The Washington herald., 1922-12-15
Turks Yield on Safeguards for
Christian Minorities Which
Threatened to Break ParIey
lsMET ANNOUNCES TERMS
KemaIist Delegate Remains
Firm in Refusal to Consider
Homeland for Armenians
By JOHN HADLEY.
Cosmopolitan News Service.

LAUSANNE, Dec. 14.-Ameri-
can mediation today dragged back
the Near East peace conference
from the brink of absolute col
lapse. Persuaded by the Ameri-
can observers that it would be
unwise to antagoniZe the allies
any further, Ismet Pasha, speak
ing for Turkey, agreed In prin-
ciple to the following:
1. Turkey will Join the League
of Nations just as soon as the
Near East peace treaty Is signed.
2. Turkey will consent to crea-
ton OF two League OF Nations
commissions, one to control the
Turkish Straits. the other to safe
guard the minority Christian pop
ulation in Asia Minor.
.. Turkey will grant amnesty to
political offenders.
FIRM AGAINST ARMENIANS.
The Turks, however, were ada
mant in their refusal to allow the
Armenians to establish a national
home land on Turkish soil.
Furthermore. they insisted that
the sub-commission on populations
order all Greeks living within
Turkish territory Except the
Greek residents of Constantinople
who were born there) exchanged
for Turks living in Greece. except
those occupying western Thrace-
HOPES FOR WITHDRAWAL.
Ismet Pasha outlined his new pro-
posals, saying he hoped they would
lead to withdrawal Of the charge
made yesterday by Lord CurZon
that the Turkish envoys were pur-
posely putting distractions in the
way of progress.
Ismet declared that allotting land
for an Armenian homeland would
be a violation of Turkish sover-
eighty and would lend itself in the
future to meddling in Turkish af-
fairs by foreign powers.
Following the session British del
egates said they looked for clear
sailing from now on.
NOT DUE TO THREAT.
Lord Curzon was frankly informed
by the Turks that their concessions
did not result from his threat yester-
day to end the conference at once
unless the Turks capitulated. 1smet
said that he and his colleagues had
acted in what they thought was the
best policy for their own country.
Lord Curzon did not take offense.
Il hope to see you within the
League in a few weeks" he said to
the Turkish ENJOYS.
nf the
League of Nations for admission Of
new members will not be held until
September. 1t is possible that an
extra session will be held in the
spring to vote Turkey into member
ship.
CLAUSES IN TREATY.
Clauses will be written into the
treaty safeguarding minorities simi-
lar to those in the treaties between
Jugo-Slavia, Austria and Bulgaria.
The American observers-Richard
washburn Child. Joseph c. Grew and
Admiral Mark Bristol-were justly
elated over the success OF their in
tervention. On the other hand.
George Tchitcherin, head Of the Sow
let delegation, and his Russian col
leagues, were cast into deepest
gloom. They wanted the conference
TO break down.
Tchitcherin refused to say what ef-
feet 1t would have upon Russo-Turk-
ish relations II Turkey entered the
League OF Nations. Russia IL not a
member and has never been invited
to join.
Diplomatic observers said they be-
neved that IL Turkey would consent
to Join the other powers 1t would go
far towards breaking down the
Russo-Turkish bloc, thus increasing
Rusia's isolation.