Politician and statesman (B. 1878, Agra village / Midilli D. 1957,
Izmir). His full name is Ali Fuad. His father Edhem Bey worked as an accountant
for a while and then he started to work as examinant in the Ministry of Foundation. He graduated from Mülkiye
(1903) and Law School (1908). He started to work at the Ministry of Finance. He
went to Anatolia in order to join the national struggle. He was among the
delegates who participated in Lausanne Conference meetings and he worked as the
accountant in the delegation. He was involved in politics and worked as RPP
deputy in TGNA, representing Istanbul (1923-1931) and Elaziğ (1931-1950). He
worked as Accounting President in TGNA (1924-1934); and as the Minister of Finance
for ten years during the İsmet İnönü, Refik Saydam and Şükrü Saraçoğlu
governments.
While his father was
working at the Ministry of Foundation, while he was only fifteen years old, he
translated the work named Tuhfet-ül
Ezkiyâ fî Tercümet-i Kitab-ül-Ezkiyâ with Haci Ibrahim Efendi, founder of
Daruttalim. That work was published at the new print house
opened by Ahmed Ihsan, neighbour of his father, in order to be used for aiding
those who had suffered from a natural disaster (1890).
The publication of the book was an important press event. When Haci
Ibrahim Efendi died, Musullu Said Efendi replaced him. Ahmet Midhat has
examined Ali Fuad due to his reputation of testing the young intellectuals and
when he realized that he was successful and praised him in a long article
published at Tercümân-ı Hakikat.
After this, his life was full with state business. The minutes of TGNA
are also full with this life. He became the Minister of Finance. He has a
famous saying: ‘Nations whom sacrifice
their food and clothing for the national defence has already established
victory.’
REFERENCE: Hakkı Tarık Us / Elli
Yıl Mecmuası (tsz, p.62-63), “Ağralı, Sedat” (Büyük Larousse, 1986).