The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-12-04
RUSSIA BACKS
TURK RULE OF
.DARDANELLES
Urges Straits Closed
to Other Ships.
(By Associated Pressl

(By Associated PreSs)
LAUSANNE, Dec. 4.-The closing
OF the Dardanelles to all warships ex-
cept those of Turkey, and giving Tur-
key the right to fortify the straits,
were advocated by Foreign Minister
Tchitcherfn of Russia at today's meet
ing of the Lausanne conference, called
to discuss the question of the straits.
Ismet Pasha. leading Turkish dele
gates, asked for absolute Turkish con-
troll of the straits without demilitariz-
alton. The preliminary exposition OF
the questions by the representatives
of the great powers had not been COM
pleted when the meeting adjourned
Ex-Premier VeniZelos was accom-
panied by four guards to the meeting.
Detectives constantly are with him
now wherever he goes, owing to fear
OF an attempt to assassinate him
American Delegation
The American delegation included
Richard Washburn Child, Joseph G.
Grew, Rear-Admiral Bristol, Secretar-
les Belin and Amory.
Tchitcherin insisted that Turkish
by the presence of Turkish warships
in the straits, while the warships of
other powers should be prohibited
from entering them. He contended
also that Turkey should have author
ity to fortify the straits as a means
of safeguarding her independence and
particularly for the protection of her
capital, Constantinople.
FurOna and America dQsiro fho ua-
terway free to the naval craft of the
entire world. The treaty of Sevres,
for which Lausanne must find a sub
st1tute, opens the straits to the mer-
chantmen and warships of al 1.-The
powers in peace and war but no block
ade or act of war is permissible unless
authorized by the League of Nations.
The I~eaty also provides for an inter-
nati1nal commission of control.
Hot Controversy.
A hot controversy is being waged as
to whether the Greeks in Asia Minor
have been ordered out by the Turks
and whether it is really necessary that
they leave Turkish soil. Ismet Pasha
contends that the Angora government
never ordered the Greeks to leave and
challnges the production of official
proof that st1eh orders were ever is
sued. M. Venizelos and his associates
on the Greek delegation assert that it
is impossible for the Greeks to live in
Asia Minor, saying thSt the Christian
population is forced by circumstances
TO leave regardless of whether official
orders are issued, inasmuch as there
is no place of shelter for the Greeks if
thy depart
Rear Admiral Mark L. Bristol. one of
Americas observers at the conference
and American high commissioner at
Constantinople together with many
other foreign officials in Turkey. has
endeavored to discourage a helter-
skelter emigration of the 10000 Greek
refugees who are now gathered at
Samsun and other Black Sea ports
clamoring for ships to carry them to
Greece. Greek officials apparently
want these nationals to leave and
Fridtjof Nansen has asked America to
convoy the Greek ships which will be
sent to get them. The request has not
been complied with by the United
States.
Feeling Runs High.
Feeling runs so high between the
Moslem and the Greek delegates that
it is difficult to accept the statement
of either side without liberal allow
ances because of the bitterness of the
charges and countercharges. The
Turks insist that the Greeks are un-
necessarily panicky while the latter
retort that wholesale massacres and
persecution make life absolutely in
supportable to Christians in Moslem
territories
Six hundred thousand Greeks have
already fled to their native shores
from Asia Minor and Nansen estimates
that there are at least as many more
in Turkish territory. Ismet Pasha re-
CARDS this estimate as too high, Nan
sen is persuaded. after extensive in
vestigation of conditions in Turkey
that the Greeks cannot remain.
Life is 50 difficult for the Greeks
in Asia Miron that it does not take
any official mandate to move them:
they simply cannot stay" Nansen told
the Associated Press.
The Turks, on their part, charge
| that Moslems in Greek territory find
! life insupportable. Tney have appar-
emily agreed to plans which Nansen
is working out for the exchange of
100000 Moslem civilians in Greece for
500 900 Greeks in Asia Minor
Many Held Prisoners
More than 100000 Greeks and Turks
are also held as prisoners of war or
/ hostages; thus there are well over
100000 persons whom Nansen is
striving to transplant in the interests
of peace in the near east. These fig
ures do not include between 300. 900
and 100000 Greeks in Constantinople
whom the Turks want to expe1
\ The Turks are anxious that all ex-
changes be made at once SO that
! transportation will not be hampered
indefinitely by a disorganized move
ment which they insist would make
reconstruction work difficult in Asia
j Minor. The danger of great hard
ship through food shortage exists
if the exchanged populations are not
4 put on the new lands by February in
time for the planting.
4 Meantime there is no money avail.
able for this great task and the dan
ger of a rupture of the negotiations at
Lausanne threatens execution OF the
entire scheme.