37-Kerim Pasha had succeeded in showing the Sultan

Kerim Pasha had succeeded in showing the Sultan the text of our telegraphic conversation

It is said, from what my friend Kerim Pasha who has since died without my having been able to see him again told certain people, that he had succeeded in showing the Sultan the text of our telegraphic conversation, and that after that all further resist ance was broken. Kerim Pasha refers to it in a letter he wrote to Kara Vassif Bey on 8 th October, 1919.

Here is a quotation from this letter:

“In consequence of the deep and lasting impression produced by the interchange of the last telegrams, the late Grand Vizier clearly understood the necessity of his resignation. He lost all power of resistance and retired ….

“This is the splendid work carried out by a single man on behalf of the country, by simple and loyal firmness and without any fuss.

“I would like to remark that I have written all of this down with my own hand. And that it was only following this exchange of telegrams that the late Grand Vizier and our sublime Padishah made up their minds, after having taken everything possible into consideration. This incident and this document, which comprises questions of such magnitude and reproduces, faithfully and impartially, the true course of events, will indoubtedly perpetuate a great event in the history of the nation.”

What has led me to go at length into these details is that the never-to-be-forgotten Kerim Pasha had added at the end of his letter: “If you will have the kindness to send a copy of this document to the Representative Committee, you will contribute to the propagation of these exalted truths/ This letter was actually given to me in the original and not a mere copy of it.

I shall include it among the documents I am publishing. (Doc ument 113.)

On the day following the exchange of these long telegrams, extracts were circulated by telegrams in cipher among all the Army Corps.