The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-02-26


in Trebizond. told me that he has
seen caravans of thousand camels
pass h s door on their way to the port
carrying the treasures Of Persia and
India for Constantinople and the
West. Trebizond | understand, is to
he given to the Armenians for sea
port so that they can carry their own !
supplies to their republic without go
ing through the territory Of Georgia
do not think, however that the Turk |
ish nationalists will agree to this pro
posal OF the entente and the Armen'
fans VIII have difficulty in securing |
for themselves Black Sea port
My next stop on the coast was at
Samsoun, the tobacco center OF the
world. Several English and Ameri-
can firms are here and many wealthy
Greek corporal ons. The Greeks In
Samsoun were quite concerned in re
gard to the political situation Iheir
offensive in Smyrna and Thrace mas
awakened the keenest hatred and In
dignation among the Turks and one
cannot tell how soon a m itary trl-
umph in some city in Thrace may lead
to a terrible massacre in some peace.
ful town on the Anatolia shore II
the Turks cannot score in one way
they will IN another. II they Kali
Greeks in Samsoun it Is because the
Greeks have killed Turks IN Thrace'
They cannot distinguish between war
and massacre.
So anxious we're some OF the very
wealthy Greeks for their fortunes and
their families that 1t was a matter OF
common knowledge amony the Ameri-
can colony that rich Greeks had offer
ed in very definite terms fabulous
sums to American young men VINO
would marry their daughters. l heard
Of one case where 100000 was offer.
to a young American II he would
marry the daughter OF wealthy
Greek. Under such protection ! sup
pose he thought his own fortune
would be secure.
1t Is a great tn ng to be an Ameri-
can citizen in this country in THESE
Edayg. Although the Turks do not love
us too well for getting into the war
and depriving Germany and Turkey
of the fruits of victory, yet they
: know very we'll that America Is not
seeking to enrich herself at their eX-
pense or to grab any OF their precious
territory to exploit for Their own tine
Americans) benefit.
SO | think they have more respect
for the Americans than for any other
foreign nation Samsoun is the gate
way TO the interior of Asia NJ nor. \
great military h ghway leads from
the coast TO Marsovan, Tokat, Sivas,
g.. Malatia. Harpot, Diarbeke, Urfa, Aep
DO. connecting with caravan routes
| that cross the desert to Mosul and
. Bagdad and with the railroad connec,
ton with Damascus, Jerusalem and
, Egypt. II was along this highway
that / was to travel to reach the IN
ter or cities Of our mission stations
| where for many years schools, hospi
tails, colleges, and churches had been
) established but where during and
2 since the war only refugee and or
4 manage aud industrial work had beer
! carried on.
From Samsoun TO Harpoot 1t Is
z about 500 miles overland and although
/ made all the haste possible TO reach
Y HarnOot and way stations so that
: might speedily return TO Mrs. Crath
. ern I was not until November 5tf
that stood on the heights OF the
d mountain on which Harpoot is
blu lded.' had been so delayed OF
|. account of bad roads, rains and mud
. as we'll as by the orders Of the ma
xafhn CAnpHf Il
/. restrict the movements OF Americans
4 presumably to keep the news OF con
/. ditions in the territory they con
Y trolled from reaching the cap tai, tha
. found | could save time and trouble
; BY going out the other way,-that Il
i. lhy continuing my journey TO Mardin
8 Diarbeke. Urfa, Aleppo and Beyroutl
o and from thence 10 Constantinople b!
sea. learned that the way was opei
p and made all arrangements for th'
. Journey felt about as well as usual
. although had not calculated on th'
p fact that the several nights sleepnl
r in the open. and in the cold DAM
/. hahns OF Turkey had probably weak
o ened my cond ton. so that after leav
. ing Harpoot and finding myself alone
I in an ARABIA with only two Turks an'
/ 20 ng through country inhabited on
I " by Kurds and Turks, soon tounf
that | was not really in fit condition
n for such Il Journey. IL was over
h hundred miles 10 Diarbeke' the mex
4 place where 4 should find any Ameri
/ cans and before | reached that place
;. / was taken seriously Ill in ftt'
9 Kurdish village.
!. Al Dirabeke | remained two week
II very sick and N the doctors care al
the time. then left with the docto
a and nurse for Urfa, another 10 mile
). IN an ARABIA, and here ! have bee
since November % practically a pris
Il oner vi tn FIVE other Americans oe
n longing to the Near East relief by OF
6 ders OF the Mutifserh, who Is Tn
=. Turkish official corresponding to on
city MAYOR. TIE forbids us to leav
- tho city He says there is fighting a
4 the Euphrates EVER which we woul
=. have to cross on our way TO Aleppt
= and he does not wish us to run int
r any danger. His solicitude for on
I welfare is very assuring were 1t no
II for the fact that there is no tightin
n at the river, and that the way is ciea
S ly open for us to go if only he woul
o give us the permiss on We think
r. is because he does not wish any new
of the political situation to leak out I
Il A'eppo that may reach ears OF th
I French.
k We hear now however, that Their
@ is conference being held in Anger
4 and that soon the news may reach Il