Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-12-27
Refuse to Attend Meeting Sub
Commission at Lausanne
Meet-Declare Armenians
Have No Official Standing
Allies Forced to Postpone
Meeting-Straits Problem
Still UnsOlved

Lausanne. Dec. 2G.-(By A. P.)-
Armenia was the storm center of the
Near East conference today. The
Turks refused to attend a meeting of
the sub-commission which had ar
ranged to hear the plea of the Ar
menians for the esta blishment of a
national home in Turkey, and both
Ismet Pasha and Risa Nur Bey sent
strongly worded communications to
the conference protesting against the
decision to allow the Armenians TO
state their cases.
The ydeclared that if the Arme-
mans, who had no official standing
ana represented no Independent gov
erhment, were heard by the confer
ence, there was no reason why the
egyptians or the Irish should not
oe dlloWed to present their demands
The so-called irregular EGYPTIAN
delegation has been waiting in Lau-
same for more than month for
permission to be heard by the con-
ference and voice a demand for the
independence of Egypt ard complete
withdrawal of the British army.
In consequence of the Turlsicb
protest the official meeting of the
sup-commlssion was postponed and
the representatives of the inviting
powers. Great Britain. France and
italy, sitting alone, listened to the
Armenian spokesman. who suggest
cd that a home be established in the
northeast vilayets of Turkey. which
should include historic Mount Ara
rat. or section in Cilicia. It was
impossible. he declared, for the pro-
posed Armenia home to amalgamate
with the Armenian republic of Fri
van, which had been taken over by
the Moscow Soviets. The Armenians
would willingly accept the same re-
lationship with Turkey as the do
minions with England In conclu-
sion he asked for exemption from
military service for the Armenians
and urged maintenance of the ORTIZ
odo xpatriarch in Constantinoplc.
The entente delegations took the
Armenian petition under advise
me.nt' as they did also petitions from
the Bulgarians and the ancient peo-
pie known as the Assyro- Chaldeans.
Noradunghian Pasha, once Turk
ish foreign minister, presented the
Armenian plea. He said that the
tragic events of 1915 had widened
the gulf between the Turks and the
Armenians. The young Turk gov
eminent at that time had not only
used unspeakable methods in deal
ing with those Armenians who were
loyal subjects of the Ottoman EN-
pire, he asserted, but they also
lacked the most elementary under
standing of the interests of their
country. Although Armenians were
serving in the Turkish army. there
were army deportations of Armen-
ians and suppression of a great part
fthe Armenian population without
the slightest pretext.
The Bulgarians requested that
100000 Bulgarians who had fled
from Oriental Thrace should be per-
mitted to return to that country,
which had become Turkish territory
and said they were ready to accept
the same treatment as Turkish citi-
zens.
Biblical history came before the
meeting when the representatives of
the Assyro- Chaldeans, who live in
Mesopotamia. arose. They wish to
maintain their own language and
customs and to be allowed to dwell
in peace. Their chief spokesman
said with dignity that history had
proved that Adam and Eve were
born in their country and the early
chapters of early life moved about
the Assyro-C haldeans.
Hopeful progress was made today
on the problem of the Greek patri-
arch. The French suggested as a
possible solution that permission be
granted the patriarch to remain in
Constantinople as an autonomous
archbishop, with the understanding
that he would in no way represent
political or administrative matters.
or voice the ambitions or incornate
aspirations of Greece; he would eX-
list as a religious figure. The Turks
later will give their views on this
suggestion.
The straits problem still remains
unsettled; the Allies are striving to
arrange some formula for general
collective guarantee that Turkey will
not be subjected to foreign agrees
sion. The Turks decline to grant
jurisdiction to the straits control
commission over the zones of demii-
itarization. as requested by the AL
lies. There is general expectation.
however, that the straits question
will be solved. although RCssia's ul-
innate attitude remains mystery.