Evening star., 1922-09-17

State Department as we'll as of the
Navy in Constantinople. and has
been there since early in 1919. Diplo-
matte relations with Turkey, which
were severed on the initiative of
Turkey in 1917. have never been re-
sumed and Admiral Bristol has no
diplomatic status His duties in Con-
stantinople are to protect American
interests in general. He is not a
m ember Of any commission which is
administering any part Of Turkish
territory.
While the treaty of Sevres pro-
vided for American representation on
the so-called straits commission
which would control trade and COM
merce through the Dardanelles and
Bosporus. the American government
has never been called upon to decide
ton, as the commission has never
been formed. AS the United States
did not take part in drawing up the
original provisions in the Sevres
treaty regarding naturalization OF
the straits. it has not been a party to
any of the subsequent discussions
of this question between the allies.
1t was asserted yesterday. however.
that although the United States has
not taken part in the territorial set
tlement in Turkey nor entered into
any commitments which would in
volve it in any way at the present
time, this does not mean that the
government Is prepared to abandon
the interests of its citizens in that
country, whether of philanthropic
or Of a commercial character. These
interests. it was pointed out, would
naturally be affected by the Anal de-
termination in regard to the freedom
of the straits, and the discussions of
this question, therefore, are Icing
keenest interest.
Mandates Affect United States.
In cases where mandates have been
proposed for various former Turkish
territories the Washington govern
ment has maintained that II had the
right to be consulted before the man
dates were put into effect. since they
had been secured as the result of the
common victory over Germany and
her ally, Turkey.
In the same way the government
has insisted that capitulatory rights
should remain in force in the man.
dated territories until the mandate
has formally gone into effect, which.
by placing responsible European
power In control of the territory,
would give the government proper
ly constituted authority with which
to deal in taking up questions which
involved American nationals and their
interests. The same principle might
we'll apply to Turkey. and the Wash
ington government. as a participant
in the common victory over the CEN
tral powera would be in a 'positio on to
share in any privileges or rights
which the allied powers might en-
deavor to secure for their own in
Turkey.
Meanwhile the sufferings of Ameri-
cans in Smyrna or elsewhere In the
territory swept by the Turko-Greek
hostilities is sufficiently alarming to
have drawn many agencies mere into
the effort to furnish emergency relief.
A summary Of official Information In
dicates that the American colony in
Smyrna alone consisted of 200 or
more persons, of whom from so to 60
were native-born Americans doing
business in that city. Gable advices
said the colony has been evacuated.
due to the fire and disturbances In
Smyrna since Turkish occupation took
place. So far as known definitely
only fourteen naturalized Americans
in Smyrna are unaccounted for. and
it Is believed here that these fourteen
may have followed relatives to places
of safety outside the city.
100000 Destitute.
The native-born Americans are en-
ployed largely in the offices of Ameri-
can companies doing business in
Smyrna, such as the STANDARD on
Company the MacAndrews & Forbes
Licoriee Company. the American To-
baceo Company of the Orient. the
Gary Tobacco Company, the j. L.
Reynolds Tobacco Company, the
Standard Commercial Tobacco Com
pany, or were working in the Ameri-
can missionary schools or similar in
stitutions.
Admiral Bristol at Constantinople
already has organized disaster re-
lief committee, and two representa-
tives of this committee, Maj. C. c.
Davis of the Red Cross and C. A.
Jaquith of the Near East Relief. were
sent to Smyrna on a destroyer and
have been active in co-operat tion
there with Consul Horton and Capt
Hepburn. American naval commander
in getting American refugees out OF
the city. The hrst large group OF
$50 American citizens was taken to
PiFaeus by the consul general and
others to Saloniki and Rodosto.
The official advices Indicate as to
the general condition of refugees of
all nationalities in and about Smyrna
that more than 100000 persons are
destitute and without food or shelter
in the coast towns of western Asia
Minor. In the village of Mudaria