The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1922-10-22
America May Take
Part in Near East
Peace Gathering
Busine. Interests Of Ameri.
cans, Freedom Of Straits and
Protection Of Minorities AT.
tracts y. s. Attention.
by GRAFTON WILCOX.

'H"HHpttoiis 1fts slf~- III" ii1tft
States, In the opinion OF Washington
observers. n becoming increasingly
Interested In the near east situation
inside from its humanitarian aspects
and may find II advisable 10 participate
IN some way in the coming near east.
ern peace conference for the purpose
OF drafting . peace treaty between
the Turkish natlonalists, Greece and
the allied powers
M far as the foreign powers are
concerned II II regarded here as prac.
tieally certain that Washington will
DO Invited TO, participate In the con.
ference when II IL arranged. Thus
far there has been no final agreement
ns 10 the conference. Should this
government decline 10 participate
formally ms II probably will do, IL In
regarded as almost inevitable that Il
WIZ ma way 10 express Itself In.
formally but foreibly on problems TINT
viii be presented for settlement.
Questions Of tho near east situation
uopn which this government would
assert Itself do not concern the pres.
ent territorial issues involved II IN
recalled that when Secretary Hughes
recently made statement approving
the allied proposals for freedom OF the
Dnrdcnelles and protection Of racial
and religious minorltIes he refrained
from expressing any opinion whatso.
ever on the territorial matters In.
yolyod.
Accept Allied Plans.
There ~ believed also 10 be every
evidence that this country, officially
~ least, ~ accepting tacltly the allied
pan 10 allow the return Of the Turks
IL Europe, M an accomplished fact
Although In this connection II IN re.
called that President Wilson, through
note sent by the Gtnte department
on Marsh 30 1890 TO the French am.
basaafor In Washington on the max.
ing Of the Sevres treaty with Turkey.
declared for The expulsion OF the
Turks from Europe.
An instance OF how important
American interests are involved in the
near eastern situation Is the posslbll.
ny Of The question Of extra territorial
RIGHTS held by the principal powers in
Turkey being taken up for settlement
In the pence conference with nation.
allst Turkey. These rights. called
"cnpituailons." have been denounced
by Mustnpha Renal pasha, the vic.
torlous nationalist leader.
III IL not expected that the powers
and probably least OF all the United
States, viii easily rcinqulsh these ex.
trsterrtorlal privileges which are en-.
jpycd by virtue of treaties with the
oil Turkish empire, despite the fact
that the old empire Is now In effect |
extinct as the result Of the complete
victory IN Asia Minor of Komal.
Would Protect Interests.
II seems likely, therefore. that II
tho question Of eapItulations Is to be
dispoaed Mt the Turkish peace con-
ference. the United States would
wnnt to be represented In some way,
T at least would proclaim its attitude
In definite terms In order TO protect |
American interests as they are In |
voved In such problems.
There are other and broader ques.
tons that viii come before this peace
conference In which the American |
government Is vitality Interested. Tx. |
nples Of these are the freedom Of the |
straits and the protection Of racial and |
religious mlnorities, which Secretary
Hughes dealt with in his recent state.
rnent on the situation. Great church |
influence In the United States are
lDsely TO advocate action by the gov
eminent toward the protection OF |
these mlnorlties, and, In fact, already
are doing So
In connection with specific and i'm.
mediate interests OF the United States
Ia the near eastern situation. II Is re.
called here that business interests Of
this country and the American cham.
Der OF commerce for the Levant have
tltsed this government TO take part In
the next near east peace conference
These interests declare that Ameri-
cans in the near east have been dis
eliminated against by the allies and
their nationals. with the tacit APP
proval OF those governments con.
cerned
Have Perfect Right.
There is no question here as to the
perfect right of the United States TO
sit In any peace conference TO settle
tho near eastern questions, regardless
OF the fact that this country never
was at war with Turkey in the late
world conflagratlon. This right was
well defined in the note OF this govern
mcnt under President Wilson, re-
ferred 10 above. And il Is understood
that Secretary Hughes has completely
concurred in this attitude, and has
taken a similar stand IN his negotla'
lions with Great Britain for the pro
lection 81 American interests in the
Mesopoiamla OH fields,
In the note Of March So 1890, the
United States stated that IL Gid not
deem il advisable to be represented By
plenlpolenitary at the conference
for making peace at that time with
the old Turkish empire, aud the under
standing hers is that tho Wilson ad
mlnistFation RETAINED from taking
formal part Ia tina, conference he
cause ~ the situation ct that time
over the Versailles treaty IN this
country Afrr stating that attitude,
however The American government
went an r. define ~ rlghls In the
Turkish situation. Ia the note as fal
lows
inlerrslsd In .fsaee
efhe president fssis. hewexeF, that
a. ths government u vitality intFf
sslsA "a us future pfaee ~ he wpEA
d shaull tfakig sNpfssa IT, We've To-
taVtasea solutions II the dinsFani
questions eanneelsI with the Turkish
tYeAfg Mhsa i u lrla thai the
la.ssd states Il Amattfa AS MS a.
var sHb Faikty 80 IA as % usg