The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1914-09-11
TURKEYS
LAST ACT
EMPIRE ADVOCATES
ALL TREATIES GUARANTEE ING
RIGHTS OF FOREIGNERS IN
TURKEY.

Washington, Sept. l0.-Turkey for
mally notified the United states and
other nations today that she had alb
rogated the series of conventions,
treaties and privileges originating as
early as the eleventh century, where
by foreigners IN the Ottoman empire
have been exempt from local iurisdie-
ton in civil and criminal cases For
eign subjects no longer will enjoy
what Is known as eXtra-terrtorial
rights through which they have been
tried by their own judges, diplomatic
Representatives or consuls.
This practice, abolished by Japan
several years ago through new trea.
ties. Turkey has removed by a stroke
of the pen. Her purpose, it is de,
clared, is to assert her Independence
and free herself from The domination
of the great powers.
Upon the rights revoked has rested
the legal status of American mission.
aries in Turkey. permitting them to
maintain churches, hospitals and
schools in religious freedom.
The removal OF every kind of privi-
| lcges enjoyed by the powers in eX-
cess Of what the general principles of
international law allow is the mean
ing of this step A. Rustem Bey,
Turkish ambassador to the United
tates, declared tonight. This war
is Turkeys opportunity
The ambassador did not intimate
whether the action foreshadowed war
against Great Britain without whose
consent in the past no such radical
action would have been attempted
Diplomats OF the allied powers, how
ever. believe Turkey is appealing to
the nationalist sentiment of her PEG
pie and is ready to seize on any diff
cuties that may arise with Great
Britain as a preteXt to declare war.
The Turkish ambassador made
known his governments action in
pubic announcement after it had
been communicated TO Secretary Bry-
an today as formal note from the
Ottoman empire
AS early as 1856 the soyereigns of
Constantinople granted charters oil
extra-territorial privileges called ca
pitulations. The Venetians first were
granted the right of trial by judges
appointed in Venice and permanently
residing in Constantnople,
When the Young Turks gained con
troll the powers were sounded as to
possible abrogation of the capitula-
tions The reply was unfavorable
Today's declaration, so far as known,
was not prefaced by any such discus
sion with the powers.
The Turkish ambassador described
the privileges abrogated as relating to |
economics and the administration of |
justice.
In the economic file d." he said |
"the Turkish government cannot fix
or change the customs duties without
The consent of foreign powers. Nor
Fan the Turkish government impose
tax on foreigners because
the powers have not consented.
In the administration of Justice.
the Ottoman government is not FREE
to deal with foreign culprits in the
matter of certain trials without inter
vention of the representatives of the
foreign ambassador or minister to
which the culprits owe allegiance. In
certain cases foreigners cannot be inn
prisoned in native prisons but those
Of the consulates.
These restrictions weieh heavily on
the Ottoman states, both materially
and morally Turkey has been pre-
vented from introducing reforms
which it has been accused OF delaying
precisely by powers who owing to |
the enjoyment of privileges stood In
the way of progressive action on the
part of the government Turkey has
been deprived of that confidence |
which fun Independence gives to a
state Deprived of that independence. |
The moral fibre Of the nation relaxed
I'm diplomatic circles the announce |
ment of Turkeys attitude attracted !
the widest attention The allies are
known to expect at any moment a |
declaration Of war by Turkey in pe
half of Germany. Comment was heard |
among diplomats of the allied powers
as to possible deliberations between |
the German foreign office and the
porte before the decision to abrogate |
the treaties was reached
So far as diplomats of me allies |
would venture an opinion. the predic- |
tion was made that Great Britain, |
France and Russia probably would not
make any representations on the sub |
ject to Turkey at this time, leaving
liz until the e'ose OF the war