Arizona republican., 1920-11-07
GOVERNMENT ! PROTEST POLICY IF TR|-PARTITE TURkACREEMENT
United States Will Insist On ''Open Door" Policy In Any Settlement of Turk ish Territory
TRepubIlcan A. p. Leased wIre1

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6. - While no protest has been made thus far by the state department against the tri-par- tite agreement by France, Great Brit ain and Italy defining spheres of influ- ence in Turkey. officials stated today that this did not mean that no objec- tion would be made against any pro- vision viewed as contravening open door policy in Turkey. The open door policy was insisted upon by the United States in the Turkish settlement, 1t was said when President Wilson was asked in March by the French government for his views ou the tentative draft of the Turkish treaty.
 The American note of March 24 said it is the understanding of the government of the United States that whatever territorial changes or ar engagements are made they will in no way place American citizens or cor porations of any other country in a less favorable situation than the citi- zens or corporations of any power party to this treaty.
 In some quarters 1t was contended today that the second paragraph of Article 2 of the tri-partite agreement did violate this principle. in excluding from the particular spheres of influ- ence reserved for each of the three powers the nationals of the two other contracting parties. The paragraph in question reads:
 Disputed Paragraph
 The contracting powers undertake not to apply nor to make or support applications on behalf of their citi- zens, fer industrial or commercial eon- sessions in an area in which the spe- cial interests of one of the said pow CTS are recognized, except in cases where such power declines or Is un- able to take advantage of it's special ! position"
 Although the cabled summary showed | Article 10 of the agreement to provide against any prejudice to the rights of nationals of non signatory states to free access for commercial and econ ornic purposes, the full text of the ar ticle, according to some officials. may l be construed otherwise. It reads: | Nothing in this agreement shall prejudice the right Of citizens of third states to free access for commercial and economic purposes to any of the areas defined in Article 5, subject to the reservations contained in the treaty of peace with Turkey or which have been voluntarily accepted for them selves in the present agreement by the contracting powers
 This is in effect nullifying the pre- vious declaration of equal opportunity to all nations, it is pointed out.
 Acting upon the principle of equa commercial opportunity for all nations in Turkey, as laid down in the Amer ican note, the United States already sought to apply that precept in Meso- potamia. Inquiry was made severa months ago of Great Britain concern ing the reported French British agree ment over the exploitation of oil 1T the Mesopotamia area. This core l spondence has not been made public
 Western Anatolia, in the sphere o
 Italian special interests under the tri-
 partite agreement, produced per cen
 of the worlds supply of chrome be
 fore the war. of which the United
 States imported in 1913 1S,200 tons
 besides quantity of emery It is alst
 practically the worlds sole source fol
 meerschaum.