The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-05

dollars there In the interest of the So
cial development Of the people OF the
Ottoman Empire. while his field of ac-
ton was located in a region where Great
Britain controlled more Of China's trade
than was possessed by all the other
countries combined Lord Beresford
brought back a voluminous report of
conditions prevailing in his bailiwick,
published in book form, called THE
Breaking Up of China" l, on the other
hand. reported TO the American Board
OF Trade the dawn of new era in the
Ottoman Empire and the Waking Up
of Turkey"
Upon my acceptance of the duty dele
gated to me by New York's commercial
bodies application was made TO the Hon.
Elihu Root, Secretary Of State. for gov
ernmental support in such negotiations
ar might arise. and he agreed to sup
port the measure. and has done so ever
since in every possible way. Eventual
~ l was placed on special duty to
carry on this work under the directions
OF the Secretary of State by President
Roosevelt, who also took every oppor-
tunity to foster the enterprise. On it's
way home from its globe encircling
cruise in 1909 the American fleet was
directed to stop at Smyrna and take on
board twelve Turkish naval officers in
tne interest or the American concession.
Force without violence.
My selection for this delicate mission
was no doubt due to the fact that eight
years before, in 1899, I had been sent
with the United States battleship Ken
lucky. which | commanded, to Smyrna
TO lend moral support" to the United
States Minister at Constantinople in his
efforts to secure an indemnity for the
destruction of property belonging to
American missionaries in the so-called
Armenian massacres of 1896. While
there. were no instructions contem-
plating belligerent action received BY
me, there is way of using force with
out committing violence, and we applied
1t and secured the indemnity.
AS in all such matters occurring in
the Ottoman Empire. the visit of the
Kentucky to Turkish waters was imme-
diately made an excuse by some Euro
pean chanceleres in Constantinople to
carry out their selfish aims against the
Turk; and, as l was later told by the
Ottoman Minister to the United States.
he received commentator from the SUI.
tan for his efforts to prevent the two
countries from being embroled in an in
ternational war, while / was offered and
refused a decoration from the Sultan for
my pacific actions in the Ottoman capt.
tai at the same time.
Upon reaching Constantinople in June,
1908. | was met with most cordial in
vitation from the Sultan Abdul Hamid to
make myself at home in his beautiful
headquarters" and upon making known
the object OF my visit in less than a
months time l was tentatively granted a
concession to build railroad from the
vicinity of Alexandretta to and along
the Euphrates River as far as we de-
sired to go. Coupled with this grant
was request from his Majesty that
the American company to be formed to
take over this convention should also
undertake the construction by itself or
allocate to other industrial concerns,
the entire public works of the Ottoman
Empire. his only stipulation being that
the American syndicate, representing a
people who had no political axes to
grind in Turkey, should have charge OF
the work and be responsible for the full
filment of the contracts.
On July 23 I proceeded to Geneva, in