The Washington weekly post., 1900-10-09
Diplomatic Relations with Turkev

If the gossip flying about with reference
to the relations between the Sultan and
our Minister to Turkey, Mr. Straus, be
true. or even half true. the diplomatic
situation must be grotesque, to say the
least. II is difficult to believe that the
President would retain Mr. Straus as our
Envoy to the Turkish court, knowing that
the latter is persona non grata and that
under no circumstances will the Sultan
recognize him. We know that Mr.. Straus
has been IN this country several months.
and that our Legation at Constantinopie
is conducted by charge d'affaires. under
whose perfervid auspices We have OBJ
viously made no progress whatsoever. Our
relations with Turkey are not important
AS a matter of fact, the only question
now considerable as between the two ma
tions is one Of indemnity for alleged out
RACES and destruction of missionary prop
erty at Harput several years ago. Min
lister Straus has seen fit, IN the course of
the negotiations, TO challenge the veracity
Of the Sultan, and, very naturally, tie
Sultan has refused 10 see him or TO accent
him in any Official and representative ca
pacity. Mr. Straus. therefore, retires and
leaves the controversy in the hands Of 4
subordinate. with whom. in the circum-
stances. the Ottoman government politely
fails to treat.
Such. then, is the situation Our Minister
Mr.. Straus, has failed to commend him
self TO the government 10 which he is ac-
credited. Mr.. Straus has. therefore, with
drawn from the Turkish capital and is
now reveling in the domestic joys Of
home. He has lost his usefulness abroad
He is no longer a factor In the equation
Yet the President perpetuates him rs z.
E. and NJ. P. TO the Turkish government.
while an obviously futile subordinate
maintains a fruitless racket at the gates
Of the Yildiz Palace.
II our claims against Turkey have
foundation in truth and justice-and We
know nothing to the contrary-why do
We not press them with a reasonable show
Of dignity? 4 foreign charge d'affaires
would not be treated definitely by this
eS@4At-s "A --sS A4~-o~~a1aAp4 VI envoy were
repudlated by the State Department. He
would receive personal courtesy, Of course,
but the subject under discussion would
hardly be taken up with a view to final
adjustment SO long as the other nation in
volved In the dispute were represented
here in an imperfect or questionable way
Why, then. should Washington have no
competent representative AZ CONSTANT
nople? Charges d'affaires serve all need
ful purposes in the temporary absence of
their chiefs II. Thie3aut and If. de VOL
liant are now acting here, respectively. for
France and Russia. Baron Speck Won
Sternberg represents In the same way the
German Empire. They command respect
IN their several legitimate capacities. But
Washington would hardly conclude
through such mediums a definite and in
portant matter /: the duly appointed am
bassador in any case had been previously
discredited here. In such a complication,
the relations would be purely tentative
and eeremonioGs.
Obviously. We can make no progress at
the Turkish capital until we have there a
diplomatic representative OF conventional
authority and rank whom the sultan IS
willing 70 receive and recognize. Mr..
Griscoms activities amount 10 nothing
while his principal has no standing at
Constantinople.