The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-12-04
DARDANELLES
CRITICAL ISSUE
CIRCUMFERENCE
Turks Demand Straits be
Open Only to Her
g Warships
ALLIES ARE OPPOSED
Insist that Channel be Neu'
trail Zone for All
Powers
ALLIES ARE OPPOSED WANT HIS EVIDENCE
(Bv the Associated Press.)

Lausanne, Dec. ALL delegates
to the Near East conference ap-
preached today's session with the
conviction that the critical moment
cf the discussions was at hand.
The great problem of today-that
of the Dardanelles-is vitally inter-
esting to all the powers, including
the United States. The Russian de-
lecates were to make their first ap-
pearance at the conference at TINS
session. Foreign Minister Tchlt-
cherin and NJ. Rakovsky have been
in close consultation with the Turks
for the last two days and there is
evidence Of great uneasiness among
the other delegations as to what
may come out of today's session as
concrete result Of the confabula-
tions between the representatives OF
those two countries who have come
to Lausanne in the guise of allies
Seek Advantage 81
Turkey wants the straits open TO
Turkish warships alone, but Europe
and America desire the waterway
free to the naval craft Of the entire
world. The treaty Of Sevres, for
which Lausanne must find a substl-
tute, opens the straits to the mer'
chant men and warships of all the
powers in peace war but no blockade
or act of war is permissible unless
authorized by the league of nations
The treaty also provides for an in
ternational commission of control
A hot controversy is being waged
as to whether. the Greeks IN Asia.
Minor have been ordered out by the
Turks and whether it is really
necessary that they leave Turkish
soil. Ismet Pasha contends the An
CORA government never ordered the
Greeks to leave and challenges the
production of official proof that
such orders were ever issued. M
Venizelos and his associates on the
Greek delegation assert that it is
impossible for the Greeks to live in
Asia Minor, saying that the christi
an population is forced by circum-
stances to leave regardless OF
whether official orders ore issued
- Feeling Runs High
Feeling runs so high between the
Moslcm and the Greek delegates
thtat it is difficult to accept the
statements of either side without
liberal allowances because Of the
bitterness of the charges and count
er changes. The Turks insist that
the Greeks are unnecessarily pan
icky while the latter report that
wholesale massacres and persecu-
ton make life absolutely insupport-
able to christians in Moslem terri
tories.
Six hundred thousand Greeks
have already fled from Asia Minor
and Fridtjof Nansen estimates there
are at least as many more in Turk
ish territory. Ismet Pasha regards
this estimate as too high. Nansen is
dlLcI CHVShoA'S
gation on conditions in Turkey, that
the Greeks cannot. remain there.
The Turks on their part, change
that Moslem's in Greek territory
find life insupportable. They have
apparently agreed to plans which
Nansen is working out for the ex.
change of 100000 Moselm civilians
in Greece for 100000 Greeks in Asia
Minor.
More than 100000 Greeks and
Turks are also held as prisoners Of
war or hostages; thus there are well
over 100000 persons whom Nansen
is striving to transplant in the in
terests Of peace in the Near East
These figures do not included be-
tween 100000 and 100000 Greeks ir
Constantinople whom the Turks
want to expel. Many Greeks in Mos.
lem territory are hundreds of miles
inland and far from the railways.