South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-14
SMYRNA CHANGED
FROM PROSPEROUS
INTO DEAD CITY,
War, Low Exchange and Lack
of Demand For Foreign
Goods Blamed.

SMYRNA. Aug. 1S.-Smyrna, once
I the greatest commercial mart in
Asia, is now like a city dead. There
| IS little to show that it is the base Of
a Greek army OF 100000. For
months no cargo boats have entered
the harbOr. Business throughout
Asia Minor is paralyzed. Americans
control the little trading that exists.
There are three reasons for this
stoppage OF business. One is the
war. another is the hopeless rate OF
exchange (the Turkish pound is
worth about 65 cents), and a third is
a lack OF demand for foreign goods.
As there seems little likelihood of
an abatement of the war between
the Greeks and Kemalists. local mer-
chants see little hope Of a revival of
Smyrnas commercial supremacy.
Many OF them have left the place for
Italy, England and America. where
they hope 10 find greater prosperity.
The city itself is so primitive and
unattraCtive that one wonders why
il has been such a bitter bone Of con-
tention between the Greeks and
Turks for so many centuries. But
of course It IS the rich agricultural
lands within the province Of Smyrna
that both sides covet. This area.
which the Turks call the Pearl of
Asia" is one Of the most fertile and
produces some OF the finest fruit in
the world. Smyrna figs and raisins
are household terms. The country
also yields the finest leaf tobacco
known. The yearly exports TO
America amount to millions Of dol
lars.
Disappointing to Americans.
The Treaty OF Sevres placed Smyr-
ma under Greek administration. with
the proviso that after five years the
population might express its prefer
ence for either Turk or Greek con-
troll.
Although It has a population OF
upward OF 100000 and is considered
by both Turks and Greeks as one of
the most modern cities in Asia.
Smyrna to the visitor is disappoint-
ing and unattractive. Its narrow.
winding. crudely-cobbled streets give
off an offensive odor It's drainage
system is deplorably inadequate. Its
transportation and lighting facili-
ties. too. are woefully defective
There is only a single tram, and that
consists Of a single-track. one-horse
line along the waterfront.
Then Smyrna's hotels are sad af-
fairs. The most modern of them is
40 years old. None OF them would
do credit to the smallest town in the
United States.
When King Constantine came here
the best accommodated the author
tiles could get for him was a small
eight-room terra Gotta house that
any farmer in America would own.
The king and his ministers were not
here two days before they were al
most driven out by bugs and mos
quitOes.
IndoIent and Superstitious.
The city has few places Of amuse-
ment. There are two or three indif-
ferent moving picture theaters and
numerous coffee houses. All over
the near east the coffee house" is
an institution. Here the population
sits all day slipping Turkish coffee,
drinking oozo ca drink that tastes
| like aniseed) and talking politics.
The natives as a rule are print
/ tive. indolent and superstitious They
lcarry conversation beads" TO beguile
/ the time. These they finger and
FUN BILE by the hour. The visitor
might imagine the holders of the
beads were at prayer. Even the
/ horses wear these curious converse
/ ton beads. But in these cases they
are used 70 keep away. as the natives
believe, the "evil eye" from the an
] iroa1