The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-16
At First the Emperor Could Not
See Any Reason for Extra
Guardships.
YIELDED TO PREVENT A WAR
Reasons Given for the Suppression of
American Insurance Com.
panies.

BERLIN, GERMANY, Dec. 1.-THE climax
of the strain between the Sultan, and the
European powers-the Sultan's assent to
the issuance of frmans permitting the
entrance of extra guardships into the
Dardanelles-was obtained under the in
fiuence of his knowledge that Germany's
support would be withdrawn if he refused.
Throughout the diplomatic struggle the
German ambassador at Constantinople has
been under instructions from Berlin that
Germany should keep in the background,
RETAINING from all initiative, active steps.
The German ambassador was often absent
from the conferences of the ambassadors,
but was always in direct communication
with the Sultan.
According to official information here
the Emperor saw no necessity for having
second guardship at Constantinople, and
was strongly opposed to the project OF
forcing the passage through the OAR
danelles.
Finally, however, under pressure brought
to bear by Austria and italy, the German
ambassador was instructed to advise the
Sultan that Germany must go with the al
lied powers in the event that strong meas
ures should be required. At the same
time the Sultan received the assurance of
Germany that WI hen the guard-boat diff
Guilty should be removed ample time would
be accorded to the Porte to re-establish Or
der in Asia Minor. 1t is probable that re-
lance upon the Kaiser's promise that no
untimely pressure upon Turkey for re-
forms would have the assent of Germany
L 81, hn Ifoy, fhor
did the insistence of M. Nelidoff, Russian
ambassador, and Sir Philip Currie, British
ambassador, that the frmans must be
granted.
During the coming three months, if Off
cial expectations here are realized, diplo-
matte action in Constantinople will be re-
Taxed. A great deal more confidence
exists in Berlin in the Sultan's intention
to carry out the promised reforms in Asia
Minor than seems 10 prevail in other and
especially in English official quarters.
All the references that are made on the
subject in the German semi-official press
show this feeling and indicate the pre-
dominance of opinion also that no inter-
vention of the powers in Turkey involving
a European war should be ventured upon.
German popular and official sympathy
with the Armenians is keen, but it is
argued that war leading to the slaughter
of the European armies would be a worse
evil than anything that has happened in
Armenia. The official organs in Vienna
take a similar view CT the situation. The
Fremdenblatt declares that the Sultan is
anxious to prove his sincerity and readi-
ness to grant reforms and hopes to be able
to carry out vigorously his policy of re-
storing quiet among the different races in
habiting Asia Minor.
In regard to the reported refusal of Ger
many to permit the displacement of
Turhad Pasha and the substitution of Zia
Pasha, Turkish ambassador at Paris, as
Turkish ambassador to Germany, nothing
is definitely known.
The appointment of Zia Pasha is uncer-
tain, but in any event the change of En-
bassadors, even if Zia should be selected,
will not cause any discord between Ger
many and Turkey. A change in the
Turkish Ministry is understood to be i'm
pending which may restore Tewfk Pasha
to his post here, but if Tewfik should re-
tain office in Constantinople Turkhad
Pasha would be preferred as Turkish EN-
bassador in Berlin to any other Ottoman
diplomat who would be likely to be
selected.
The Ministerial references which have
been made in the Reichstag to the barring
out of American insurance companies from
transacting any further business in
Prussia have lacked that strict accuracy
which an honest statement ought to give.
The assertion of Freiherr Marshall Won
Bieberstein, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
that the companies were suppressed
solely because they did not choose to
comply with the regulations affecting
home and foreign insurance companies
alike, totally ignored. the fact that the
rules which were enforced against the
American companies were drawp up in
1891 by the Minister of the Interior pur-
posely to wipe out American insurance
companies.
at the time these regulations were con-
cocted their strong anti-American bias
was frankly avowed by the officials of the
Home Office. It can further be stated upon
authority that Geheimrath Knibel Dober-
1tz of the Home Office openly admitted to
the manager of an American insurance
company that tie Home Office was search
ing for way to block out the American
insurance business from Prussia, and that
he himself could not rest until he sue
cee6ed in doing so.
The inaction of the Conservatives in the
Reichstag during the oratorical encoun-
tiers between the Socialist leaders and the
Ministry is attributed to their dread of
drawing out disclosure of the documents
belonging to Baron Won Hammerstein, the
absconding ex-editor of the Kreuz Zeitung,
which are in possession of the Socialists
Many members of the Right are compro-
missed in the Hammerstein letters, and
they advised the practical placement of
the party during the discussion in the
ReIchstag, in order to retard the revela-
tons which it was in the power of the So
cialists to make.
1t is asserted that these members even
suggested the establishment of a tenn
porary arrangement with the Socialist
group in the Reichstag. Since Wednes-
days sitting, when Herren Bebel and
Liebknecht declared the intention to pub
lish these letters at the moment it should
be deemed opportune, those of the Con-
servatites in the Reichstag who have