ATATÜRK AND THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

After the debates in the Turkish assembly, the National anthem’s lyrics were read by the Ministry of Education Hamdullah Suphi and were accepted with applause.

A commission had been organised for composition of the music for the march and the lyrics of the march had been selected from the poem and announced. Atatürk had not approved the selection and followed the work of the commission closely. He agreed with the march's concept but it was too long, it might not be correct to make the people stand such a long time. But he did not agree to take out the following lines of:

Freedom is the right of my flag to live free.

Independence is the right of my nation worship God.

Atatürk:

- These are the epigrams I want my people never to forget.

A ship filled with youths was passing through the Dolmabahçe singing the national anthem during the fifteenth anniversary of the republic.

Atatürk was ill and listened to them sincerely and was smiling melancholically.

- They are calling me, they are pleased, joyful. Of course they will be pleased and they are right to be pleased. Fifteen years of republic, this is a cause to be pleased.