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5/16/1948 - Party Influences: Absence of Communist Influence by Richard D. Robinson

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT ORLD AFFAIRS NOT FOR PUSLIOATION RDR Robert CollegeIstanbul TrkeyMy Mr Walter S ROgers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers Today I happened nslly Democratic Party opposition dominant People Party I would estimate perhaps party stalwarts athered Tsxim large central plaza Pera district downtown Istanbul listen political verbiage blaring forth speakers Colorful signs banners waving breeze declared party objections present overnment major issues being demand elections objection evernment bureaucracy unfair government competition private enterprise sugar wheat shortages increasin living The leader party Cmlal pronounced Jelal Bayar vigorously condemning Government these counts urging people elect Democrats elections June fifteen vacant seats Grand atlonal Assembly The erewd roared ppreval This meeting first Istanbul staged permission Vali Istanbul appointed Minister Interior Ankara surveyed modest number police Full publicity givento session local press beforehend I point because indicates least certain amount political freedom exist T1xrkey today I Celal Bayar recent Turkey interference spoke whereVer desired Cases reported press Democrat People meetin6s actually having Hslk Evi H6uses social centers originally constructed People Party Of course there criticism raised Democratic Party conceived President Inonu himself enable Turkey claim party government position democratic Europe share mixed blessings Azerican In truth Celsl Byar inister Economics andPrimeinlsterfromlV tolinthe Inonu government He government service became RDR ctive People Party emerged newly organized Democratic Some Celal Bayar sincere ohers venal playing tricks public I profess truth matter My immediate Impression Democratic Party lrgely controlled wealthy business interests opposing Governm largely allegedly Ill chosen economic policies policies which incidentally doubt taking income would otherwise private pockets A third party called National A Just process organizatlonby Kenn former Istanbul Branch Democrats This splinter group dissidents supports Democratic under Inonus thumb It objects vigorosly Cel Bayars supposedly autocratic Democrats This split opposition largely personallt clashes among leaders represent sincere differences policy There rumors still fourth party about given birth soaething labor group Recently following question Necdet 0taman People Furry deputy Grand tlonal Assembly Do believe results ntlonal election accurately reflected public opinion The People Party Incidentally overwhelming victory He answered Yes Democr Party support cities People Party villages Village people majori I heard opinion voiced numerous occasions However opinion political analyst attached Amerlcn Consulste opposite recently returned extensive through Anatola Everyvhere queried people whether their villge Democratic People He reports answer without excetion Democratic When asked DemocratS interviewees generslly replied rightly except Just mladmiuistration present eoples From regrdles sincerity Party overnment leaders Democratic party system actually exist people An important adjunct newly political To indicate outspoken freedom freedom press criticism government being mpeted rstanbul amples A C_u uriyet The Republic press quote pronounced Jumhuriyet editorial claims Everyt A Z defective dminlstrative machinery country unless somethin improve conditions never ourselves chronic breaucratic disease In Yeni Sabah The New Morning May appeas fellowin ditorlal comment Not People itself party thing resembling attacks proper polit parties which being formed The People Party rotten state collapse A party which defends interest people never succeed The death agony People Party Which today drawn out_and unfortunately nation continues suffer Again Sabah May editorialist writes This sugar could averted Government taken appropriate measures Is obvious proof Government incapable dministering country properly In Istanbul press things Government People Party In month evernment party attacked after every subject imaginable shortage wheat sugar alleged famine Ssmsun embezzlement customs administration inability tobacco growers their crops living slowness enact election adequate housing Istanbul absence flood control measures alleged irregularities Minister Communications purchase shios United States purchase expensive limouam cabinet minister unfsir government regulstion privte owners incident which reported endarmes butts settle dispute peasants inadequate school teachers absence Turkish representatives international parleys Europe mention In addition multi party system freedom speech presa severl other steps being toward reater liberlization least paper Police power limited spheres I understand A which would place civil adnistrators under Jurisdiction ordinary civil courts rather under special sdministrative courts Likewise mndin debated election which specifie secret ballotin partisan supervision tallyin which place election disputes under Jurisdiction civil couts In elections police simply scooped ballots counted secret announced results later Obviously there considerable doubt Just accurate ctual count The Government startin denationalize industries I understand month Of largest textile mills overnment owned block Other government firms scheduled follow When considers evolution Turkey absolute military dictatorship under Ataturk toward liberal stste nothing short incredible It volutsry relinquishing power those phenomenmm slmost without parallel There forces acting toward grester liberalization RDR V agmlnst military tradition strong reactinnary