The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-06

uLu uUb1uL IU
TURKEY
This Fact is Given as the
Chief Reason for Neutral
ity Of Greece.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5-First among
the reasons offered in explanation Of
the tenacious neutrality of Greece is
that OF the widely scattered Hellenic
populations and business interests In
the Ottoman empire. An important
part Of the wealth Of Greece is earned
by the enterprises of its people with
out its borders, and Its sons, as cap
tains of near eastern industry and
commerce, have taken o leading and
lucrative part in the exploitation Of
Turkish lands. In illustration OF this
phase of the problem confronting the
statesmen at Athens. a study prepared
by the National Geographic Society on
the Greek interests in the Levant is
timely. 1t reads:
From Damascus to Adrianople.
and from Smyrna to Trebizond. Greek
capacity for buying and selling, and
for banking, has quickened CONNER
clal life in spite Of the heavy odds OF
the outworn forms Of Turkish ad-
ministration. Throughout this vast
territory, where western capital and
leaders are not to the fore, big bus
mess Is in the hands Of the Greeks,
to such an extent that plutocracy In
the Levant has almost become mat
ter OF nationality. Equipped with the
best training that the commercial
schools OF France and Germany can
give, with practical experience In the
big firms Of London. Paris, Berlin and
Vienna, and with q native business
acumen equal to that of the Jew, the
modern Greek has been able to carry
everything before him in those lands
Ieighboring his country where bus
mess methods have been at stand
still ever since the days of Joseph.
Beirut, Smyrna, Alexandretta, Con-
stantinople and Trebizond, all great
ports OF the Levant and the middle
East, number among their most for
tlnate citizens the wealthy Greek
merchants, bankers and shippers.
Navigation on the eastern Mediterra-
mean and on the Aegean sea is largely
in the hands of the Greeks, and, on
the Black sea, they successfully divide
their business with the Russians. Even
the interior trade of Turkey in Eu-
rope and Of Asia Minor is largely up
held by the vigor Of Greek enterprise.
Greek colonists have followed in
the wake Of Greek business, and the
larger commercial cities of the ports
have acquired a considerable number
Of Hellenic residents since the days Of
Greek independence. Moreover, there
have always been large native popu-
lations and settlements OF Greeks In
the realm of the sultan, outside Of
the Grecian peninsula, The whole
coast country OF Asia Minor, from the
Dardanelles to the Gulf Of Adalia, Is
dotted with innumerable Greek VII
lagos, many of the inhabitants Of
which are the descendants of the
proud Greek cities that first felt the
wrath Of the Persians in classic tines.
The Greek language is preserved in
these settlements, and they, in their
Importance and the number Of their
people, have made Greek one Of the
important languages of western Asia
Minor. ranking with, or higher than,
the other four idioms Of the land, Tur-
klsh, Armenian, Kurdish, Syriac.
1.-THE Turk is the least businesslike
Of all the elements in his empire. His
role, from his appearance in history
down to the present day. has been that
of the conqueror, Of the overload su-
perior to commerce and industry,
though often, where pressed by ne
cessity, working as a tiller Of the
soil. The careers open to him have
been the army, administrative offices.
the professions or the indolent ease
landlordism. AS a seller Of mer-
chandise, the Turk is the least enter
prising and the least importunate and
annoying Of all the peoples Of the
East; for he sits by his wares and
awaits phlegmatically the pleasure Of
Allah.
"Thus, business in the Ottoman
empire is completely in the hands Of
the Greeks. the Armenians, the
Arabs, the Jews and the great west
ern firms with branches in the middle
East. To the Greek has fallen the
lions share of the business. He has
always managed to get on with the
Turk, whereas the Jews and the Ar
menians have often failed signally to
maintain the favor of their overlords.
Especially has the Armenian succeed
ed in bringing down upon his luck
less head the relentless disapproval Of
the Moslem, Turk and Kurd.
"Shrewd in business and in poll
tics, adaptable, quick to make the
skill and methods of the West his own,
plant and persevering, the Greek has
enjoyed what might be termed the In
side path in the commerce of the L.
want.
being carried up to meet the position
of her right hand.
Sometimes it seemed as II her soul
fed her body for space and then re-
turned with reluctance to its earthly
Il. a. han