The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-28
Some Members of the House Who
Oppose Meddling With the
Berlin Treaty.
MORE FIERY MEASURES URGED
Hepburn of Iowa Would Break Off Dip
lomatic Relations With Turkey
at Once.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 27.-The
House to-day discussed for four hours and
passed by vote of 143 to 26, the Senate
concurrent resolution declaring it to be an
imperative duty in the interest of hu-
manity to express the earnest hope that
the European concert, brought about by
the Berlin treaty. may be speedily given
its just effect in such decisive measures as
shall stay the hand of fanaticiSm and law
less violence, and as shall secure to the un-
offending Christians of the Turkish EN-
pire all the rights belonging to them as
men and Christians and as beneficiaries of
the explicit provisions of that treaty; re-
questing the President to communicate
these resolutions to the five signatory
powers thereof; and declaring that Con-
gress will support the President in the
most vigorous action he may take for the
protection and security of American citi-
zens in Turkey, and to obtain redress for
injuries committed upon the persons and
property of such citizens.
Quigg (R.) of New York at whose re-
quest the resolution was taken up, opened
the debate and advocated its adoption, as
did also McCreary CD of Kentucky, Hit
(R.) of Illinois, Morse (R.) of Massachu-
setts, Smith (R.) Of Michigan, Mahany
(R.) of New York, Brumm (R.) of Penn
sylyania, Sperry (R.) of Connecticut and
Howe (R.) of New York.
Various amendments were offered to It
on the ground that it did not go far
enough-one by Hepburn (R.) of Iowa
calling for the dismissal of the Turkish
Minister at Washington and the severance
of diplom attic relations with Turkey-but
they were all rejected. Turner CD of
Georgia, Grosvenor (R.) of Ohio, Walsh
CD of Ohio, Adams (R.) of Pennsylvania,
johnson (R.) of California and Bailey 3D. }
of Texas argued against the resolution.
Proceedings on the concurrent resolu-
tion began by Quigg (R.) of New York
asking its immediate consideration, which
was granted. He stated that the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs had re-
ported a practically similar resolution
Quigg urged the adoption of the Senate
resolution. Our interest in the situation,
he said, was chiefly humane and but
slightly political. The newspapers, he
said, had mentioned the murder of citizens
of the United States, but official reports
received at the State Department showed
that such was not the case, and the COM
mittee was unable to find that any Ameri-
can had been murdered there, except, per-
haps, the bicyclist Lenz.
Quigg discussed the resolution at some
length. 1t would be declared an answer
to the allegations from Constantinople
that the disorders were purely political,
and it would also help to fix the response
bility for their continuance. The time had
gone by in the development of the human
race when any nation could shut it's eyes
and say "Am l my brothers. keeper P"
while such inhuman atrocities were being
committed.
Bailey Cd of Texas doubted the pro-
priety of this Government undertaking to
question the failure TO enforce a treaty to
which it was not party, and especially at
a time when we were denying to European
powers the right to interfere with the al
fairs of nations on this continent. He
would eliminate from the. resolution all
reference to the treaty and conine it to q
denunciation of the outrages.
McCreary (D.) of Kentucky heartily in
dorsed the resolution. The civilized world
was astounded at the outrages and crimes
committed in the last few wears by the
Turks. He could see no reason why Con-
gress should not express in diplomatic
lines strong language of the regret of the
American people at the deplorabIe condi-
ton of affairs in the unfortunate country.
The purpose of the resolution, as he un-
derstood it, was to plead with the Eu-
ropean powers that they enforce the pro-
visions of the treaty to protect the Ar
menians. The very fact that exequaters
had been denied to American Consuls at
Harpoot and Erzeroum was an important
reason why Congress should take an inter-
est in The matter. He would vote for this
resolution or for any other on the subject
as strong as could be written that was
within the scope and authority of the
United States.
Hepburn (R.) of Iowa sharply criticized
the resolution for not going far enough.
He offered an amendment directing the
President to return the passports of the
Turkish Minister to the United States, and
to terminate diplomatic relations with
Turkey.
Hit (R.) of Illinois suggested that such
action would terminate our relations with
Turkey.
Hepburn-We do not want friendly re-
lations with murderers.
Hit SAID that drastic resolution would
only exasperate the Turks to greater afro
cities and he urged the adoption of the
Senate resolution as the best that could be
done under the circumstances.
Hepburn wanted the protest to mean
something when it went abroad, and not
iall on dull ears. What did England care
ior such utterances? If we could startle
public opinion there something might
come of it.
Morse (R.) of Massachusetts,. in referring
10 the denlals of the Armenian outrages
by the Sultan, desired to pay his respects
TO that ruler by saying that he did not
oeheve there was man in his district who
would believe the Sultan under oath.
Adams (R.) of PennsyIvsnia argued
sgainst the resolution on the ground that