelling private caoacity practically Trkey Euphrates Rier bound without special permission This constitutes portion Turkey close third includes important centers Kars Van Erzuruz Diyarbekir Mar Grfa This arrier would quite impossible first study Kurdlsh Arab minority problems lmportant subject international point It problem concerning status Trkey which I wished embassy Ankara Page E Fortunately I found seemed active interest program Institute Turkey amely Donald R Webse Lawrence Moore attaches U S Embassy agreed between themselves probably expeditious means carryng study which Institute interested would about accredited press correspondent They I recognized status which apparently simple enough matter ebster Moore I could about country investigate heart content questions asked Simply being lbeled correspondent eliminates necessity explanatio chance misunderstandings It clear label something everyone readily understand nebulous label ofresmarch student Furthermore recognized correspondents apparently secure permission without difficulty travel Euphrates This approach seems offer panacea problems Both Webster agreed excellent point departure study contemporary Turkish would first survey twenty village institutes enstitutsu scattered throughout country These institutes represent rural educational experiment which I mentioned passing letter SuC study would offer definite objective nationmlde basic subjects rural education village agriculture patterns thought A definite program clearcut readily understood status essential wandering about Turkey today Even short Kirklareli questioned several times during Joumney police vellng where going going visit where going spend night One become anuoyed persistent questioning mlstake Turks trusting foreigners reson Trkey tender frontiers reason easily underst9d Having accomplished major mission Ankara proceeded It rather resemble futuristic Hollywood archltectral standpoint Some consider rather remamnts Turkish archltectme preserved great buildings Page O which house government Turkey Rather conform respects lines modern western building But admitted present impressive pleasing array althoug fact9ryish At moment sixty llion structure under house Grand National Asembly legisltive organ Turkey There considerable Ankara elsewhere against extravagance particular apparently monumental building still being pushed forward completion The embassies wnich flank broad Ataturk Boulevard cmrful impressive being white marble palace French oviet mansion futuristic white chiaroscuro effect colored Iranian castle noted chiefly graceful pmlnted arches U S Embassy proper smallest least impressive being nothing ordinary house apartment building MOst greatly expanded staff seems offices leased apartments mcattered about throughout Indeed Ankara swarming Americans militry civilian A Karpich mwanky Musslan restaurant which capital moved ordered Ataturk stakes Astanbul bureaucracy eating New York restaurant Trks definite minority I feeling resemtment Turka agains invasion their capitl invasion which forcing evacuate their night spots As matter someone Turks taken eating dinner railro station dining intentionally avoiding garplch American clientele One Turkish Ankara works Government Soll Products Office cemmented rather ruefully I theft nkara Amerlcans Just Germans American official pointed Turks having conquerors extremely proud people little chagrined resentful because forced circumstance United States The pride indicated following excerpt Sth editorial Jumhuriyet The Republic ledlng Itanbul newspaper An Aerlcan friend received letter family effect Tito Stalin coming Turkey You better while other American friends receiving similar letters their friends families wives fiancees It however theft budging evertheless Pae I appropriate Just thing families American friends The presence mericans important their lives because New Ankara everything modern anywhere posseeses considerably Being planned wholly built decade everything clean modern point where hurts including zoning trackless trollies latest crepe toilet paper However minutes Ankara which sprawls chaotically overlooking upstart plain below The anything clean modern The contrast sharp person cannot wonder shade thatched cottage watching bustle modern below where scant twenty there nothing grasses oemmslonal sheep These trips during first Kirklareli Ankara first taste Turkish railroads airlines government owned operated I service eeellent Standard European equipment including confortable Lits sleepers The exceptionally shape rolling stock aircraft standard DC maintain condition appearances including hostesses season allows regular flights scheduled between eighteen Turkish cities The returning Ankara excellent Anatolian terrain From Amkra until Just minutes before coming Gulf Izmit scene below study It seemed th6ugh central Anatolian plateau being gradually eaten process erosion around Great wounds earth there seemed vegetation cancer spreading I evidence reforestation anyplace In barren region villages between As capped mountains glitening white ysian Olympus A Uladagh closed sparse growths trees appeared A minutes later green slope dropping Sea armora All fllght Ankara Istanbul ninety minutes Page while subject erosion reforestation A should append effect Turkey suffering appears chDenic floods serious proportions A inundation February caused overflow Jeyhan Seyhan Rivers entire Adana Tarsus Marsin under water destroyin housands acres fertile farmland Again dring later April Adan under flood waters The absence effective flood control measures brought overnment under serious censureby public press A professor Istanbul Technical University suggested recent discovery Turkey timed deliberately force flood front pages thereby divert public attention I doubt actually since developed discovery Ramandag valid enough In Turkey destined Join Iran Saudl Arabia leading producing country It early definitely Socony Vacuum representative Istanbul tells exploratory drilling indicated existence considerable reserve My comment Turkey development mixed blessing Sincerely yours Richard D obinson Received New York Nay