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

..,.r;os Nicholson. of Washington, ID
a Greek attorney and student Of in.
...netional law, who is visiting in Phila-
,.,nhia today told how the abrogatior
:, the treaties by Turkey was of Vita
.orcern to the United States since by
,.,t action the safety of every foreign
rosIdent in that country was threatened,
,,o,,ding thousands of missionaries and
o,ber Americans who make their per-
manent home there.
Afr Nicholson was at the office of
.rstotle Tsakonas, the Greek Consul
hero He is a personal friend of Consul
rsakopas. and on his way to New York
.tonped off here to visit the official.
~ do not think" he said, that the
,ianifcance of the capitulations made
wears ago by Turkey and now abrogated
ia generally appreciated. Under them
foreign residents in Turkey have had the
right to be Judged by their own respec-
live consulatcs exclusively; secondly,
,bey have possessed special civil privi-
leges such that in all questions of crimi-
nal procedure and in fact of general de-
portment, they have been liable solely
Ia their own governments. Thus, no
turkish official has had the right to
enter into the dwelling of foreigner or
arrest one, unless equipped with spe-
cial permit from the consulate concerned.
Thirdly, the native government was not
allowed to levy professional taxes upon
the foreign residents; and fourthly, it
could not regulate the amount of its
customs duties without the consent OF
the foreign powers. In general, the
shove privileges may be regarded as con-
stitutng 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 it is rather astonishing that treat
les which have constituted the very con-
dtion of Turkeys existence as a State
are now abrogated without warning and
without negotiation. Such 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
hpppIIgp If evident 70 them but I, nd
ordinary circumstances the said Govern
ment could not guarantee security and
freedom 10 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 1903 the Young Turks have
been continuously and insistently. clamor-
Ing for the abrogation of the capitua-
tions, 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-
nian massacres. troubles in Syria, oppres-
sion in Arabia, the insurrection in AL |
bana and the mala administration of af- |
1airs In Macedonia, following Immediately |
after the granting of the constitution, |
proved that much had yet to be done in |
the lire of political evolution
In plain words, Turkish law and ad-
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. |
think that it is the duty of the United
States, at present the greatest neutral
state to declare to Turkey that this
'olhtr| realizes its own responsibility
% Its own cltzers AS we'll as to those of
he European countries. and that 1t can
not brook the unwarranted breaking off |
y treaties; and to bring home to the
ottoman Government that this Govern
nent Is determined to make use of all
lecessary means to the end of securing
roper observance Of the treaties by the
ottoman Government"