Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-17
LOSS is ENORMOUS

LOSS is ENORMOUS
London, Sept. 16.-The commercial
loss in Smyrna as n result of the great
fire is enormous, all reports agree, and
falls to a great extent upon foreigners.
Apparently the whole trading quarter
was consumed with its immense store
of goods.
Members of British firms engaged
in the Levantine trade say the results
will be calamitous TO them. while
numbers of prosperous Greek
and Armenian traders face ruin. The
dried fruit. carpet, tobacco and cotton
goods trades are among the worst suf-
ferers.
NJ. c. Vittie, secretary of the
Smyrna British Chamber of Com
merce. told the Daily Express that
more than 100000 Of British capital
was sunk in Smyrna and the surround
ing districts. The loss of the dried
fruit crop was a heavy blow. The sea-
sons export trade had just begun; the
crop was above the average, and near
ly 0 5000 tons were awaiting ~exporta-
ton. All of this was burned, if the
accounts of the area covered by the
fire are accurate.
Kill Without Mercy
Twenty-Five thousand Christian
women and girls have been conveyed
toathe interior and distributed among
the Turkish soldiers says a dispatch
to the Times from NJ. Lascaris, editor
of Kosmos, a Smyrna newspaper, who
has arrived on the island of Mytilene.
New refugees from Smyrna arrived
here Friday morning. including many
Americans and English. They say the
Turks are using machine guns at the
street corners, killing Unfortunately,
the dispatch adds.
Great Britain is prepared to fight to
maintain the freedom of the Darda-
nelles. it was authoritatively stated
Saturday.
The statement came at the end of a
week of protracted cabinet meetings
arising from the near eastern crisis,
which has given rise to fears that the
Turkish nationalists might turn from
their successes over the Greek to at
tack the neutral zone around Con-
tantinople.
Reinforcing Troops
With this in mind Great Britain is
reinforcing her troops in CONSTANT
noble and has ordered the Mediter-
ranean fleet to oppose by every means
any infraction of the neutral zone or
any attempt by the Turks to cross
over to Europe.
Great Britain also has invited
Greece, Rumania, Jugo-Slavia and the
British dominiOns to give their assist
ance in this. if necessary. France and
Italy are said TO agree with Great
Britain on the necessity of maintain
ing the neutrality of the straits.
1t is indicated, however, that Great
Britain has not abandoned the original
agreement that the Turks should have
Co~nstsntinople if other matters were
satisfactorily composed, and the Lon
don government proposes an immedi-
ate conference to affect peace with
the Turks.
The British governments policy, as
authoritatively outlined Saturday aft
ernOon, is as follows:
The British government has adopted
the attitude that the effective and per-
manent freedom of the D~ardanelles is
a vital necessity, for the sake of which
it is prepared to make exertiOns, it
was authoritatively stated Saturday
afternoon.
The British government insists that
the straits affect British interests,
European interests and wrold interests
of the first order. Satisfaction is ex-
pressed hat the British views are
shared by France and Italy.
III NutSltOh " SOhol AAA "a
stands somewhat differently, the Brit
ish government maintains. In Janu-
airy Of last year, at the conference in
London, representatives of the Con-
stantinople-T Turkish and Angora-Turk-
ish governments were informed of the
intentions Of the allies to restore
Constantinople to the Turks, subject
TO other matters being satisfactorily
adjusted.
Wants Speedy Conference
1t is the wish of the British gov
eminent that a conference should be
held as speedily as possible. At this
conference a resolute and sustained eff
fort had been made to secure a state
peace with Turkey. Great Britain
holds, but such Il conference cannot
embark upOn its labOrs while there is
any question of the Kemalist forces
attacking the neutral zones by which
Constantinople, the Bosphorous and
the Dardanelles are protected.
The British and French govern
ments have instructed their high COM
missioners at COnstantinople to notify
Mustapha Renal and the Angora gov
eminent that these neutral zones, es-
tablished under the flags of three
great powers, must be respected.
Great Britain maintains. however,
that it would be futile and dangerous
in view Of the excited mood and ex-
travagant claim of the Kemalists, to
trust simply to diplomatic action.