The Washington herald., 1922-10-03
Hughes Answers Bishops
Appeal for U. S. to
Fight Turks.
NAVY WILL EXTEND
ITS RELIEF WORK
Two Divisions of Destroy.
ers and Cruiser Sail
For Near East.

Good people" who see the serious
situation in the Near East with preju-
diced eyes are not going to stampede
the United States into war.
This attitude on the part of the
American government was sent forth
here yesterday in comment upon the
recent appeal Of DR.. James Cannon.
junior bishop OF the Methodist-E -Epis-
copal Church South, that the United
States should cali out its army and
navy to help Greece fight the Turks.
Bishop Cannon's cabled appeal has
been received at the State Department,
where it is being studied by experts.
but the declaration is made by Off
cials that this government is not going
to issue a call to arms in this crisis.
Misquoted He Asserts.
Following receipt of the original
appeal the State Department last
night received and made pIblic a
new cableGram from Bishop Cannon
from Constantinople in which he
stated he had been misquoted pre-
viously by he press.
Il did not claim" he said. "t1at
the government would certainly
adopt that course" s@erri,g to the
reported statement that the United
States should protect Ch: in
Asia Minor. "if necessary with the
army and the navy"
But the Bishop continued, criti-
cizing the government, as follows:
You will recall American church
bodies urged the State Department
in July to take whatever steps nee
essary to protect Eastern Chris
tians. Prompt and definite Ameri-
can demands. supported IL necessary
by American naval units present.
probably would have prevented. GER
tainly greatly minimized Smyrna
fires and massacres.
Il believe Almighty God will hold
the U. S. government responsible for
inaction while thousands were
murdered and deported, and for fan
ure to protect them against the de-
fiant. Beartless and brutal KemSist
announcement that all refugees not
removed by Saturday. September 50.
be deported. which deportation
means thousands more will be added
to the dead.
Secretary Hughes Replies.
To this Secretary Hughes cabled
Bishop the following reply:
Your telegram reached me this
morning. In the present situation
which has resulted from the clash
Of arms, the defeat of the Greek
forces, the incidents of the retreat
and the reprisals effected. not only
have we done all that is possible
for relief and in aid of the refugees
but We have exerted in an appro-
pirate manner our influence agains,
all acts of cruelty and oppression
"On September s. before the burn.
ing of Smyrna the American High
Commissioner at Constantinoplt
voiced this country's feeling ir
earnestly impressing upon the Turk
ish nationalist authorities the i'm
portance of taking the most ener.
getic steps to insure the population
of the occupied territories against
reprisals. Instructions have beer
sent to continue and urge these
representations and to emphasize
| the Importance of mediate peace
full settlement in the interest of hu-
manity.
Points to Action Taken.
You will also recall that in June
last we agreed to join in an inquiry
which we hoped would place re-
sponsibility and prevent the recur.
renee of atrocities.
"Keenly alive to every humani.
tartan interest involved this govern
ment has not failed in any way to
make the sentiment of the Ameri-
can people understood and to take
every appropriate action.
las you are probably aware, the
executive has no authority to &c
beyond this and there has been nc
action by Congress which would
justify this government in an at
tempt by armed forces to pacify
the Near East or to engage in acts
of war in order to accomplish the
results you desire with respect tc
the Inhabitants of that territory anC
to determine the problems which
have vexed Europe for genera,
tions.'
While Secretary of the Navy DENLY
| and Secretary Hughes conferred yes
terday on matters pertaining to the
utilization of American war craft sem
to the Dardanelles, their discussion
had nothing whatever to di with any
~ n