Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-15
ATTORNEY, A GREEK,
SAYS U. S. SHOULD
PROTEST TO TURKEY
Friend of Consul sakonas
Here Declares Abroga-
ton of Treaties Concerns
Safety of Americans.

soterios Nicholson, of Washington, d.
r. a Greek attorney and student of in
ternational law, who is visiting in Phila-
depbia, today told how the abrogaton
M the treaties by Turkey was of vital
concern to the United States since by
that action the safety of every foreign
resident in that country was threatened,
Including thousands of missionaries and
other Americans who make their per-
manent home there.
Mr., Nicholson was at the office of
Aristotle Tsakonas, the Greek Consul
here. He Is a personal friend OF Consul
Tsakonas, and on his way to New York
stopped of here to visit the Official.
'T do not think" he said. "that the
signihcance Of the capitulations made
years ago by Turkey and now abrogated
is generally appreciated. Under them
foreign residents in Turkey have had the
right to be judged by their own respec-
tive consulates exclusively; secondly,
they have possessed special civil privi-
leges such that in all questions of crimi-
nal procedure and in fact of general de-
pertinent, they have been liable solely
to their own governments. Thus, no
Turkish official has had the right to
enter into the dwelling of foreigner or
arrest one, unless equipped with a spe-
cial permit from the consulate concerned.
Thirdly the native government was not
allowed to levy professional taxes upon
the foreign residents; and fourthly, 1t
could not regulate the amount of its
customs duties without the consent of
the foreign powers. In general the
above privileges may be regarded as con-
stituting extra territorial rights, and IT
Is chiefly the ones coming under the first
two headings that will affect the status
Of the Americans living In Turkey.
First there is the legal aspect to be
considered. AS others have already point
ed out 1t is rather astonishing that treat
les which have constituted the very con-
dition of Turkeys existence as a State
are now abrogated without warning and
without negotiation. Such a violation of
mutual agreement Is a very serious mat
ter indeed. but Turkey knows that now
the European Powers are hardly pressed |
with their own troubles at home and |
hopes that they will be unable to resort |
TO effective measures in denouncing the |
violation.
Foreign statesmen of the preceding
generations had forced the above con-
cessions from the Turkish Government
because 1t was evident to them that under
ordinary circumstances the said Govern
ment could not guarantee security and
freedom to their nationals. The country
had simply not reached that stage in the
evolution of political organization which
would render 1t capable of supervising
the affairs of the citizens of foreign coun-
tries But with the advent of the new
regime in 1908 the Young Turks have
been continuously and insstently clamor-
Ing for the abrogation of the capitula-
tons, claiming that conditions had
changed since freedom had been declared
and Just government had been established.
Nevertheless, the Powers refused to con-
sent.
Facts justified their course: the Arme-
nlan massacres troubles In Syria oppres-
sion in Arabia. the insurrection in AL
bania and the maladministration of af-
fairs in Macedonia, following Immediately
after the granting of the constitution,
proved that much had yet to be done in
the line of political evolution.
In plain words, Turkish law and ad-
minstration Is not an effective guarantee |
Of the safety of foreign lives and inter-
ests, and has violated treaties that in
sured that safety In which case, 1
think that 1t is the duty OF the United
States, at present the greatest neutral
State, to declare to Turkey that this
country realizes its own responsibility
10 Its own citizers as we'll as to those of !
me European countries. and that 1t can
not brook the Cnwarranted breaking off
u treaties and to bring home to the [
ottoman Government that this Govern I
nent is determined to make use of all c
necessary means to the end of securing
roper observance OF the treaties by the I
ottoman Government" &