The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-17
Sutton in FLIGHT
MOhammed vi Escapes Aboard
British Battleship.
Not Abdicating, He Says, But
Fears for His Life.
SOCIALIST LEADER is SLAIN
Great Britain Has Motives for
Protecting Sultan.
Status Will Be a Subject at the
Peace Conference.
SOCIALIST LEADER is SLAIN
CBy the Associated Press.)

London, Nov. 1T.-Hussien Hilmid
Bey, president of the Turkish socialist
stantinople, says an Exchange Tele-
graph dispatch from that city today.
The crime was ascribed to political
motives.
All attempts by the Kemalists to run
the interned Turkish destroyer, Ak
hissar, disguised as a merchantmen.
out of the Golden Horn, past the allied
control, was frustrated last night.
Mohammed VI, the Turkish sultan,
has fled from Constantinople on d
British warship bound for Malta.
Upon embarking the sultan empha-
sized that he was not abdicating but
merely removing himself from imme-
diate danger.
The sultan wrote to Lieutenant Gen
eraI Harrington, the British comman-
stating he considered his life to be in
danger and would like the British pro-
lection.
The sultan has been greatly exer-
ciSed over his status since the action
of the Turkish nationalist assembly at
Angora early this month voting to de-
prive him of his civil authority and
declaring the caliph or religious head
of Islam would hereafter be selected
from the imperial house by vote Of the
grand national assembly.
In the face of the filtration of ma
tionalist military elements into Con-
StantinopIe and the knowledge that
the Angora authorities would event.
ual1y be in full control in the Turkish
capital the sultan and his advisers
have been frankly at sea as to the
proper course for him to pursue.
At Mercy of Kcmalists.
The bulk of his guard went over to
the natiOnalistS and ConStantinopie
dispatches have pictured him virtually
at the mercy of the Kemalists should
they decide to make descent in force
on his palace. There have been ru-
mors that he had abdicated or was
about to do so, but there has been no
official confirmation of any such ac-
ton on his part There were strong
intimations, however, that he would
ask the allies for protection if the
need arose.
Political motives may be read in
some quarters into the flight of the
sultan on a British warship. Great
Britain concededly has strong motives
for seeing that no harm comes to the
caliph, in view of the many millions
cf Mussulmen subjects within her do
main, many of whom have given in
dications of disa agreement with the
action of the Turkish nationalists, dis
putting the power of the Turks alone
to take action affecting all Islam. The
question of the sultan's status, too, is
likely to come up at the Lausanne
conference about to open, and it now
appears probable that when the ques-
ton is being debated the caliph him
self will be under British protection
a refugee at Great Britain's naval
base in the Mediterranean.
Still Talking Peace.
(By the Associated PressJ.
Angora, Nov. 17.-Addressing the
national assembly on the allied post
ponement of the Lausanne peace con-
ference to November 20 Reouf Bey.
acting minister of foreign affairs, said:
I'VE desire a speedy peace. L must
reiterate that we will not accept the
responsibility for any untoward Incl
dents resulting from this adjustment
of the conference