Evening star., 1923-04-13
PROTEST AGAINST
TURK GRANT FUTILE
Chester Says He Will Ignore
British and French Appeal
[: to Lausanne Diplomats.

The British ana the + renCn may
protest against the railroad. oil and
minerals concession by the Angora
government of Turkey to Rear Ad-
Yniral Colby NJ. Chester. confirming
grant made by the Sultan Abdul
Hamid regime fifteen years ago, un-
al they are blue in the face and
Ii will not do them one particle of
good. They may demand that the
Lausanne or any subsequent confer
ences recognize their rival claims,
hist as they did at the Genoa con-
ference in 1922 or the earlier Lau-
sanne conference, but it will not
help them any.
That is the view of the Chester in
terests, who are preparing to develop
these concessions and of the United
States Department of State, which
ooIsestently since 1909 has been sup
pnt tihs tha rights of these Ameri-
can nationals.
4 The situation is just this-that the
British. French and Germans ap-
proved the Chester project in 1911.
and their approval is on record in the
State Department. Furthermore, the
International tribunal can do nothing
about settling this matter. because
the United states has no rapresenta-
tiVes in the Lausanne conference. We
merely have observers" there to see
chat no one steps on our toes
While the British and French and
others were ~rangling over these
valuable concessions in diplomatic in
ternational conferences. the Chester
interests went out and got their orig
fnal concessions ratified by the only
power with authority to give rights
on the crown landS-the Turkish par
Uament
: The Lausanne conference is not
going to settle the controversy, nor
any other conference The Turks
who own this territory have already
settled it. and the Chester conces-
slonaires are going to go right
ahead with their development work,
just as they pledged to the Turks
that they would do.
The United States government can
not settle the matter. in view of the
British and French protest. because
this country is not in diplomatic
communication with Turkey. and so
cannot get official news. This gov
ernment broke off diplomatic rela-
tons with Turkey and has not recog-
nlzed the new Turkish government
So the American government has
nothing at all to do with the Chester
concession, except to support the
American nationals.
las an American citizen. Admiral
Chester has the right to go to tho
United States and demand protection
OF his rights as an American citizen
land that's just where this govern
lnent stands, being fully informed of
those rights at all stages of the nego-
tfationS lasting from 1908.
No Danger Of War.
This isn't going to bring on any
war-because no one in Europe wants
war, and Great Britain would not go
70 war for this oil-well, because
there are other interests she hates
more than she does the American in
terests
1.-TWO points are to be borne in mind:
'Ehe Chester concession antedates the
claim that Great Britain has set up
OF her rights in the Mesopotamian
oil fields and the American conces-
sion. under a recognized principle Of
International law, has not been abro-
gated by war, although war may
have caused d complete overturn of
existing governments Kemal Pasha
AND his government, therefore, not
only recognize the validity of the
Chester project as a matter of law.
but because of their confidence in the
good faith of the American govern
inent and America generally and
their suspicion of European govern
ments are eager to place American
capital in position where develop
ment work can begin.
Admiral Chester today said that he
has no concern whatever over the
british and French protests. because
they are licked" because he has the
Turkish governments authorization
and has the American people behind
him. with the United States govern
ment ready to protect his rights as
an American citizen. Press reports
reaching this country. he said, re-
fleet the British propaganda. which
has for years been endeavoring to
block his concession.
when this question was brought up
IN the Genoa conference in March,
1922, Admiral Chester went over, but
had the thought: What's the use
They will wrangle over something
they know nothing about" so he went
to Turkey instead and clinched his
concession. He got the Oil while
the others were wrangling.
Admiral Chester explains that in
1911 when the Chester project went
before the Turkish parliament 1t was
approved by the French government.
which approval is on file in the State
Department here, 50 they knew off,
cfa1ly all about the Chester project.
In 1921 Franklin Boullion. the French
ambassador to Turkey. made treaty
with the Angora government absorb
Ing practically all Of the economic
resources of Asia Minor. which had
been granted by the Turkish govern
rpent to the Chester syndicate in 1911
and which grant the French govern
ment had approved officially.
The. French ambassador at Con-
stantinople complimented the Amer
ican ambassador. John Ridgley Car
ter. in 1911 upon his diplomatic sue
cess.
Kemal Pasha he tore 1t in two and told
again. but that he couldn't have those
eSonGnTTie nnTn pd,SIiur reSGurce5 tsa in Anatoia
ond treaty with Turkey. giving to
the Angora government a vast amount
of purported claimed French terri
tory and with no economic resources
included.
England Out of 1t.
Franklin Boullon, finding that the
French were barred out Of the in
dustries of Anatolia, came to the
Chester syndicate and asked their CO.
operation SO that the French could
the Americans, which is the only way
they could get any part of the trade
Interests. as is the case with all
tAose countries now, as the Turks
nSt want to grab territory and have
no political ambitions in European
affairs whatever.
England has nothing at all to do
the Chester concession. England made
It; a part of her mandate through the
treaty of Genoa, but that has been
serapped-France tore 1t up and
Turkey never signed 1t and never
Will So England has no claim there.
Have Great Britain and France any
good reason to kick now against
what they approved away back in
1871?
Eonstantinople Is the diplomatic
Monte Carlo Of the world, with the
European nations playing around that
table for the last century. trying to
settle the near east by winning It's
riches over that table.
2The Lausanne conference cannot
settle the near east. Admiral Chester
points out. The Turks are settling It
tlemse Kemal Pasha Is the only
man who can settle 1T, and he is doing
It'll in fine shape. Admiral Chester be-
lieves, and that Turkey will settle the
peace of the world. When the con-
fsfences of the International tribune