NEW YORK, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1922

Page 1, Col. 1

TURKS PROCLAIM BANISHMENT EDICT TO 1,000,000 GREEKS

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Ismet, in Lausanne Conference, Gives Those Remaining in Turkey

Two Weeks'

Grace.

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ALLIES ACCEPT THE DICTUM

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Proceed to Discussion of Means of Evacuation -- Greeks in

Constantinople

Included.

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CONFERENCE RECESS SOON

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Leaders, Despairing of Agreement Now, Plan for an Adjournment

About Dec. 15

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NEW YORK, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1922

By EDWIN I. JAMES.

Special Cable to THE NEW YORK TIMES

LAUSANNE, Dec. 1.--A black page of modern history was written here today.

Ismet Pasha stood before the statesmen of the civilized world and admitted

that the banishment from Turkish territory of nearly a million Christian

Greeks, who were two million only a few short years ago had been decreed.

The Turkish Government graciously allows two more weeks for the great

exodus.

The statesmen of the civilized powers accepted the Turkish dictum and

set about ways to get those thousands of Greeks out of harm's way before

they should meet the fate of 800,000 Armenians who were massacred in

Anatolia in 1910 and 1917.

New Light on Turkish Massacres.

Here, in the beauty of the Winter sunshine of the Swiss Alps, diplomats

have been for ten days talking political problems with the Turks, treating

them as equals. Massacre and bloodshed seemed far away. But today a change

took place, and a new light was thrown on the situation. The facts are not

new: the world knows the Turks' cruelty and massacres. But the way their

crimes were presented this afternoon came like a clever stage effect.

As an audience may change from smiles to tears, the diplomats here seem

to have had their souls touched today as Lord Curzon unfolded the sinister

story of the fate of the Greeks in Asia Minor; and today's events cannot but

fail to have an important effect on the final settlement. In all probability

no treaty will be written at this session, and in two weeks the conference

will be adjourned, it is believed, to meet again in a month or six weeks. In

the meanwhile the Turks will have time to think things over and become more

reasonable or face the consequences.

Today's meeting was scheduled under the simple heading: "Exchange of

Prisoners." The delegates rolled in luxurious automobiles to the old

chateau. They left it two hours later with solemn faces. Within the ancient

walls the shades of murdered thousands had poured to have their say.

Dr. Nansen Reads His Report.

Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, who had been sent to Anatolia by the League of

Nations, read his report on conditions there and made the radical

recommendation that all Greeks under Turkish sovereignty be got away quickly

to save them from starvation or death by other agencies. It was immediately

apparent that something more than the mere discussion of the fate of some

few thousands of prisoners of war had been staged.

Ismet Pasha arose and said that the Turks were willing to begin the

discussion of means for getting all Greeks out of Turkey and suggested that

the conference proceed at once to take up the subject of minorities.

Lord Curzon declared that he felt that many thousands of lives were at

stake and said that quick action must be taken. He said that the Turks had

decreed that all Greeks in Anatolia must get out by the last day of November

and added that they had extended the date to December 13. Immediate steps,

Lord Curzon said must be taken to remove the Greeks by that date.

Ismet Admits Decree of Banishment.

Instead of retreating before Lord Curzon's attack, Ismet agreed that

the Greeks must leave Anatolia and volunteered the statement the Greeks in

Constantinople had better depart also. Lord Curzon protested that this would

mean great economic loss for Turkey. Ex-Premiere Venizelos declared that if

those hundreds of thousands were sent to Greece the country could not care

for them and would have to ask the United States for aid. When Lord Curzon

warned Ismet of danger to the Turks in Western Thrace, which remains Greek,

Ismet coolly replied that it might be good idea to trade the Greeks in

Turkey for the Turks in Greece.

Lord Curzon then said that he wished to give some statistics in order

that there might be a clear idea what was at stake. He said that figures

from American sources showed that before 1914 there were 1,600,000 Greeks in

Anatolia. Between 1914 and 1918 300,000 died, left the country or otherwise

disappeared. Between 1919 and 1922 another 200,00 left Anatolia or

disappeared. In September and October of this year another reduction of

500,000 took place leaving now 500,000 or 600,000 Greeks in Anatolia, most

of whom were males between 15 and 60, to whom the Turks had refused

permission to leave.

A Million Greeks Wiped Out.

"In other words" said the British Foreign Minister "a million Greeks

have been killed, deported or have died."

Lord Curzon said that there had been 300,000 Greeks in Constantipole,

most of whom were still there, 320,000 Greeks in Eastern Thrace, some of

whose families had been there for a thousand years and more, all had fled

before the dread of the Turks, leaving desert areas behind them.

Turning to the issue of the prisoners of war, Lord Curzon said that the

Greeks held 10,000 Turkish soldiers and about 3,800 Turkish civilians. The

Turks hold about 30,000 Greek soldiers. He further pointed out that there

were in Greece proper, in the Greek islands and Western Thrace 480,000

Moslems. He further mentioned 120,000 Greeks who have been deported by the

Turks into inner Anatolia. He recommended that immediate steps be taken to

solve the tragic problem.

Ismet demanded that the Greeks free at once the Turkish civilians whom

they held, whom he called hostages. He said that some of Lord Curzon's

figures were too high, but he did not deny that the Turks had decreed that

all Greeks must leave their territory. The outcome of the discussion was the

appointment of a subcommittee to consider means for getting the Greeks out

of Turkish territory.

