Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-08-07
MORGEKTHAU SAVES
Foreigners FROM
TURKISH VENGEANCE
Two Thousand English and
French Civilians Would
Have Been Sacrificed
By Henry Wood.
Omitted Press staff correspondent

(umted Press staff correspondent
Constantinople, Aug 7.-(By courier
to Dedeagatch and cable to New York,
Aug. by dramatic move which
aroused even the admiration of the
Turks, American Ambassador Morgen.
thau saved 1000 English and French
civilians whom Enver Pasha, the Tur.
kish war minister, had decided to ex.
pose to the bombardment If the allied
fleet in the Dardanclles.
The fact that fifty French and Eng.
lish civilians were actually taken to
the Dardanelles to screen the Turks
from bombardment, but were rescued by
Ambassador Morgenthau has been
known in the Balkan capital for some
time. But the full story was learned
only today.
Angered by reports that several un.
defended villages had been shelled, En-.
yer Pasha secretly ordered the chief Of
police to transport all enemy civilians
from Constantnople to the Dardanelles.
He planned to scatter them through de.
serted Turkish villages, and then warn
the fleet that further bombardments
would result in the death of non.com.
batants of the allies.
The order of the war minister was
to have been executed on Monday
morning Morgenthau accidentally
heard of it the preceding evening. The
ambassador called Enver POsha on the
telephone Immediately and protested
with the result that the Young Turk
leader promised to spare women and
children by yeleaving them behind and
finally consented TO postpone eXecu
ton of his order until Thursday,
Ambassador Acts Promptly,
Ambassador Morgcnthau rushed cab
/ les to England and France. They neces
sarily took n roundabout route through
Washington and no response had beer
received on Wednesday. Desperate
Morgenthou again telcphoned Envei
Pasha, and asked for an audience,
al am sorry, but ! have not Il single
moment until 4 O'Clock when attend
the council Of Minister'S" was the re
ply given the ambassador.
''But unless you receive me by
o'clock, " Morgenthuu retorted, "I will
enter the council myself and insist up
on speaking to you"
This bold stroke won, Enyer PnshO
met the ambassador at 3 O'Clock and
they conferred for mn hour The wal
minister admitted he had acted hastily
"But the order is given and with
drawing it would weaken discipline
the Young Turk leader said 81 must
at least send some to make demonstra
/ tiOn, "
Morgenthau suggested that twenty
five Of the civilian allies be sent tC
the war area and finally compromised
/ on fifty. The ambassador supervised the
departure on the following morning Of
| a French and 90 English civilians the
police had collected, The scene at the
Golden Horn pier whore their friends
and relatives came to bid them good
byc--thcy were going to seemingly Ger
| tain dcath-was one of the most affect
| ing ever witnessed
Az the last moment an English pastor
volunteered to 60 ulong to offer spirit
nal consolation 10 the victims Am
b0SSnuOf MOfRrNlnuu sent uVIIHUI
Philip, first secretary Of the embassy
with them to see that they had food
Rescued at Eleventh Hour
Arriving at Gallipoli the party wa,
divided. They were quartcrcd in vacant
houses Of village which had beer
under fire for days and was deserted
except for cats and dogT For five day.
they hudded together IN huts, awaiting
the expected bombordmont Their hour
we're full of terror Az any moment
/ they expected to hear the duh boom Of
la gun the whine Of shell and huv'
their miserable hiding places knocked
to pieces about their ears.
On the sixth day courier arrived
from Constautinopc. Upon Ambnssodo
/ Morgenthau's plea, Enyer Posha ho'
agreed 70 their return TO Constautiuopll
Relatives sobbing with ioy met th,
seemingly doomed civilians al the pier
pittsburr Chronicle Telegraph VIII
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