TURKEY: Speakable Kemal

Time was, and not many years ago, when a subject of the Sultan was known as the “unspeakable Turk,” a phrase coined by Thomas Carlyle and afterwards much used in political parlance.

Last week the phrase received a new twist: Mustafa Kemal Pasha, president of the Turkish Republic, announced his intention of delivering, on October 15, 16, 17, 18, a 400,000-word* speech over the radio reviewing in detail the history of the Nationalist government.

The text of the speech covers 1,200 pages, most of which will be read in the National Assembly before a microphone by the president himself. Many secretaries will be on hand, however, to aid him if he should become too hoarse and all official documents will be read by them.

Deputies were warned to be in Angora, capital of Turkey, not later than October 14.

* There are about 100,000 words in an average length novel.