Omaha daily bee., 1914-11-23
PORTE EXPLAINS
FIRING FRIENDLY;
EAGLE S0OTHED


AN'heihNNN AiN'-
merchant vessels. rho ambassador. there
fore. requested Captain Decker TO with
draw. and he. OF course. did 90, proceed
ing 10 tho Island OF Chlos.
owing to the extreme difficulty or
communicating with Constantinople. no
further advices have yet been received
Instructions had already been sent 70 the
Ambassador. We are still awaiting the
ambassadors reply TO those instructions.'
officials Puzzled.
Before Mr.. Morganthaus dispatch was
received the White House issued state
ment saying the firing on the cruiser
launch was reported by Captain Decker
as not hostile act, but that explanations
had been asked from the Turkish govern
ment official Washington was puzzled
! for a time. when Il became known at the
| Navy department that Captain Decker
had first described the firing as IAN act
not hostile. but unfriendly."
This cryptic phrase had been omitted
Secretary Daniels said, from Captain
Decker's original report. as made public
because the message was CARRIED and al.
tempts were made TO discover whether
or not Il should have not read hostile
but friendly. When the cable companies
verified the word as "unfriendly." Sec.
rotary Daniels came TO the conclusion
that Captain Decker had merely ex.
pressed a personal opinion and could no.
have known the motive OF ihe LAND
forces In firing the shot.
Mission Obviously Friendly.
There is some question In the minds o
dipiomatists here as 10 the right OF a SINAI
boat 20 enter a closed port for, by III
size and equipment. it's mission Is obvi
ously seen 20 be friendly. There Is NJ
exact precedent. however. and as the In
cldont occurred within the territory o
Turkey the sovereign right OF the latter d
/ make and enforce It's own regulations 4
conceded Should II be necessary 70
launches TO enter ports In the future !
H. considered that II Is probably that pre-
vious arrangements will be made by tn
American consulate.
That Smyrna presents almost a specis
case. as apart from the entire situatio
in Turkey, Is tho belief OF officials IA
n1iliar with the previous dispatches.
Frequently before Turkey entered In
war the American consul was anxiou
for the safety OF HIS consulate and Amer
leans. Ambassador Morsanthau trans
mitted his reports of alarm and ono
asked for a warship. Since that tim
conditions were reported improved.
While the Washington government doe
Once Asked warship.
not anticipate any difficulty with the OF
toman government itself. over the condI
lions at Smyrna. II may indicate clearl
TO the latter an urgent desire for protec
tion OF Americans. so that II will not b
necessary TO send American vessels I
the harbor to look out for American in
terests. This guarantee, II IL believed
may be extended to Americans in all TuT
key and Asia Minor.
Turk Charge Pleased.
Hussein Bey. charge OF the Turkish EN-
baasy here, Issued a statement express
Ing qualification over the government
advice from Mr.. Morganthau.
THE most cordial relations have al
ways existed between the two govern
ments." he said. And II Is the desire O
both the Ottoman government and Tn
fpeople that such relations should Away
be maintained
Il should like this opportunity TO re
pudiate certain statements which hav
recently appeared in the press. insinuat
ing that rigorous and intentional censor
ship on the part OF the Ottoman authorI
ties was the cause OF the Unnecessary de
lay In the exchange OF cablegrams be
tween Turkey and the United States
This Is not so. Censorship undoubtedl
, exists in Turkey at the present moment
as It does in other countries with whor
Turkey Is at war and through which, IN
: messages have to pass. hence the delays
} In proof OF this l may mention that thi
embassy has not received a single cable
gram for nearly a month. l have no OF
i fieial information. even OF the existenc
! OF war between Turkey and the allies.