Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-03
sec'yHughesRep|ies
 To Bishop Cannon
Nothing to Justify U. s. Gov ernment Using Armed Forces to Pacify the Near East.

Washington, Oct ?. secretary Hughes declared tonight in cable mes sage to Dr. James Cannon, Jr. bishop ot the Methodist Episcopal church, south, who is in Paris, that the American gov ernment, in reference to the near eastern situation has not failed in any way tol make the sentiment of the American peo- ple understood and to take every appro- priate action.''
 The executive" Mir. Hughes added, "has no authority to go beyond thi5 and there has been no action. by congress which would justify this government i'll al attempt by armed forces to pacify the near east or to engage in acts of war m order to accomplish the results you desire with respect to the inhabitants of that territory and to determine the problems which have vexed Europe for genera | tions"
 The message was in reply to one from Bishop Cannon under date of eptenber l 50, in which he declared his personal be- | lief that Christian America will insist l that the government of the Unite't States cooperate actively to protect Christians | in Asia Minor not only automatically, but l if necessary with the army and navy to
 secure their result"
 | Prompt definitive-American demands" :" i Bishop Cannon continued, supported, if necessary by American naval units would prbably have prevented. certainly greatly minimized. smyrna fires and massacres. 1 I believe Almighty God will hold the government responsible for inaction while 1 thousands were murdered and deported 1 and for the failure to protect against the defiant heartless brutal kemaiist an l nouncement that all refugees not removed
 by today Saturday. be reported which deportation means thousands more added T .l- 1 tions. Will not our government realize l its opportunity and responsibility as a great Christian nation politically disinter- l ested to demand that burnings outrages ] and massacres cease and thus effectively 1 prevent probably repetition in Constant nople and Thrace of 1915, Sanlsoun and Smyrna horrors? I believe worldwide humanity would tremendously approve. l Who would dare condemn such horror Shall America have condemnation of Me roz? Judges 5-23."
 In his reply Secretary Hughes said ::
 Your telegram of September thirtieth reached me this morning. In the pres ent situation which has resulted from the clash of arms, the defeat of the Greek forces, inc incidents of the reNeat and the reprisals affected. not only have, we done all that is possible for relief and in laid of the refugees, but we have exerted T in an appropriate manner our influence iagainst all acts of cruelty and oppres.
 sions t-s-s..s a z
 On September sth. before the burnina
 of smyrna the American high commis.
 sioner at Constantinople voiced this coun try's feeling in earnestly impressing upor the Turkish nationalist authorities th<
 importance of taking the most energetic steps to insure the population, of the oc. 1 cupied territories against rePrisal. In structions have been sent to continue snf urge these representations and to empha size the importance of immediate peace ful settlement in the interest of human ity. have stated this governments un equivocal approval of the allied proposai |! , to insure effectively the protection of tn Christian minorities and the freedom O l the straits. American officials have inter vened to secure the prolongation of tn time limit for the evacuation of the refu
 gees from Smyrna. and thousands hav
 been evacuated as a result of American ? initiative.
 You will also recall that in June las l we agreed to join in an inquiry whicl we hoped would place responsibility an ! prevent the recurrence of atrocities
 "Keenly alive to every humanitarian in
 terest involved, this government has no s failed in any way to make the sentimen r of the American people understood and t r take every appropriate action. It is hard : ly necessary to add that we have takei @ proper measures for the protection o
 American interests.
 "As you are probably aware, tn d executive has no authority to go beyon t this and there has been no action by con e gress which would justify this govern - ment in an attempt by armed forces {
 pacify the near east or to engage in act
 of war in order to accomplish the result a you desire with respect to the inhabitant ,. of that territory and to determine tn n problems which have vexed Europe fo q generations