The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-06
Turk and TeutOn
Ambassador Mornenthau's story o.
Great War Plots
BY HENRY MoRcENTHAU.


BY this timo We had moved from
the embassy 10 our summer home on
the B~osphorus. An the summer emhas-
sizes We're located there, and a more
beautiful SPOT ! have never seen. our
mouse was a three story building, some
thing in the Venetian style. behind Il
the cltt rose abruptly, with several ter
raced gardens towering one above the
other; the building stood SO near the
shore and the waters NJ the Bosphorus
rushed by so rapidly that when We sat
outside, especially on a moonlight
night, we had almost IA complete illu-
sion that We were sitting on the deck
or a last sailing ship, In the daytime
the ~Bosphorus. here little more than
eolored craft, I recall this animated
scene with particular vividncss because
retain In my mind the contrast Il
presented = few mAnths afterward,
when Turkeys entrance into the war
had the immediate result OF closing
this strait. Day by day the huge Rus
stan steamships, on their way from
Black sea ports 70 Smyrna. Alexandria
and other cities. made clear the inn
portanCe Of this little strip Of water.
and explained the hlody contests "
the European nations, extending over
n thousand years. for its possession.
However, these early summer months
were peaceful, all the ambassadors and
ministers and their families were
thrown constantly together. here daily
gathered the representative Of all the
powers that for the last four years
have been graphing in history's blood
lest war, all then apparently friends.
sitting around The same dining tables,
walking arm and arm upon the porches.
the ambassador Of one power would
most %graciousiy escort to dinner the
vile OF another whose country was
DnTnAng tho mnGf pnniEflr tn hts
own. Little groups would form after
dinner, the grand viSier would hold an
lmpromptu reception In one corner,
cabinet ministers would be whispering
IN another, a group Of ambassadors
would discuss the Greek situation out
on the porch. the Turkish officials
would glance quizzicRlly upon the ami
mated scene and perhaps comment
quietly In their own tongue, the Rus
sian ambassador would glide about the
room, pick out some one whom he
wished to talk to, lock arms and push
him into a corner for a surreptitious
tete-a-tete. Meanwhile our ION and
daughters, the Junior members of the
diplomatic CORDS. and the officers OF
the several statiOnaires, dancing and
flirting. seemed to think that the whole
proceeding had been arranged solely
for their amusement. And to realize,
While all this was going on. that neither
the grand vtzier, nor any OF the other
high Turkish officials would leave the
house without outriders and bodyguards
to protect them from assassination
Whatever other emotions such a VibTat-
ing atmosphere might arouse, 1t was
certainly alive with interest. ! felt
also that there was something electric
about 1t all, war was ever the IA vorite
topic OF conversation; everyone seemed
to realize that this peaceful. frivolous
lire was trAnsitory, and that at any mo-
ment might Come the spark that was
to set everything aflame.
Yet, when the crisis came, II pro-
duced no immediate sensation. On
June % We heard Of the assassination
OF the grand duke Of Austria and his
consort' Everybody received the news
calmly; there was, indeed, Il stunned
feeling that something momentous had
happened, but there was practically no
excitement. A day or two after this
tragedy | had a long talk with Talaat
on diplomatic matters; he made no
reference at alF to this event. | think
now that We were all affected by u
Kline of emotional paralysis-as we
were nearer the center than most poo
pie. We certainly realized the dangers
in the situation. In a day or two our
tongues seemed to have been loosened,
for we began to falkland to talk war.
When ! saw Won Mutius, the Ger
man charge, and Weit2, the diplomat
correspondent of the Frankfurter Eel
tung. they also discussed the impend-
ing conflict, and again they gave their
forecast a enthusiastically Germanic
touch; when val came, they said, OF
course the United States would take
advantage Of 1t to get all the Mexican
and South American tradet
When ! called upon PallaViCini to
express my condolences over the grand
dukes death he received mos with the
most stately solemnity. lie was con-
sciOus that he was representing the
imperial family, and his grief seemed
to be personal; one would think that
he had lost his own son | expressed
my adherence and that of my nation
for the deed, and our sympathy with the
aged emperor.
ia, ia, es list selr schrecklich' Eyes,
yes, It Is very terrible), he answered,
almost in a whisper,
Serbia will be condemned for her
conduct" he added, "She will be COM
PEELED to make reparatton.'
(To BE COntinucd)
In the recent world series baseball
games Boston set a new record for
errOrleSs fielding i'm SIX games The