New-York tribune., 1922-10-03
Hughes Rejects
Church Appeal
To Fight Turks
Continued from page onc)

ties ana We have every intention of
protecting American interests Beyond
that we aro not prepared to go
Bishop Cannon's Cable
Secretary Hughes's message was in
reply to one dated September 80 from
Bishop Cannon, in which he gave as
his own opinion that christian Amer
lea will insist government United
States cooperate actively protect
Christians in Asia Minor, not only din
lomstically, but if necessary, with army
and navy, to secure their result"
Bishop Cannon's cable contnued:
Prompt, definite American demands.
supported If necessary by American
naval units present, probably would
nave prevented, certainly greatly mini
mlzed, smyrna fires and massacres. I
believe Almighty God will hold gov
ernment responsible for inaction while
thousands murdered and deported for
failure protect against defiant, heart
less, brutal Kemalist announcement
that all refugees not removed hy to-
day Saturday be deported, which de-
poTtatlon means thousands more added
to dead of previous Turkish deDorta
tions. Win not our government realizo
It's opportunity and responsibility as
great Christian nation, politically dis
interested, to demand that burninps.
outrages and massacres cease, and thus
effectively prevent probably repetition
III Constantinople and Thrace of
Smyrna horrors? | believe world divide
humanity would tremendously approve.
Who would dare condemn prohibition
further such horror? Shall America
have condemnation Of Merozo Judges.
v,23"
lfhe fifth chapter Of Judges, twenty
third verse, reads as follows:
Curse ye Meros, said the angel of
the Lord; curse yc bitterly the in
habitants thereof; because tbev came
not to the help of the Lord, to the help
of the Lord against tho mighty."l
Mr.. Hughes's Reply
Secretary Hughes's reply was as fol-
lows.
Your telegram of September 80
reached me this morning In the pres.
ent situation which has resulted from
the clash OF arms, the defeat o.. the
Greek, rGorces, the Incidents OF the re-
treat and the reprisals affected not
only have We done all that is possible
for relief and in aid of the refugees,
but we have exerted in an appropriate
manner of our influence against all acts
of cruelty and oppression.
"On September 8, before the burning
of Smyrna, the American High Com.
missioner at Constantinople voiced this
country's feeling in earnestly impress,
ing upon the Turkish Nationalist au-
thorities the importance of taking the
most energetic steps to insure the
population of the occupied territories
against reprisal. Instructions have
been sent to continue and urge these
representations and to emphasize the
Importance of immediate peaceful set
t!cment in the interest Of humanity. I
have stated this governments un-
cquivocal approval of the Allied pro-
posals to insure effectively the pro
lection of the Christian mnorities and
the freedom of the Straits. American
officers have interviewed to secure the
Irolongation of the time limit for the
evacuation of the refugees from
Smyrna, and thousands have been
evacuated as a result Of American
initiative.
"You will also recall that in June
last we agreed to join in an inquiry
which we hoped would place response
bility and prevent the recurrence of
"Keenly alive to every humanitarian
involved, this government has
not failed in any way 10 make the
sentiment of the American people un-
derstood and to take every appropriate
action. 1t is hardly necessary to add
that we have taken proper measures
for the protection of American inter
ests.
"As you are probably aware, the Ex-
ecutlve has no authority to go beyond
this, and there has been no action by
Congress which would justify this gov
ernment in an attempt by armed forces
to pacify the Near East or to engage in
acts of war in order to accom- plish the
results you desire with respect to the
Of that territory and to de-
termine the problems which have yexed
Europe for generations"