New-York tribune., 1919-02-03
Present Government Hopes
to Obtain Modification
of Terms To Be Imposed
Young Turks scIleming
Former Rulers Have Plan
to Borrow From Allies
and Enjoy Power Again
Special Gable Serrics
Nam fnr,. Tribune

Nel0 oT@ Tribune
Copyright, 1919, New York Tribune lnc)
CONsTANTlNOPLE, Jan. % Via
London) Feb. 1.-The peace confer
ence proceedings are being watched
with the closest interest in this coun-
try. Naturally, every section of the
community has its own special reasons
Tor scrutlnizing events at Paris. The
Christian nations are chiefly inter
ested to know how they are to be freed
of Turkish rule. The Turks, on the
other hand, are anxious to ascertain
how much Of their empire will be left.
lurklsh newspapers are commenting
upon the fact that the conference be-
gan without invitations to deputations
Oh enemy states to participate This is
absolute conformity with the Turkish
mentality, which imagines that the
vanquished are equal with the victors.
Meanwhile the under-secretaries Of
state for various ministries are busilv
preparing dossiers of evidence to
prove that "it wasn't l."
Among these dossiers is one being
specially prepared by Ikmet Bey. I'M
oer secretary Tor Foreign Affairs. in
tended to show that the Armenians
themselves were responsible for the
troubles of Armenia. their revolution-
airy committees having been invited to
massacre Turks by Russian and Brit
lsh agents.
Not Likely to Help Cause
IL VIII hardly help their case to in
ciude IN their documents such refer
ences as "the slavery of Lord Kitch-
eher IN Lower Egypt" "dramatic events
III IL lhdIa' reXtermination of the brave
fortunate Irish, whose situation is i,sst
as unfortunate as that of the Arme-
mans"
This dossier is also designed for
use to prove that a majority of the
population in the Armenian vilavets
are Mussulmans to-day This NAV be
SO because the determination of 1900
600 persons naturally disturbs the bal
ance OF nationalities. Endeavors also
arc being mades to prove that the re-
tentIon OF the Yemen is absolutely
vital to Turkey on account of its trade
and religious connections.
In spite OF numerous rumors. the
turkish delegates who will go to Paris
Tor the final peace conference have not
yet been chosen. but Tew6k Pasha
himself probably will head the Otto
man deputation, and it is said he will
have as associates Prince Subasedf.
the Liberal leader who fed Turkey
after the murder of Mahmoud Chefket
pasha, and Ahmed Ria Bey, president
or the senate and chief adviser of the
Sultan. who is we'll known in Paris.
Ria. it is expected. will leave soon
n nj 1ou L,
lty for Turkey. He does not expect
altogether to change the intention of
the peace conferrees, but hopes to OBJ
tam a modification of penalties.
Worried About the Food Supply
Turkish newspapers are worried
about the food situation even more
than about the peace conference. The
question of food and that of communi-
cations are the sole preoccupations of |
tne poputace. Bread remains bad. sup
ply trans are still stopped and the |
water supply is only. intermittent. All |
this results from the Vaccinations of !
the Committee of Union and Progress. |
which is hindering in every way posi-
BILE the work of settlement to make the
position of the government untenable /
The occupation of Fhrace by Greek I
troops has elected various comments /
uihlnho vi III dNS, according
to British officers who have returned |
from there, are not altogether averse
to Greek occupation. They say:
III we cannot remain Turkish. then
let's be Greek, for if we remain under
the Bulgars we will be exterminated"
Fethy Bey, who was the Turkish
Minister at Sofia at the outbreak of
the war, declares that King Ferdinand
absolutely refused to sign a military /
convention with Turkey, always having |
IN mind the possibility Of being able !
to attack Turkey afterward
The Turkish government is under !
stood to have protested against the !
presence of Greek troops in Thrace,
so close to the Ottoman capital Mus
tapha Reshid Pasha is credited with
the remark, "The presence of Greek
troops at Chatalia is very disquisting."
Young Turks Menacing Again
1t is reported that the Young Turks
are soon to attempt to regain control
OF the country through its finances.
This should be carefully watched. It
will be remembered that Turkish
financial history since the middle of |