The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-19
NEAR EAST
ROW FINDS
us. CALM
No Concern in Washing
ton About Unprotected
Americans.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

copyright, 1917, by The Argus.)
Washington, D. c., Sept. a.
Nothing in recent events illus
trates SO forcibly the changed at
mosphere Of Washington as COM
pared with pre-war days than the
manner in which the alarming
news from the near east has been
received.
Although several naturalized
Americans are known to be MISS
ing and the estimated loss to
American property owners is said
to be large, not a single resolution
demanding that American citi-
zens and their rights be protected"
has. been offered in congress and
nobody in any of the departments
Of government is anticipating any
movement Of the American fleet to
the Mediterranean or the dispatch
of any marines or any of the other
steps which are usually associated
with American citizens in peril. /
The truth is the ethusiasm for
the protection of American inter-
ests by the use of military or naval
force has waned. Even the mur-
der Of American citizens in Mexico
in recent months has failed to pro-
woke the Republican administrs-
ton or. the Democratic minority
into outbursts Of oratory or de-
nunciation. Congress goes calmly
on its way and officials at the state
department discuss placidly the
differences between an American
citizen who was horn in the United
States and one who was born
abroad and has become natural
lied, though there is no reason to
suppose any different policy will be
pursued even if the Americans in
Asia Minor we're all native Ameri-
cans.
Folks Are Calloused.
For the fact is the pre-war fer
vor about protecting Americans
has about disappeared. The ex-
perience in the great war has made
folks grow calloused to isolated
cases of trouble to Americans in
disturbed regions. The disinclina-
ton Of Great Britain to go to war
! over near eastern questions is re-
flected in most quarters here. 1t
would take direct attack on
American territory at most to rouse
any administration, Republican or
Democratic to action. The men,
Ory of human losses and the fright
full tax burdens inherited from the
war have made sabre-rattling un-
popular.
Naturally those who have insist
ed that American rights should be
protected by the American govern
ment do not feel comfortable over
the fact that Great Britain is send
ing her fleet to the Dardanelies
will probably become the protec-
tor of the American citizens in
volved but it will not be the first
time the British flag has protected
Americans as there have been
many instances of it in the Mexi-
can troubles of the last ten year.
Secretary Hughes is on the ocean
, enroute from Brazil and Acting
Secretary Phillips is following
closely the Harding policy of keep
ing hands off Europe. Thus far
except for a few messages Of in
quiry. there isn't the slightest evi-
dence that any more American na.
val vessels will be ordered to the
trouble area to assert American
rights. And the interesting thing
! is that congress by its silence ap.
proves what is going on. The same
opposition to an American man.
date in Armenia. the same feeling
of determination that Americs
shall maintain her position Of po.
litical isolation which has domin.
ated government policy for the last
year and a half, is strong enough
to prevent any action that might
even remotely involve the use .o1
force. II any Americans are il
peril the United States, looks tt
Great Britain and other European
powers to protect them just Al
the latter used to expect Amert'
ca to care for ell foreigners In thl
western hemisphere.