Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-15
ATTORNEY, A GREEK,
SAYS U. 5. SHOULD
PROTEST TO TURKEY
Friend of Consul Tsakonas
Here Declares Abroga-
lion of Treaties Concerns
Safety of Americans.

soterlos Nicholson, OF Washington, d
e. a Greek attorney and student Of in.
.crnationa law, who Is visiting in Phila.
delphIa, today told how the abrogatior
os the treaties by Turkey was of vital
concern TO the United states since by
that action the safety of every foreign
,ssIdent 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 o personal friend of Consul
Tsakonas, and on his way to New York
atopped off here to visit the official.
81 do not think" he said that tho
rlRnifcarce Of the captulntlons made
years ago by Turkey and now abrogated
Ia generally appreciated. Under them
foreign residents IN Turkey have had tho
right to be judged by their own respcc-
tive consulatcs exclusively: secondly,
they have possessed special civil privi-
lcges such that In all questions Of crimi-
nal procedure and in fact of general de-
portnent they have been liable solcly
10 their own governments. Thus, no
Turkish official has had tho right TO
enter into the dwelling of a foreigner or
arrest one, unless equipped with a spe-
clal permit from the consulate concerned
Thirdly, the native government was not
sallowed to levy professional taxes upon
bo
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 II
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-
dltlon of Turkeys existence as a State
are now abrogated without warning and |
without negotiation. Such a violation of |
mutual agreement Is q 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 |
10 effective measures in dcnouncing the |
violation.
Foreign statesmen of the preceding |
generations had forced the above con-
ceSsons from the Turkish Government |
because it was evident to them that under
ordinary circumstances tho 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
f,aa fotr 90 ,n ,fs 1;ry, |
tries. But with the advent of the new
regime in 1908 the Young Turks have
been continuously and insistently clamor-
Ing for the abrOgation of the capltula-
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-
man 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 constitutions
proved that much had yet to be done In
the line 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
'nred that safety. In which case,
.hnk that it is the duty of the United
States, at present the greatest neutral {
state, 10 declare to Turkey that this
country realizes Its own responsibility {
Q Its own citizers as well rs to those of
Re European countries. and that it can
rot brook the Tnwarranted breaking Oft
y treaties; and to bring home to the
ottoman Government that this Govern
nant is determined to make use of all
necessary means to the end OF securing ,
roper Observance OF the treaties by the
|ttoman Government"