The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-10-01
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very careful not to let fall syllable
which might give offense in any
quarter. for any diplomat who shows
that he can't refrain bis mouth"
as Job said. is likely to be branded
as persona non grata." or in plain
English an Objectionable person, and
be recalled by his home country.
As we have already recorded, our
state department was forced recent
~ to give strong hint to German
ambassador Won Bernstruff and
Turkish Ambassadors Rustem Bey,
at Washington, that they must not
be so free with their criticisms OF
the way our government runs things.
As result of this call-down all the
diplomatic circle are on their good
behavior, and in fact they have de-
veloped decided reserve.
ltustem Bey speaks no les than II
different languages, and you can
imagine how hard it is to be silent
IN So many tongues at once. He is
not Turk. but Is part Scotch and
part Polish. The Scotch are noted
for their taclturnlty, 80 it must have
been the Polish part of him that did
the talking. However, he has made
nc apologies and in fact be has deity
detied Uncle Sam. In explaining
his indictment of this country ON its
lynching record and the way Wash
ington authorities are conducting
things he said:
There IS no clause in the press
laws of the United States, as there
is in those of European countries,
forbidding attacks on presidents of
countries, their religions, their gov
ernments. This and the tremendous
issues involved make me feel that [
was morally right. though conven-
tionally | may not he. in asking the
press not to forget the short comlngs
of this country when dealing with
Turkey"
The Turkish government has felt
| of late that our government was
hostile to it. One grievance is that
by act of congress this country sold
to Greece the battleships Mississippi
and Idaho. You remember these
were practically new ships and we
got $12,000.000 for them-this be-
ing almost what they cost. Greece,
by acquiring these fine warships,
was greatly strengthened against her
natural enemy Turkey.
On the other hand Turkey was
having two fine new battleships
built in England, and these would
have offset Greece's new boats. But
when the war broke out England
seized them and added them to her
own navy. Her real reason was
that Turkey was under German in
fuence and that if the new warships
were released they would probably
be used by Turkey to strengthen the
Austro- German naval power. Tur-
key complains that England has not
even paid her for the ships. No
doubt the reason for this is that
England means to hold this matter
over the head of Turkey, to keep
her from entering the war on the
side Of the Germans.
But it is easy to see how the Turks
feel. In order to retallate on the
Christian world the Turkish gov
eminent has now denounced the
long series of treaties dating back
several centuries under which fore
lgDers in Turkish territory were al
lowed many extraterrltorial" pri-
vlleges as they are called. It is
under these treaties that Americans
and other missionaries have es-
lablished schools, hospitals etc. in
Turkey.
Under them also the other powers
were able to dictate to Turkey aud
make her adjust her tariff and other
laws to snit them. They had coerced
Japan in the same way for half
century but several years ago that
country threw off their yoke. Now
Turkey is simply initiating japan
and taking advantage of the war
situation to take charge of her own
house," as Rus EN- Bey expresses it.
Germany asserts that England is
behind this new Turkish move. W bile
England says it is some of Germany's
work.
However Turkey is not in shape
to oefy either of the big powers and
she has little mercy to expect at the
hands of any of them. for ali they
want Of her is to get at her and
carve her up for their own benefit.
Though the powers are protesting
against Turkeys assertion on her
indecencies. thew will probably let