Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-03-13
TELLS OF EXPERIENCES
J. G. Turk Talks on Conditions II
AIeppO and ConstantinOple

Joseph c. Turk. who recently go. out
Of Constantinope, where he was held for
some months and unable to communicate
with his family in this city, as narrated
in the Free Press short time ago. has
been interviewed in Paris foc the
European edition of the New York
Herald. The Herald says:
After three years in Turkey, J. Colver-
Turk. manager in Syria for the New
York importing house of the MacAn-
drews and Forbes company, has arrived in
Paris on his way hme. He has been in
consultation with members of the
American peace delegation at the Hotel
de Crillon in regard to food conditions in
Syria and other former Turkish pro-
vinces and concerning the re-establish-
ment of American trade in the Near East
especially as 1t is affected by the present
shortage of shipping.
In an interview yesterday with
Herald reporter at the Hotel Terminus.
Mr.. Colvor Turk said:
"At my headquarters in Aleppo. my
firm has for years done a big business In
buying and shipping lcorice root, which
grows wild throughout Syria, Mesopo-
tamia, Anatola. Asia Minor. the eau
casus and the eastern shores Of the Cas-
plan Sea. Normally, we buy about 5000
pounds a day and send it by camel train
to Alexandretta, on the Eastern Medi-
terranean. for shipment to the United
States. Owing to the interruption of
sea TRANSFORMATION during the war. we
accumulated vast stores of licorice root
at Aleppo, awaiting the return of nor
NAL conditions. These evidently excited
the cupidty and rancor of the Germans,
! and their troops raded the stocks send
ing some of to Germany and burning a
lot of II during the fuel shortage
ACCUSED OF ENTENTE SYMPATHY
BECAUSE 7 was known "a an American
and in svmnathv with the entente
Diemel pasba minister os marine and
| Turkish commander in syria about a
wear apo denorted mo tn ConstantinonIe
Nv ,,,o rra,av. ,h,, $50 ,,,,,,,nuo,,. ~,
Moves in thu district were used 40 snies
70 obtain information of Turkish NOVA
ments which II was alleged trans.
mitted IN the British M Rapdad Mar
sbal FaIkenhavn was in command at
AlIenno during mar, of NV stav there
and ,oudlv Toasted thar be uouI6 march
on Baedad and bag the British there
"a lit,Ie scheme that fel, tbrougb Travail
LING througb tho country b,, wagon ,or
weeks together. had excellent onpor-
tun,tv ia study conditions went over
the Taur1ls Mountains in this NAV II
is evidence NJ Tur,,ish fr,end,,pees Tor
Americans that 7 was newer mo,ested In
nv travels The peasants and the SOL
diers who are mostly NJ the neasant
class. are in n ptiabIe Might beiny half
starved and often in rags They are
robbed right and left nv theg officials
with the execution Of bribed officials
the Turks. as a rule dislike the Germans
for their oyerbearinR arrogance and
insoence. When the German.>left. how
ever the whole system of TRANSFORMATION
and supplies broke down with consequent
failure of food and coal provision. Re.
fore leaving. the Germans wrecked The
two coal mines on the Black Sea. which
were the country's main dependence for
fuel.
AMERICAN COLLEGES PROTECTED
"During my stay in Constantinople the
city was comparativeiy orderly II ia
not policed by the British Throuehout
the war the two American Colleges there
and at Beirut were protected and al
lowed to receive food supplies from Rul-
garia. The Germans were yery sore
over the surrender to the Allies under
the armstice terms of the Mount Taurus
tunnel. which they had completed only
two weeks before. This tunnel is as
long as that of ST. Gothard, and the
Huns had expended much money and
their best engineering skill for years on
its construction Tho Germaps bad aIuo