Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-08-15
GREAT COMMERCIAL
MART Of ASIA NOW
RESEMBLES DEAD
War and Exchange Rate Have
Stopped Flow of Business
Through Smyrna.

Smyrna, Aug. 14.-Smyrna, once the
greatest commercial mart in Asia, is
now like city dead. There is little
to show that it is the base of a Greek
army Of 100000. For months nc
cargo boats have entered the harbor
Business throughout Asia Minor is
paralyzed. Americans control the lit
tie trading that exists. There are
three reasons for this stoppage of bus
mess. One is the war, another is the
hopeless rate of exchange (the Turkish
pound is worth about 90 cents), and a
third is lack of demand for foreign
goods.
AS there seems little likelihood of
an abatement of the war between the
Greeks and Kemaists, local merchants
see little hope Of revival of Smyrna S
commercial supremacy. Many of them
have left the place for Italy, England
and America, where they hope to find
greater prosperity.
City Unattractive.
The city itself is so primitive and
unattractive that one wonders why it
has been such 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 Symrna 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 to-
bacco known. The yearly exports to
America amount to millions of dollars.
The Treaty of Sevres placed Smyrna
under Greek administration. with the
proviso that after five years the pop
uation might express its preference
for either Turk or Greek control.
Although it has population of up
ward of 100000 and is considered by
both Turks and Greeks as one of the
most modern cities in Asia, Smyrna
to the visitor is disappointing and un-
attractive. Its narrow, winding. crude
ly cobbled streets give off an offensive
odor. It's drainage system is deplor-
ably inadequate. It's transportation
and lighting facilities, too. are Woe
fully defective There is only single
tram, and that consists of "a single
track. one horse line along the water
front.
No COnveniences.
Then Smyrna's hotels are sad af-
.airs. The most modern of them is
10 years old None of them would do
.redit to the smallest town in the Unit
I'd States.
When King Constantine came here,
he best Accommodations the author-
les could get for him was small
eight terra Gotta house that any
armer in America would own. The
ding and his ministers were not here
.wo days before they were almost
Iriven out by bugs and mosquitoes.
The city has few places of amuse-
nent There are two Or three indif !
.erent moving picture theaters and
numerous coffee houses. All over the !!
Near East the "coffee-house" is an
Institution Here the population sits
Ill day slipping Turkish coffee, drink
ng oozo Ca drink that tastes like ami !
eed) and talking politics.
The natives as rule are primitive,
ndolent and superstitious. They carry
beads" to beguile the !
ime. These they finger and tumble !
" the hour. The visitor might i'm
gine the holders Of the beads were at
,rayer. Even the horses wear these
urious conversation beads. But in
hese cases they are used to keep
way, as the natives believe, the "evil |
Va" from The animal