religious force centralized economic system pressing minority problems threatening international situation sides This liberalization moved steadily forward determined effort those power effort particularly vigorous fight ginst binding social religious mores As Turkish state becomes orienteQ future West becomes certain itself liberal I distinct impression vantage point Istanul Turkish leaders three years desperate strttgle republic luxury criticism libeslism could indulged Since arrival Istanbul press delivered broadside broadside against Government telling effect latter prestige The Democrats popular strength ruling party party founded Atmturk which fought ushered republic All tacit approval party under attack Totalitarian necessary while infant republic still fighting sl0ly being discrded Now republican secure within liberalism safely enlarged It amazng phenomenon watch The greatest single obstacle standing growth liberalism course constant gloomy threat total currently pervades facets Turkish But another story However liberlly minded person might sobering possibilities force themselves It trite success failure llberl democracy within plltlcal state depends degree social evolution within state To superimpose Western democrat illiterate peasant society would incite disaster In experience instance I convinced lesson which Amsrlcan policy Korea A peasant electorate misguided bigoted extremists happen along A certai degree education enllghtenment Interest national consciousness exist democratic state llved I wonder Turkey trying rners rgpldly In short Anstollan peasant ready gemeracy which being thrust Is there danger horse across country rallying people considered cause The Osmanll particularly susceptible times Further I believe within range possibility general election three years hence Democratic Party control Government event possible freedoms recently grnted Inonu sdminstrmtlon I suspicion perhaps unfounded country wouldbe eclusively wealthy business interests A dmitte realm I believe while specul Paradoxicl I ennot Turkey itself Comuuists In letters I indicated great sparity wealth Turkey A middle class Ameics exist Tere wealth hands dmuch poverty Fu thermore there overly couspicuous tionothepartofthewealthy hatmstothougl instance shabby street porter plods weary burdened overou cobblestones honked shiny A former Turkish ambsssador Russia Gglip Kemali oylemezoglu mesnin literally speak coented recently hamal doubtedly ideas But I pressed elaborate subject bruptly changed A leading Tkish sociologist pphleteer rural education Nusret Koymen replied saying ntact Counist ideologies would probably fertile propgmnda A forer Turkish coercial attache United Stes Yeim pronounced Yeshn issue claimed hamal orented sgeinst things Russian would receptive ounist doctri However nswer I received query question status All willed change If teaching Asl actually force minds tough crack It probably Comi pecularly inept gaining erent T pretty strictly prohibited I believe constitutes deterrent Vsrio explanations offered contitutes barrier spread ounist ideology Such explanations included traditional hostility suspicion toward Russian Trk irdiviua natural conservatism Anto iessart degree illiteracy countr communications class distinction Turkey extreme nationalism pride Tr Communis attacks Platinshlps existing ocigl mores predestination Islam Collectively contitute explanation I convinced Even these natural corunist forces lowly losing Goverent activity villages conducive greater individualism Of peasant One cardinal principles Turkish ReRublic state socialism written costitutlon Collective action being emphasized rural policies Government The illiteracy being rapidly decreased government statistics accurate Co municaions certainly improving The system particularly income encourages greater andgreat_er isparity weAlth There integrated national social welfare progrm A strong reform movement within Islmn launched Turke eliminte element estin Isl ectioapy teachings elame_ popular Islamic szine every newsstand rscently basic teachings Islam doing completely omitted predestinations Te absence religious education children banned Ataturk inthe O reinstituted freed youthful minds religious Amea Mslem Turk students Robert Colleg instance there goodly number downright agnostics aethelsts Further social relationships nores ssnder impact Ataturks republic How socia lution carry finall tallize Socially Trkey still stage transition peculiarly vulnerable therefore otside influences And finally pride ofthe Turks receivng shattering being forced posit begging America A feeling inferiority dingTurkey A Turkish profes Robert College recently coided Turks losing their sense greatness The people sying bitterly mongthemselves great flood Americs goods nylonizing their country ikrks commonly indicate something litterB article In situation absence scale Communist activity I almost finis Perhaps country having Soviet Union which Counists sttepted pnetrte I profess understand riley I their unless It omethin nternationl level Russians nonly deistlng alienate TurKey rumor floating ossibiy prochement beeen economlc sphere In early epubiic Imet Inonu areutly fiConvinced Turkey SOViet could Ruor Id Atatrkisagreed sdbject latter being distrustful ofeRussians beginning True importance present I halve nowin moment RDR V Doint mentioning Ii point funmentl dileuma ppers potentially fertile ommunist penetration bordering oviet Union there evidence serious ctivtty dirBction little doubt Tur toward liberal democratic government without dequate preparation field education economic being thereby uonecesssrily laying herself Den extremists Right This concl merely working hypothesis subject verification rebuttal Yours sincerely Richard D Robinson Received New York