Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-05-27
PROMOTE TRADE
IN NEAR EAST
Aims Of the American Chamber
Of Commerce for the Levant
Are Set Forth.
TO OPEN UP IMMENSE FIELD
constantinople Destined to Become
the Chicago Of Europe" Says New
President Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tunity for American Capital.


New York.-Constantinopie is des-
tined to become the Chicago of
Europe" according to an Interview
authorized by Mr. Lucien Irving
Thomas. a director of the STANDARD
OH company of New York, which com
pany has extensive interests through
out Asia and the Balkan states.
/ Mr.. Thomas lately returned from
visit TO Europe. Il learned. while
1 In London, that had been elected
president of the American chamber of
commerce for the Levant." said Mr..
/ Thomas. 81 refer to the newly-organ-
/ lied American section of the chamber,
now maintaining headquarters in New
York. 1t Will cooperate with the long
established chamber of the same name
which has its seat in Constantinople
The organization of this chamber
is a timely movement TO promote re-
ciprocal trade relations between Amer
| lea and that great area-extending
| from Egypt to Russia, and from Per
sia to Italy-of which Constantinople
Is the center.
Gateway to Vast Empires.
"yery few people apprecinte that
Eurone and Asia meet at rho feet of
constantInonle continued Mr. Thorn
as ..rbe chain of yaters the Der-
daneIles Tho Sea of M}Nmora and the
Rosnhorus made available for free
commerca onan tho gateway to vast
emnires of nonuIous and fertile terri-
torias hevond Whom We rea,ize that
Russia a country considerably moro
than twice az largo as the limited
st,tes has faw seanorts that ara not
,ce-boppd for tho greater mar, of tbe
year except those situated on the
Black sea. we may imagine what
enormous traffic will flow through Con-
stantinopIe when Russia. with a hun
dred million of her people nearby,
gets into her commercial stride"
"Then consider Roumnnia. now with
twice her former arena country of
great natural resources, with pres
ent population of l5OOO.OO0. Bulgaria
too. noted for sturdy and industri-
GUS population has her commercial
outlet on the Black sea. And even
on the farther side of the Black Sea
is n group of states which eventually
must occupy an important place in
overseas trade.
"Jugo Slavia, now vast in area by
comparison with Old Serbia, with
substantial natural resources and
population of over 100000 has. of
course. one trade outlet via the Adri-
attic. and another via the Danube to
the Black sea. Without any doubt the
Danube is soon to play much more
important part In the trade of the
Balkan states than 1t has ever done
In the past.
Has Natural Wealth.
Both /Jugo- Slavia and Greater
Greece will hold a more important
position than now In the Levantine
trade of the future Egypt Is growing
into land of commercial Significance.
While certain territories have been
detached from Turkey since the war,
there remains much fertile and valu-
able land. Turkey is rich in minerals
Of all kinds.
The war and its aftermath unset
exchange throughout the Near East.
and this has made commercial trans
actions difficult for the present. But
the natural wealth is there; and
population for the most part industri-
Gus. Trade must surely grow.
"a high official or nm International
bank. one who Is recopnIzed ms having
unusually broad and accurate knowi-
edge of Ottoman financial matters.
stated to me Mt Constantinople that
in Turkey fully s5OOO 900 In gold ia
boarded by the people in .stocking-leg
banks and not deposited at all with
the public bankers. In this connec
ton IL should be remembered that the
oriental mind is accustomed to think
financially. in terms of hard money