The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06
MORGENTHAU'S CRITICISM

for the Chester concession in Asia
Minor as a fine stroke of business
for the Americans, attention should be
given to what Henry Morgenthau, for
mer ambassador to Turkey says on
the subject of the concession. ".
Norgenthau, is credited with being a
student of Near Eastern questions,
and enjoys good standing with intel
lectual people. He must be head.
Here are some of the statements he
makes:
The conclusion is still fair
one that any concession given by
the Turkish government is likely
to become eventually nothing
more than q revokable license.
When it ceases to suit the Turk
to support contract the contract
ceases to exist in his estimation.
This, in Mr.. Morgenthau's opinion,
makes it questionable whether the con-
cession can be regarded as a good
business proposition by American
capital. Next he says:
In the districts where some
5000 miles Of railway are said to
be planned, there is Turkish
population Of less than six mil
lion; that Of these eighty per cent
live on the soil or from the soil,
and the average earning power is
ovop 60 carka war ~
day What could the
railways transport to and from
these people? Passenger traffic
is out Of the question. Produc-
ton is small. Large factories do
not exist.
Mr.. Morgenthau contends that the
people buy only seconds and thirds,
and that their total purchases do not
amount to more than $1,500,000 a
year-certainly not enough money for
respectable business Of the United
States to scramble for. The former
ambassador expresses his surprise that
the state department has not acquaint-
ed itself with the actual state Of
things in Turkey. It's agents could
supply the information, with estimates
of the spending power of the popula-
ton, which estimates he declares
would provide almost conclusive ar
guments as to the impossibility for
years to come of earning interest on
the contemplated railroads. He is
convinced that some one is being
fooled, though not sure whether it
is the concessionaires, the Turks or
the American government.
This new open door leads into
a quasi vacuum. And in the
meantime the real solution Of the
Turkish problem is again post
poned There is some
thing expressly humiliating in the
fact that Americas first appear
ance since the war as participation
in international affairs, should
be as champion Of something
that takes the color of a mere
promotion scheme in one Of the
most disturbed areas on the
map.
Mr.. Morgenthau's idea is that the
Turk is playing America against tire
British and the French, in the hope
of dividing the powers, and thus gam
ing his own ends and that when he
gains those ends, he will squash the
concession.
The most cursory examination
of the present conditions in Tur-
key should convince our present
government, as we'll as our fl
nanciers, Of the sheer nonsense
of letting ourselves be involved,
or allowing a scheme of this kind
to be the cause Of our appear
ing to be at odds, even temper
erily, with our former allies, the
French and the British.
The Turkish diplomacy is based on
the idea that every nation has its
price, says the diplomat, and this is
now sought to be applied to the Unit
ed States. We owe it to ourselves,
he adds, to 60 into international af-
fairs with some semblance of the
spirit that moved us in 1917, and not,
rs appears from present official in
tentions, to make our entrance as the
champions of this peculiar enterprise.
2 We cannot claim to have any infor-
nation upon this subject other than is
to be gathered from the published re-
ports of parties said to be ip interest;
and therefore will not attempt to pass
judgment; but it must be recognized
that here is a very serious situation,
in which the policy Of our government
with relation not only to Turkey but
to our former allies is in question;
and that former public servant of
the highest standing and of special
means of being informed on the par
ticular subject pronounces a warning,
saying that the government is not
acquainted with the situation, and that
it ought to become acquainted be-
fore it ventures into international re-
lations so open to risk and so likely
to subject the government to criti-
cism if the enterprise should turn out
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