Evening star., 1923-04-12
BIZ WILL p. KENNEDY.

Dispatches today stating that Great
| Britain has announced determination
to press vigorously at the Lausanne
| conference for recognition Of its
claim to the Mosul oil fields, believed
to be included in the concession grant
ed by Sultan Abdul Hamid to Rear
Admiral Colby N. Chester In 1909,
| which has just been ratified by the
nationalist Turkish parliament, at
Angora, arouses great interest
| throughout the world in the attitude
of the United States government.
| This government for more than fif-
teen years. since Admiral Chester
was first sent on a mission by Presi-
dent Roosevelt to secure this conces-
sion, through successive Secretaries
i of State, stood stanchly behind the
that their rights in the Mesopotamian
| field be protected against "the machi-
nations of allen powers" Secretary
Hughes, with the hearty approval and
advice of President Harding. is con-
tlnuing this consistent policy.
Review of Legal Aspects.
A review OF the legal aspects Of the
concession as found in the records OF
| the United States State Department
| is as follows:
! The Ottoman american Develop
ment Company OF New York, organ
| lied by Admiral Chester to operate
| the concession, which is the original
! owner OF the claim to construct rail-
roads In Turkey. was incorporated
| under the laws OF the state of New
! Jersey in 1909 and capitalized for
| 100000. When war broke out be-
| company had pending in the Turkish
| contract.
with the Ottoman government. in
which was a clause reading:
AT all times. in case Of inter
! proved. the delays fixed for execu-
! tion will be prolonged by one Of
equal duration to that Of the inter-
ruption of the works. on condition
/ that the society advises this officially
and Immediately in writing to the
| local authorities and the ministry
! Of public works.
War Blocked Building.
| Upon the breaking out Of war in
| 1911, it became apparent to every one
! connected with the franchise that
/ the construction of railroads could
/ not be effectively executed while bel
! ligerert action was going on in the
country. and consequently due notice
/ was sent to the Ottoman government,
! through the legal adviser to the COM
i I'any in Constantinople, that the
! n
| lay" in fulfilling the contract was in
! operation and that the $4,000 called
| for in the ,ontract, TO insure us
; fulfillment. as the final act OF com
j rletion would lot be deposited while
! the war lasted.
This formal notice Of the stay In
execution was duly acknowledged bT
4 a messenger sent from Turke.- 20 the
| United States. by the secretary OF
| parliament. Halil Bey, upon Its recon
! vening in November, saying that the
! legislature was ready to pass an act
ratifying the convention and urging
| that the company proceed with its ex-
ecution in spite of the war. This the
company naturally declined to do until
| the country was at peace again.
! Up Before NOr9enthnu.
Many times during the past twelve
wears, during which Turkey has been
engaged in almost continuous warfare.
| informal messages OF this character
! have been received by individuals con-
| nected with the concession. One such
call came through the former Ameri-
can amba ssador to the Ottoman en-
pire, Henry Morgenthau.
Shortly after he returned to the
United States from his mission abroad
he said to Admiral Chester that the
Turks frequently isterrogated him re-
garding the Chester project" and
wanted to know when the syndicate
would take over the concession. The
reply was. as It consistently has been.
when this cruel war Is over
The expenses incident TO keeping up
the mother company while waiting
the return of peace to distracted q
Turkey were unnecessarily large and,