Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-06
A Formal Note Protests
Against Alleged AtroC-
tiles in TripoIi.
MATTER BEFORE KNOX
SuItan'S Ambassador Declares
Slaughter Violates Conven-
tion of The Hague.

Washington. D. c.. Nov. 6.-The
so-called Italian barbarities in Trip
oil finally have been brought official
ly to the attention of the American
government in such form that some
declaration of the position of the
state department in the matter is
expected. The subject was broached
first in the course of a verbal state
ment by the Turkish ambassador to
Acting Secretary Adee, and later in
the day in the shape of formal let
ter. In each case the ambassador,
who declared he was acting by eX-
press cabled instructions from his
government, described in detail the
acts attributed to the italian troops
and protested in the name of hu-
manity against the alleged barbar,
tiles inflicted upon helpless women
and children and non-combatants by
the infuriated Italian soldiery.
APPEALS FOR INTERVENTION.
BY order of his government the
ambassador appealed to the United
States to exert itself 10 put a stop
to practices that, he declared, were
in plain violation of the rules OF
warfare and in contravention OF
The Hague convention to which the
United States and Italy are parties.
Acting Secretary Adee promised TO
submit the protest to Secretary
Knox, who at present is absent from
Washington.
The ambassadors note was based
upon a cablegram from the Turkish
minister for foreign affairs, of which
the following is a copy:
Your excellency has heard the
news. unfortunately confirmed, ot
wholesale executions of a great num-
Der of inhabitants of Tripoli. perpe-
trated daily by the Italian military
authorities.
CHARGES INHUMAN CRUELTY.
'Tbe right Of all able bodied citi-
zens TO fight for the supreme defense
of their invaded home is undeniable.
It confers on the said citizens the
character of belIigerents and OBJ
Iiges the enemy TO respect the lives
of those amongst them who fall into
their hands
But the Italians are violating
not only the sacred principle of mod
ern law of nations, but also the most
elementary rules Of civilization and
humanity, in shooting down the ma
tives who have properly enlisted and
even the innocent women and chill
dren, on mere suspicion--not TO
mention those deported by thous-
ands.
These acts are, moreover, con
trary 10 the engagements pledged by
Italy itself at the second conference
of The Hague in the convention re-
lating to the laws and customs OF
war which places the population
and the belligerents under the safe
guard and under the protection Of
the laws of humanity and the exigen-
cies Of the public conscience
CONTRA STs ACTS OF TWO ARMIES.
81 therefore beg you TO protest in
the most energetic manner to the
government to which you are accrcd-
tied against such crimes against hu-
manity committed by the italians.
the sad spectacle Of which offers -
striking contrast with the efforts
crowned with success, and admitted
by the Italians themselves, that our
authorities at Tripoli and Bcngaz
have not ceased 10 display in order
to safeguard the lives and property
Of the Italians, as wei as Of other
Europeans, and that under the very
fire of the enemy and IN the midst
Of q justly Indignant and Over-ex-
cited population.
"Please read the present dispatch
70 the minister Of foreign affairs.
leaving, at the same time, copy Of
same. ASSN.
Minister Of foreign affair-."
DEMANDS INTERFERENCE.
Experimenting this cable came an
other for the Turkish foreign Office
later in the day, which was also
transmitted 10 the state department
This is regarded as Of great i'm
pOrtance, because it formally de
mands Intervention by the United
States. II reads as follows:
The Italian atrocities in TripOli
being confirmed officially. and from
every quarter. ] beg your ezcellcncy
10 -eiteTate the representations pre-
scribed in my pressing Telegram aud
10 insist upon the necessity o.
prompt and efucacious Intervention.
in order 10 put an end Immediately
10 these inhuman proceedings.
TURK POSITION IMPROVED.
London. Nov. G-Au American dip