This story of the fate of 2,000,000 Greeks who were in Turkey takes no

account of the wiping out of an almost equal number of Armenians of whom the

Turks wished to be rid. After the massacres of war times only about 300,000

Armenians remain in Turkey. There is almost an equal number in

Constantinople and Thrace. They must go somewhere else or be killed, in all

probability.

The Turks have been invited by the Allies to become members of the

League of Nations. They have replied that they will join when their friends,

the Reds of Moscow, are admitted.

Recess From About December 15 Planned.

Facing a situation which seems almost impossible, the leaders of the

Lausanne Conference have about decided to try to arrange a temporary

settlement of the most pressing issues between the Turks and the Greeks and

take a recess from about December 15 until the middle of January or the

first of February. It is reported that meanwhile Ismet Pasha will go to

Angora to explain the allied position on the larger questions.

On the issues of the exchange of prisoners, the protection of

minorities, the capitulations, the customs and the Ottoman debt, the

diplomats believe that an agreement can be reached with the Turks. But on

the issues of the European frontier of Turkey, the future of the Straits and

the Anatolian boundary line, it appears unlikely that as long as Ismet Pasha

sticks to his instructions, any agreement can be reached.

According to present plans, Ismet will take to Angora the proposals of

the Allies relating to these questions and endeavor to bring back new

instructions.

This proposal originated with Ismet Pasha and was tentatively approved

by Lord Curzon, who today communicated the suggestion to the *** *** ***

including the Americans *** *** *** would be taken to allow Ismet to confer

with the Angora Government in person, conversations with the Turkish

delegates reveal another idea, namely, that the Brussels conference may

produce a change in the complexion of the allied negotiations with the

Turks. The Turks feel that the allied unity at Lausanne which they did not

expect, is due to a bargain between England and France by which England has

promised France aid in the solution of the latter's economic problems,

including reparations.

The Turks reason that after the Brussels Conference the French will

either have the fruits of their bargain or will be ready to act against

Germany without British help. In either eventuality they calculate that

France may be ready to stand less firmly by the side of England against

themselves.

It seems scarcely believable that the Poincare Government could have

given the Turks any encouragement in such hopes, but nevertheless the Turks

seem confidential that they will lose nothing by waiting.

Turks Working With Russians.

On the issue of the Straits the Russians, whose chief delegate, George

Tchitcherin, arrived tonight, are ready to fight to the end the British

claims, whatever they may be. The Turks so far are working closely with the

Russians and are denying the British demands for the demilitarization of the

Straits. Coached by the Russians, they now refuse to listen to the proposal

to have the League of Nations guard the Straits, although three weeks ago in

Paris, Ismet said that the solution would be acceptable. While the British

demand the right to send their warships through the Straits into the Black

Sea, the Russians demand that the Straits be closed to all warships, as

before the World War.

With respect to the European frontier the Turks demand a bridgehead on

the western side of the Maritsa River, on the ground that it contains the

railroad station of Adrianople. The Allies refuse to allow the Turks to

cross the Maritsa, on the ground that it gives them an excellent bridgehead

for offensive operations in Europe.

The Anatolian frontier issue hinges on the Mosul oil fields, which the

British intend to keep within the borders of the Mesopotamian mandate, but

which the Turks claim for themselves.

On none of these three issues has the slightest progress been made

toward a settlement.

It is true the Turks maintain stoutly that the British have made them

proposals by which the Turks would get sovereignty over the district in

return for an assurance of oil concessions, the British giving assurances

that they could dispose of the French, Italian and American claims. Lord

Curzon himself authorized a denial that any such proposal has been made.

The basic trouble here is that the Turks present themselves as

conquerors having whipped the Greeks in 1922, while the Allies present

themselves as conquerors, having whipped the Turks in 1918. Ismet Pasha,

leading one side, acts on the basis of the Mudania armistice which marked

the halt of the victorious Turkish troops while Curzon, leading the other

side, acts on the basis of the Mudros armistice, which marked the halt of

the victorious Allied troops. Russian intervention on the one hand and ***

intervention on the other, serve to muddy the waters with the result of a

confusion which is almost complete.

M. Tchitcherin on his arrival went into a three-hour conference with

Ismet Pasha, head of the Turkish delegation. Tomorrow the Turks will

entertain the Russian delegation at luncheon.

In a statement to the press M. Tchitcherin said:

"Two principles will guide the Russian delegation at the Lausanne

conference.

"One is the principle of self-determination and the other is the need

for peace in the world. The first obviously applies to Turkey as well as to

other nations and, therefore, the Russians will demand an independent

Turkey. As for the second principle, we consider one of the essential

conditions for peace in the Near East is that the Straits shall be

effectively closed to all foreign warships."

Bulgaria Threatens to Fight Greece.

Premier Stambouliwaki of Bulgaria, in an interview tonight, declared

that he had quitted the Balkan League and was going to work with the Turks.

Furthermore, he said if the conference did not give Bulgaria the port of

Dedeaghatch and a corridor to the Aegean, the Bulgars would "go and get it."

"It is foolish to talk about the Balkan bloc," he said. "There is no

such thing. If this conference does not give us Dedeaghatch as demanded, we

will fight the Greeks for it."

"The Bulgarian Government is in complete accord with Turkey and ready

to support all her claims in return for Turkish support for our demand for

an outlet to the Aegean, which has been promised us and which we mean to

have."

M. Stambouliwaki said that as for the proportion of the Ottoman debt

owed by the parts of Bulgaria won from Turkey. Bulgaria would not pay one

cent.

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[Key to above article:

*** = indecipherable word in the original

*** *** *** = indecipherable phrase or sentence in the original]