The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-16
Also Evacuation Eastern Eu-
rope and Big War Indemnity.
GREECE WANTS AEGEAN ISLES
COnferees of Allies and Turkey
Meet Today in London.
Allies viii Grant Amnesty to
MussuImans in Territory.


Bulgaria. Servia, Montenegro and
Greece assembled today in the picture
gallery of St. James palace to meet the
Turkish delegates in the momentous
conference which is to settle the ques-
ton whether there is to be peace or
continuation of the war in the Balkans.
The Observation-Disclosures were welcomed Dy
Sir Edward Grey, the British toreign
minister His address was br1ef put
full of sympathy and good wishes Ior
the success of the gathering.
The principal conditions or peace
demanded by the allies comprise the
immediate surrender of the IurklsII
fortresses of Scutari, Adrianople' ana
Janina whose garrisons viii be grant
ed full military honors; tng 1. ekacuas :
ton of eastern Europe by Turkey as
far as East Tchatalja to a line TO De
delimited on the spot; the cesslon TO
Greece of all the Aegean Islands; tne
annexation of Crete to Greece and CIIo
payment by Turkey OF a war 1ndein-
nifty and of the expenses incurred py
the allies on account of the TURKISH
prisoners
The allies in return are to grant
couoDIete amnesty to the Mussulman
population in the territories they
annex for any acts of hostility during
the war; the return of all prisoners tne
recognition of the spiritual sovereignty
of the sultan over OttomanS becoming
subjects of the Balkan states, and the
free administration by the Mussul-
mans of their pious foundations in the
Balkan.
added the taking over by the Balkan
states of that part of the Ottoman
public debt corresponding to the ter
ritories which they annex unless the
powers controlling the Ottoman deDt
allow them to deduct tnaI par par truin 1,',i
the war indemnity imposed upon Tur-
key, which would thus remain the only
debtor.
The peace delegations adjourned
immediately after luncheon until to-
1t has been arranged that the chair
shall be taken alternately by the del
egateS representing the i've NATIONS
concerned and this is to pc oone
alphabetically. Bulgaria Will thus pc
first and Turkey last.
His majesty the king desires me to
convey to you his welcome and to ex-
press his best wishes for the success
of vour Iabors,'' said Sir Edward
~ Ij address of welcome. ''It
is nv agreeable duty to welcome you
IN behalf of His majesty's government
and to say with what Measure your
presence is regarded in this country
His majesty the king, being anxious TO
facilitate your task in every way, mas
p1aced these rooms in st. James palace !
at YOUR disposal. I trust you will find
them suitable and at the same time
assure you that His maJesty's gov
ernment will do all in its power to pro- |
mote your convenience.
you will, 1 believe find in TINS
country an atmosphere of calm and
imnartiality that will be favorable to
11o1,r negotiations and within these
rooms which you occupy, you Will De
really on neutral ground where there
will be no politics except your own,
There are difficulties in all negot1a-
after war. L VIII
no+ attempt to estimate what they may
Re in vour case. They have been no
doubt the subject of full Instructions
- aach set of delegates from their re-
-r,ec+ive Governments; but there can be
no nobIer task than to overcome these
.5iffic,11+ies and to accomplish peace as
= ,.esl1It of your own efforts and your
own work. In this way, you VIII lay
fo1,ndat tions on which 1 trust VIII pe
b,,iIt nv true wisdom and statesman
- the prosperity, moral economic
and national of your respective coun-
+ries without that craftsmanship the
gains of war are of little or no Worth
IN future generations. With that states
suAnship. the losses of war can be re-
paired and bitterness merged in the
reaIization of the blessings of peace.
II will say no more except to wish
1-o,, success in your task and to as
sure YOU that you have the good WIN
of every one in the object for which
Won have assembled here and that by
a ACCOMPLISHING peace you Will secure
+ba respect of the whole of Europe"
The chief of each delegation cor
,7ia1Iv acknowledged the welcome and
sentiments expressed by Sir Edward
Crav Who was unanimously elected to
the honorary presidency of the con-
ference.
The British foreign secretary then
left the gallery and the plenipotentiar-
iaS cot ahout the task of arranging
the questions of the chairmanshfp, the
procedure, the language, etc, of the
conference Considering its historic
character. the conclave attracted re-
markable little public attention. Some
hundreds of reporters and photogra-
phers and a few of the general public
Gathered ir. the vicinity of St. James
palace. otherwise nothing beyond the
extra SQUADS of policemen indicated
ANYTHING out of the common. Rigor-
Gus precautions have been taken to
Drevent the near approach of strangers
to the quadrangle of the palace.
strong force of police has been sta
toned about the ancient archway and
will remain on duty during the confer
ence The Turkish plenipotentiaries
were the first to arrive. They We're
followed at brief intervals by the Ser
vians Montenegrins and Bulgarians
All these arrived in plebeian taxicabs.
the Greeks alone rose to the level of
a private automobile. The negotiations
sat for nearly an hour and a half and
then adjourned for lunch, which was
served in room adjoining the con-
ference chamber.
The delegates of the Balkan states
before entering the conference cham
Der declared that within this week