Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-12-04

Lausanne, Dec. 4.-(By the Aasoci-
ated Press.)-Au delegates to the
Near East conference approached
todays session with the conviction
that the critical moment Of the dis
cussions was at hand.
The Big Problem.
The great problem Of today-that
Of the Dardanelles-is vitality inter-
esttng to all the powers including the
gates were to make their first ap-
pearance at the conference at this
session. Foreign Minister Tchitcherin
and M. Rakovsky have been in close
consultation with the Turks for the
last two days and there every evil
dence of great uneasiness among the
other delegations as to what may
come out Of today's session as a con-
crete result Of the combinations be-
tween the representatives of these
two countries who have come to
Lausanne in the guise Of allies.
Turkey wants the straits open to
Turkish warships alone, but Europe
and America desire the waterway
free to the naval craft of the entire
world. The treaty of Sevres, for
which Lausanne must find a substi-
tute, opens the straits to the mer-
chantmen and warships of all the
powers in peace and war, but no
blockade or act Of war is permissible
unless authorized by the League of
Nations. The treaty also provides
for an international commission of
control. A hot controversy is being
waged az to whether the Greeks in
Asia Minor have been ordered out by
the Turks and whether 1t is really
necessary that they leave Turkish
soil. Ismet Pasha contends the An
CORA government never ordered the
Greeks to leave and challenges the
production OF official proof, that such
orders were ever issued. M. Veni-
xelos and his associates on the Greek
delegation assert that 1t 5ts.. i'm possible
for the Greeks to live in Asia Minor,
saying that the Christian population
, Ia forced by circumstances ito leave
Eregard} OF whetfe4 official orders
are ;i.s 0aai6i6asas ,ss@s'
Feeling runs'so nigh between tins
ndoslemsand the Greek delegates that
mentS Of either slde without liberal
allowances because Of the bitterness
Eof tie charges and counter charges
The Turks insist that the Greeks are
UNNECESSARILY panicky. while: the lat
ter retort that wholesale massacr
and persecution make life absolutely
linsupportab BILE to, Christians in. Mos
lem territories. s.,,:.
900, 600 Greeks Flee.
Six hundred thousand. Greeks have
! already fed from Asia Minor and
Fridtjof Nansen estimates there are
at least as many more in Turkish
! territory. Ismet Pasha regards this
estimate as too high. Nansen is per
suaded, after extensive Investigation
Of conditions. in Turkey, that the
Greeks cannot remain there.
The Turks. on their part, charge
that Moslems In Greek territory fine
J life insupportable. They have ap
parently agreed to plans which Nan
sen is working out for the exchange
Of 10000 Moslem civilians in Greecs
for 100000 Greeks in Asia Minor.
More than 100000 Greeks ane
Turks are also held as prisoners o
war or hostages; thus there are vel
over 100000 persons whom Nanser
Ia striving to transplant In the Inter
ests of peace in the Near East. Thes'
figures do not include between 800,
900 and 100000 Greeks in Constants
nople whom the Turks want to ex
pei. Many Greeks in Moslem terri
tory are hundreds Of miles inlane
and far from the railways.