Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-04-10

markable, because 1t was achieved
| against the influence of Great Britain.
| France and Russia, particularly Great
Britai n.
! 1t fits in most opportunity with the
drive made by the Harding admins
tration, to secure. for the United
states. adequate oil resources-the
ratification OF the Columbian treaty,
| reversing the republican policy in
Congress during the eight years of
the Wilson regime, illustrating the
itensity of the drive.
The Chester railway and mining
concession, which includes develop
| ment Of the great Mosul oil region
and 1.2O0mile railroad In the Meso-
potamian field, is granted to an Amer
lean company. organized by Admiral
Chester, under the laws of Delaware,
called the Ottoman American Devel-
opment Company, Gen. George
Cocktails. who built the Panama
canal and who was head of the Ship
ping Board during the war. is presi-
dent or this company. Maj. c. NJ.
Is treasurer. Arthur Chester. another
| con, has been representing this COM
nany In Turkey during the last year.
| Kermit Roosevelt is also interested.
Supporting Rights Eight Yenrs.
During the last two administra-
| tions the State department has been
| automatically supporting the rights
| or this company against the machina-
| lions Of certain European govern
ments that have maintained an atti-
| tube of hostility against the Amer
! !can claim from the time the nego-
| tations were inaugurated
| The Secretary of State, in 1905 ap-
pointed Admiral Chester to represent
the American government in the ninth
international congress of geographers
at Geneva. At the request of the
! state department., he was permitted
! 10 remain abroad beyond his leave
from the Nav! Department, in order
10 act as a commissioner from the
! New Work Chamber of Commerce and
the New York State Board of Trade
| TO Undertake research into business
conditions in the near east arranged
| for by those bodies in conference
with the Secretary Of State.
! Roosevelt Took Hand.
| The instructions that Admiral Ches-
ter received from the Secretary Of
! the Navy were due to the personal
direction Of President Roosevelt that
Admiral Chester be given carte
| blanche authority to carry out a pub
lie policy, in which he was so deeply
! concerned as to dispatch a portion Of
| the battleship fleet to Turkey. with
| instructions to the commander TO re-
| ceive on board the vessels the officers
! of the Turkish navy for passage to
| the United States in the interests of
/ the concession this country through
Admiral Chester was trying to secure
4 in Turkey.
| Admiral Chester's selection for this
duty was based largely on the fact
! that few years before, while in
! command of the United States battle
| ship Kentucky, he had been sent with
! the ship to Smyrna on d delicate mis-
| sion. which had proved successful.
! During his visit to Constantinople he
/ had gained considerable knowledge
! Of the Turk and sent home some con-
| tidential messages from Abdul
President Mckinley. informing him of
! the strong desire of the sultan TO Sc
| cure the help Of Americans in the
uplift Of his county and countrynen.
! Got Concession In Month.
Upon making known his mission to
! Constantinople in 1908. Admiral Ches-
| ter in the short space of one month
! had secured q tentative concession for
/ the construction of a line of railroads
in the Ottoman empire, partly covered
| by the franchise now ratified, with
power to extend its operations into
| the construction OF all the public
works in Turkey, with the one pro-
! viso that the work should be done
! under American management.
| Upon the receipt Of Admiral Ches-
! ter's report concerning this tentative
/ convention, conferences were held
| with Secretary Root, and the syndi-
cate was assured the strong support
! of the American government not only
| in securing the concession, but in
! carrying 1t into effect, for it was
| only by such assurance that CAPT
| talists in the United States would
undertake a franchise of SO extensive
a character.
Backed by Home Government.
1t was pointed out to the State De-
partment that American capital had
never been invested, to any great ex-
tent, in Asia Minor. and it must be
definitely known that this new de-
parture into industrial fields in west
| ern Asia would receive the strong
| backing Of the home government be-
| fore engaging in an enterprise which
was sure to involve long and tedious
| Negotiations and substantial financial
| burden as well.
! 1t is a matter of record that not
! only was the syndicate assured Of
such support, but that in the ensuing
negotiations no attempt to open up
! trade for American citizens In for
/ eign country ever received more cor
! dial and helpful cooperation from
| our government than that accorded
| this group.
| 1t was with this understanding
that the Ottoman American Develop
|
apital enlisted in the cause of ad-
vancing American trade IN the near
east.
Based on ConsuIs Report.
The initiative in this great under
( taking originated in the State De-
partment itself. being based upon the
report from the United States con-
| sui at Alexandretta, as part OF the
! public policy in which the govern
ment was at the time greatly in
aterested.
After a bitter contest with the Bag
dad Railway Company, backed by all
the power of the German government,
welded by one of. the most astute
diplomatists, Baron Won Beibenstine,
| the German ambassador at CONSTANT
nople, superimposed by a secret con-
clave at the British embassy, a con-
vention was arranged with the Otto
man minister of public works, was
approved by the grand vizier and sent
to parliament for ratification when n
strong speech in its favor was made
! by the head OF the government him
self.
Every one knew that in this as
, sembly the American concessionaires
held the strong backing Of the ma
jority Of the delegates and there was
| no doubt that the concession was as
sured Of adoption when it reached
parliament. While the negotiations
were going on in Constantinople it
partment at Washington had com
municated with all the European
| powers interested in Turkey and had
! been informed that they were salts
fed with the verdict Of the Ottoman
Americans-even the German foreign
office going so far as to say that as
the convention had been harmonfzed
with German interests the kaiser was