The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-08-24
Smyrna of Today
Once Greatest Commercial
Mart of Asia, Now a Dead
City

Smyrna July 20.-Symrna. once
the greatest commercial mart IN
Asia, is now like a city dead. There
is little to show that it is the base
of Greek army Of 100000. For
months no cargo boats have enter
ed the harbor. Business through
out Asia Minor is paralyzed. Amer
leans control the little trading
that exists. There are three rea-
sons for this stoppage Of business.
One is the war, another is the hope
less rate of exchange (the Turkish
pound is worth about 65 cents), and
third is lack Of demand for for
eign goods.
AS there seems little likelihood Of
an abater MT Of the war between
the Greeks and Kemallsts, local
merchants see little hope of re-
vival of Smyrna's commercial su-
premacy. Many Of them have left
the place for Italy, England and
America, where they hope to find
greater prosperity.
The city itself is SO primitive and
unattractive that one wonders why
it has been such a bitter bone Of
contention between the Greeks and
Turks for so many centuries. But
OF course it is the rich agricultural
lands within the province OF Srny-
r7ia 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 dollars.
The treaty Of Sevres placed
Smyrna under Greek administra-
ton, with the .proviso that after
five years the population might ex-
press its preference for either Turk
or Greek control.
Although it has population Of
upward Of 400, 600 and is consid-
cred by both Turks and Greeks as
one of the most modern cities IN
Asia, Smyrna to- the visitor is dis
aDpointing and unattractive. Its
narrow, winding. crudely-cobbled
streets give off an offensive odor.
It's drainage system is deplorably
inadequate. Its transportation and
lighting facilities, 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
affairs. 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 accommodations the
authorities 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 almost driven out by bugs and
mosquitoes.
The city has few places Of
amusement. There are two or
three indifferent moving picture
theaters and numerous coffee
houses All over the Near East
the "coffee-house" in an institu-
ton. Here the population sits all
Gay slipping Turkish coffee, drink
ing oozo Ca drink that tastes like
aniseed) and talking politics.
The natives as rule are primi-
tive. indolent and superstltlous.
They carry conversation beads to
beguiIe the time. These they fin
ger and tumble by the hour. The
visitor might imagine the holders
of the beads were at prayer. Even
tie horses wear these curious con-
versation beads. But in these cases
they are used to keep away. as the
natives believe, the evil eye from