Evening star., 1922-12-19
more WAR FEARED
BY TURK LEADER
Rafet Pasha Sees the Allies
Permitting Torches Near
Powder Barrels.
By CONSTANTINE BROWN.

Special Gable to Tho Star and Chicago Daily
! News. Copyright. 19:2)
| CONSTANTINOPLE, December 19.-
| 1T Is dangerous to allow men carry
ing torches to run loose near powder
barrels. but that is what the allies
are doing" said Rafet Pasha in an
interview the correspondent had with
him today. He referred to Russia's
desire to set the near east on fire
again.
| 1.-THE Turks do not desire war" con-
| tinued Rafet Pasha. I'VE are doing
our best to obtain a stable peace. but
that cannot come unless Turkeys just
claims are entirely satisfied. The
| Lausanne conference is making slow
progress. If the allies want to ad-
journ the conference until the begin
ming of next year we shall not oo.
ject, provided we are certain that
| something will then be accomplished.
| "Ismet Pasha would demand as
guarantees. first. the complete de-
mobilization of the Greek army. and.
second. the evacuation of CONSTANT
nople by allied troops. If these con-
! ditions are not accepted l fear that
/ mo! war is inevitable.
Turkey Maintaining Big Army.
Turkey is now very poor. but is
compelled to keep an army Of 10000
men mobilized. This is too heavy a
burden. Besides the soldiers near
Constantinople are suffering much.
1t is only because of their wonderful
patience and discipline that We are
able to keep them inactive. The coun-
try was devastated by the Greeks and
food and other supplies must be
brought great distances. All the
! towns and villages were ruined and
! in this very cold and rainy weather
the soldiers are compelled to live in
f, tents. We cannot see why our men
! should suffer while the allied troops
are comfortably installed in our bar
| racks In Constantinople We are
| anxious to demobilze even before d
] treaty is actually signed. provided
| the allies withdraw their troops from
Constantinople and the Greeks who
| are reinforcing their garrison in
! western Thrace. agree to demobiliZe
I their army.
! Rafet Pasha expressed himself as
| disappointed at the antiTurkish feel
ing in the United States and tried to
| prove that the Turks we're not harsh
| toward minorities.
! Not Racial or Religious Hatred.
The hatred against Armenians and
| Greeks is not racial or religious"
said Rafet. These so-called Otto
man citizens always were tools of
| those who wanted to see Turkey di-
| vided. and they tried to prevent Tu-
! keys national unity. In the old days
| they were tools in the hands of the
Russians who wanted to control Con-
stantinople and all Turkey on the
| preteNt of protecting the Christians.
| During the world war they betrayed
! US for the allies and always worked
! for those who did not want TO see
Turkey an Independent and free state.
a Rri CT
| sistence. we granted permission to go
! to the Armenians and Greeks, who
on account of the state of war had
! not been allowed to leave Anatolia.
! propagandists in the United States
| and Europe are denouncins US for
white massacres.' On the other
hand. when. alarmed at the fact that
almost 100000 inhabitants had left
Constantinople We tried by force to
| prevent more from leaving. it was in
| terpreted to mean that we wanted 10
[ keep them as hostages.
! Il fear we can do nothing to sat
| isfy public opinion abroad. We ought
| to proceed to reorganiZe the country
and let the foreigners see the results.
l am sorry that many desirable for
! eigners are leaving Turkey. but I am
convinced that as soon as they see
/; that they are needed and wanted they
! will return"
| Turkey Always MiaundefstoOd.
! Rafet Pasha complained that Tur-
key had always been misunderstood
| by the allies who in 1914 had thrown
her into the arms of Germany and
! repeated the mistake in 1920 When
! they forced her to seek support from
| Russia.
| "Russi is not our natural friend"
said Rafet. land II she has helped US
lately it has been sloely because she
| wanted to harm the allies. Since the
| armistice we have looked longingly
| for assistance from the allies, but
! they are SO shortsighted and misin-
! formed that they have scorneI us and
| forced us to accept Russia's assist
ance. In the struggle for national
life we are compelled to accept help
/ from those who are willing to give IT,
! but our policy aims a, nothing in
! common with the Russians"