Mustafa Explains

"Our position today is analogous to that of Italy when she expelled the Pope from temporal power," said Mustafa Kemal Pasha, President of the Grand National Assembly, in an interview, staunchly defending the expulsion of the Calif (TiME, March 17).

His argument: The Calif had no place in a Republic. The temporal power which was attached to his religious office stood always in the way of progress. For example, when it was decided that women should not be forced to wear a veil, the Calif objected. Again, it was impossible to prohibit polygamy when the Calif had more than one wife. In order to separate once and for all, the new state from the old religion, Abdul Medjid had to be ousted. As good Republicans the Turks recognized no authority higher than the Constitution. As good Moslems they would continue to reverence the leader of their faith.

Mustapha went on to explain that Turkey had become overridden with special privileges granted to religionists--patriarchs, archbishops, missionaries, etc., and that it now intended to abolish all religious prerogatives in temporal offices. The Calif was no exception.