Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-15
BIG FIGHT LOOMS ABROAD
ON CHESTER CONCESSION
Important Trick Taken by Americans in
Game for Center of Worlds
Oil Resources.
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

Turkish parliament carter
twenty-year fight against Bit
- ter foreign competition, during
a decade Of which Turkey was en-
gagged in continuous warfare) rati-
fication Of the Chester railway ana
mining concession, which practically
gives American interests charter TO
develop the natural resources OF a
portion Of that country and Is con-
sistent with the open door" for Amer
lean commerce in the near east, means
that an important chapter has been
written in the history of the world
war for oil reserves.
That desperate attempt Will De
made by Great Britain at the second
Lausanne conference. about to De
held, to gain recognition for rival
claim Is certain, and grave interna-
tional complications may arise. espe-
cially since official papers from the
secret archives of Germany disclose
international intrigues for monopoly
in the Mesopotamian oil field, to the
exclusion Of American interests.
On Way to, Lausanne.
While Rear Admiral Colby NJ. Ches-
ter, U. S. N, retired, who. with the
staunch support of President Roose-
. Welt and the then Secretary of State,
Elihu Root, and later Philander G.
Knox, secured these concessions orig
inaIly through personal good stand
ing with Sultan Abdul Hamid. is eX-
pected to attend the Lausanne con-
ference to safeguard the American
rights. his son. Arthur Chester. Is on
his way home from Constantinople
with the ratified proposals so that
the American organization may be
perfected for promptly developing the
gigantic concession.
This is the first genuine concession
now in effect covering the Mosul
area Further the Mosul area lies
to the north Of Mesopotamia proper
and should not really be included
under that name. 1t is a small part,
probably much less than one-nfth. !of
the great oil field region claimed by
the British under the name OF Meso-
potamia-
The claim of the British govern
ment to the whole Of the Mesopota-
milan oil region In this extended
view Is considered fimsy and In
valid by the greatest international
lawyers and the successive solicitors
of the United States Department OF
State. This claim, which Is shrouded
in mists, appears to be based merely
upon a promise by the minister of
finance of a concession to the Turk
ish Petroleum Company, which as
now reorgan Led Is said really to be
the British government camoufaged.
Under rather vague mandate lines
formulated but not agreed to since
the Versailles treaty, Great Britain
contends that the portion of the
Mosul oil region included in the
Chester concession is territory which
Turkey has no right to dispose of.
Fought at Every Stage.
Documents in the State Departm ent
show that the Turkish Petroleum
Company came into being as a Ger
man concession with the aid of two
British subjects in the year 1912,
shortly after the American syndicate
organized by Admiral Chester had
registered its claim for moratorium
proceedings regarding It's contract Of
1908 with the Turkish government. The
British press was then filled with re-
ports emanating from Constantinople
to the effect that the American con-
cessionaires had been beaten out by
the Germans. These false reports
were copied into the American papers
with injurious effect to the American
interests, and all efforts to chase them
down were futile. In spite of this,
however. the American company has
held fast to its legal title to the
concession, and has now been official
~ recognized by the Turkish gov
eminent with complete confirmation.
The purported German concession, now
claimed as a British organization. so
the papers in the State DEPARTING emit
point out, was never submitted to or
considered by the Ottoman parlia-
mont, the only authority under the
constitution of the country en-
nowered to grant title to crown lands.
To get down to shirt-sleeve lam
image. those who are best infor ned
in regard to this fight for the Meso-
potamian oil fields say that Great
britain Is playing a political game to
hazard. The success Of the British
claim now depends on the skill OF
British diplomacy, its ability to ma
nipuIate the political forces Of Asia
Minor and Europe, with advantages to
be derived from present international
dealousies and suspician. and finally
in all probability, on strong-arm dip
lomatio pressure.
Looking to the Future.
Az far as concerns the United
States government. the interest OF
the public in the Mosul oil or any
other outside of our own country Is
merely a matter Of resources IN
American hands and under American
control that may be used to supply
our days of need to come. Consist
emily, the State Department accord
ing1y persists in its expectation and
demand that the open-door policy
will be acknowledged In Mesopota-
mia as we'll as in other parts OF the
world, especially those parts in de-
termination Of whose political well
fare the United States through its
efforts to make the great war successful
has acquired indubitable interests.
Tt does not appear that tho State
Department is exerting itself in favor
of one oil company or one American
.vndicate against another. It's efforts
.re widely addressed to the safe
guarding of our own Industries and
,standards of living through the prin-
sIpIe insisted upon OF open door. Of equal
opportunity to our people with those
of other nations. B.. -