(Jewish Daily Bulletin Mail Service)
A lively discussion has been going on in the Turkish press regarding the “conditions on which non-Moslem elements can reconcile themselves with the Turks.” An unusual degree of liberty has been allowed the non-Moslems to express their grievances, and their principal complaint is that of business discrimination.
A particular objection is that non-Moslems are not allowed to obtain employment in banks, in the railroad administration, public utilities and state monopolies. In Turkey, according to one non-Moslem “these administrations are obliged by clauses inserted in their franchise to employ nearly all of their personnel from among the Turks. In practice, this is interpreted to mean from among the Moslems.”
It has been found that the Turks are adapting themselves to commercial life much more rapidly than had been anticipated. At present they are largely employed as clerks or attached to non-Moslem firms as intermediaries between the firms and the Government. These firms have found that without one or more fairly responsible Moslem Turks in their employ they are at a serious disadvantage in dealing with arbitrary tax demands and in getting a favorable hearing when they bid for Government contracts.
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