The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-09
SOVIET RUSSIA
ALLIED With.
THE TURKS
Demand of Ken1alists
For Control Of Dar-
danelles Supported
by Bolshevist Dele.
gates at Conference

Lausanne, Dec. 4 (By the Asso-
ciated Press) The fundamental
position Of Russia on TIE question
of the status to be given the Bos-
phorus, the Sea of Marmora and
the Dardaneiles was outlined by
Foreign Minister Chicherin, who
read a prepared statement in
French, of which the following Of
fetal summary was given out this
afternoon:
'.The Russian delegation will
strive to attain two objectsfrss,
quality of the positions and rights
Of Russia and her allies, the Uk-
raine and Georgia, with the posi-
tons and rights Of the other pow
ers; second, safeguarding Of the
peace and security Of the Russian
.err:tories and liberty Of their eco
nomic relations with the other pow
ers." |.
NJ. Chicherin conceded that per-
manent liberty of commercial naVi-
CATION and pacific maritime COM
munications in the Bosphorus. the
Sea of Marmora and the Dardanel-
les must be assured in the most abb
.solute manner and without restric-
tions. He said: Maintenance OF
peace on the i:iack sea and the Sc
curity of its coasts, peace in the
Near East and the security Of Con
stantinop1e shol:c be guaranteed
in durable manner. This means
that the Dardanelles and the Bos-
phorus, in time of peace as in
time of war. c.ght to be constant
ly closed to t:ie warships and arm
ed vessels, rs we'll as the military
ail.planes, Of all countries except
Turkey. only in this way can lib
erty of peaceful navigation in these
waters be efiectually guaranteed. I
NJ. Chicherin continued by saying
that the Russian government start:
ed with the elementary fact that
the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles
belong to Turkey and that the
Turkish people are to- full
sovereignty over their territory and
waters.
Could Defend Waters.
NJ. Chicherin said Turkey could
efecti-ely defend her waters
against attack by possessing the
right to fortify and arm her coasts
~ possessing a fleet Of warships
and by utilizing for her defense
every technical means Of modern
warefare.
NJ. chicherin then passed TO what
was interpreted as an allusion to
England. He said:
CLOSING the straits to other war
ships conforms to the principle OF
equality between states. Throwing
them open will give a prepondera-
ting position to the strongest mari
time power" #
Russia and her allied republics
NJ. Chicherin, argued, mad no ag-
gressive, bellicose Of miiitaristic
designs against the liberty of other
peoples; therefore they were in a
peculiar position to watch over the
interests of the working masses
and to contribute to the worlds
economic development. Their So
luton was the only possible So
luton of the straits problem.
The Russian leader added: "Sov-
let Russia in annulling without COM
pensation the agreements touch
ing upon the return Of Constant
ople to Russia. and in iberating all
the countries on the Mediterranean
basin from the former menace and
ambitions Of czarism, will never
permit a settlement Of the straits
question which would menace Rus
s;a's own security
He emphasized the importance OF
the straits for the economic pros
neritv of the Soviet federation. In
1910 more than 20 per cent. of the
entire Russian wheat expectation
passed through the ports Of the
BACK sea and Sea of Azov.
Protects Russia's Interests.
He said that. from the standpoint
of deiense. this straits solution
alone protected the vital eiemen-
.ary interests Of Russia and her al
lies. aad added:
sI.t suffices only to recall that 1t
was thanks to the free passage of
the straits by the naval forces OF
al the allies that the entente pow
ers were able to organize in South
ern Russia the armies of Denikine
and Wrangel and to help them in
their war against the Russian gov
ernment."
NJ. Chicherin cited passages from
the Turkish national pact, which In
sists upon the necessity of safe
gGardng the security Of CONSTANT
uople and the Sea Of Marmora and
which also says the ARgora govern
ment is ready to enter an agreement
assuring the opening of the straits
to world commerce and interna-
tional communications.
To him the security Of Constan-
tinople necessarily meant the clos
ing of the straits to the warships OF
the other powers. He said:
''The Russian delegation is con-
vinced that the situation now ex-
listing in the straits should make
way for the permanent equitable
regime which Russia and Turkey
suggest. If certain governments