The St. Mary banner., 1922-09-23
BSITEH FLEET TO
STOP TURK ADVANCE
Smyrna Laid in Waste and
Christians Murdered by
Turk Hordes.


vened to block the threatened attemp,
of the Turks to regain Constantinople
and re-establis their empire in Eu-
rope.
The cabinet ordered the Mediterran,
can fleet to take whatever steps are
necessary to prevent the kemalist
| troops from concentrating and moving
across the straits to the European side.
where they could menace the city.
Five seaplanes and thirty flying Of,
ficers were sent from Malta for recon
noitering work.
The cabinets action was taken fol
| lowing a long session, at which the
whole Near Eastern situation and its
countless complications were thorough
ly discussed. 1t followed closely upon
dispatches quoting Mustapha kemaI
as declaring that he intended to take
Constantinople, even if it meant fight
ing Great Britain. ReinfOrcements are
being rushed by other nations as well
as Great Britain.
The cabinet also decided that a joint
note should be drawn up with France
and Italy if those nations are agree
able, notifying Kemal that they will
not tolerate any violation OF the neu-
tral zone.
Meantime the cabinet proposed that
all allied Warships in the vicinity of
the Dardanelles should be instructed
to prevent any attempt by the Turks
to cross the straits, or even to mobilize
transports for such crossing.
The victims at Smyrna number thou
sands, says a dispatch to the London
Times from Athens, quoting John Ma
nola of the American relief committee
as it's authority.
Smyrna has virtually ceased to ex-
ist, says the dispatch. The whole
town, with the exception of the
Turkish quarters and few houses
near the Nassamba railroad station
has been Quilted by the conflagration.
"The extent of the awful tragedy
was only properly realized Saturday
when the American steamship WinOna
arrived at Pireaus with 1900 refugees,
mainly Greeks and Armenians.
"The Winona left Smyrna Thursday.
The American captain declares his last
vision of the town was mass OF
flames, while the cries and screams
Of limo
the quay only few yards from the
burning buildings were audible when
the ship was mile away.
"The waters of the harbors were
shot by the Turks while trying to
reach the ships.
Some of the corpses had been hor-
ribly mangled by the propellers.
"The quay side was still thronged
with dense crowds Of all classes await.
ing a chance to escape. Explosions
were still occurring in the interior of
the city, and it is presumed the Turks
used incendiary bombs"
The Greek official news agency, in |
q statement Saturday at Athens, tells |
Of the horrors reported from Smyrna /
including the massacre of soldiers and /
Of the populace; of soldiers being de
capitated and others placed in sacks I
and thrown into the sea; Of women
and children being dispatched with
swords in the hands of the Turks, and t
The execution of Greeks and Armen.
ans for having allegedly served in
The Greek army
"The tragedy of Smyrna" says the
has caused profound con.
'ternation at Athens. Most of the
newspapers appear with black borders
The stores were closed Friday for two
hours as signal of mourning.
Many Greek soldiers who we're un.
lble to embark were cruelty killed.
)ne American reports having seen the
bodies Of many Greek soldiers with
'ut heads. Some of the decapitated
men were tied to posts. Other soldiers
we're sewn into sacks and thrown into
he sea. A great number of Armen
ans and Greeks were shot in masses.
THE details Of the savagery of the
'urks passes all imagination. An
american woman is said to have seen
he bodies of women who had been
isemboweled and their eyes bored
ut, and of children who had been kill.
d by sword thrusts through their
odieS. The scenes recall the butch
ries of Constatinople in 1853, when
ne city was taken by the Turks under
L."