New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-24
France. Immediately after General

( meeting and they were approved, the
: President of the conference in a sono-
rous voice. asked Rechad Pacha, head
Of the Turkish delegation, to notify the
conference as to the instructions he
! had received from Constantinople. .
Rechad Pacha rose and in dignified
/ terms said the imperial Ottoman gov
eminent wished TO give one more proof
Of its sincere desire to hasten the dis
cussiOn and to do the utmost possible
to reach a satisfactory and honorable
settlement for all parties concerned.
Therefore il had instructed him to treat
with all the allies. Greece included, and
without any conditions.
! Dealing with the question of revict-
Mailing the besieged fortresses. Rechad
! Pacha said Turkey even was ready Ia
! lay aside the cases Of Scutari and
| Ianina. In Adrianople. which he re-
| fcrred to as 'the cradle of Turkish
power in Europe" he said it was known
the hospitals were overcrowded and
their patients lacking in the primary
necessities. while the women. the chill
dren and the aged were suffering or
starving. He must insist, he said, on
provisioning Adrianople to an extent
which would meet the demands Of hui
mainly, but which at the same time
would be insufficient to place the bel
ligerentS in better position than they
held when the armistice was signed.
Would Avoid Procrastnation.
Rechad said he was animated by a
desire TO avoid procrastination and
hoped that the question might be dealt
with directly between the Turks and
Bulgarians, thus making it possible for
! the conference to continue.
| The heads of the allied delegations
| expressed satisfaction with Rechad' s
| statement, after which NJ. Novakovich,
tall and erect, rose. holding in his hand
large sheet of paper.
1t was the crucial moment of the con-
ference and all eyes were turned upon
him. The Balkan delegates showed
| emotion and anxiety: the Turks ap-
peared as impressive as statues.
All the secondary questions having
been settled the moment has come 10
explain the conditions under which the
allies are ready to conclude peace" NJ.
Novakovich announced. Then he pro-
! ceeded to read the demands of the
Balkan States When he had finished
all eyes shifted to the representatives
of the Sultan. They, however, gave no
display of feelings.
Rechad Pacha here rose again. strok-
| ing his beard. and in his habitual slow
| manner asked for a written copy of the
| proposals NJ. Novakovich thereupon
| ordered the secretary TO make the copy
| and the delegates left their seats and
| joined in an animated and cordial con-
| VerSation.
An Unofficial View.
During the long wait for the copy Of
| the demands and while disclaiming any
desire TO enter into a discussion Of their
merits the Turks said that, speaking
unofficially. they considered the allies
l
purpose of breaking off the conference.
When the delegates had signed the
document Rechad asked for an ad-
| journment until Saturday. in order TO
consider the proposals. and his request
! was granted.
The discussion. according TO NJ. No
yakovitch, was fairly amicable,' and
the plenipotentiaries separated, hopeful
| that next Saturdays reunion would
produce something more definite
Among the diplomats here the opinion
prevails that Notwithstanding what the
| Turks consider the unacceptable condi-
! tions presented by the allies. and what
the allies declare are terms which can
not be reduced. peace ultimately will
| be concluded. 1t is remarked that the
allies and the Turks. when the armis-
tice was concluded. were in exactly the
same position as the Russians and the
| Japanese when the United States in
duced them TO adhere 10 the Ports
mouth conference.
Both the Turks and the Bulgarians
were. at Tchatald.ja, in practically a
: state of exhaustion. Now both have
strengthened themselves, but neither is
/ really sure as TO what would happen
were the conflict resumed. The Turks
fear further reverses and irreparable
losses. and the allies, who already have
obtained successes which in their
rosiest dreams they had never expect
ed. fear to endanger the positions they
have gained.
European Mediation Likely.
Owing to this reciprocal apprehen-
sion an understanding may be reached