AMERICA AND NEAR EAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18234, 30 October 1922, Page 7

AMERICA AND NEAR EAST.

INVITATION TO CONGRESS. OBSERVERS TO BE SENT. INTEREST IN SETTLEMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 6.10 p.m.) A. and N.Z. WASHINGTON. Oct. 28. It is announced at the State Department that the United States Government haa replied to the Allied invitation to participate .in the Near East Conference at Lausanne accepting, but it will send only observers to the conference. Thus the United States will not be represented officially but its representatives will report the proceedings to Washington. The declaration that more than one observer will bo sent by the United States indicates that besides an expert in international law, army and navy representatives, will also be present. The reply states that the United States will not bo represented officially because the United States has not been at war with Turkey and is not party to the Treaty of Sevres. Observers will be sent, however, because of American interests thr.t will be affected by any decision of Nea.r East problems, which include the protection and freedom of the Dardanelles and protection of religious minorities. FRENCH DELEGATION. M. BOUILLON DECLINES. A. and N.Z. PARIS. Oct. 27. M. Henri Franklin Bouillon, who was employed as French envoy to the Angora Government, has sent a letter to M. Poincaro declining to represent France at the Lausanne Conference, on the ground that it is necessary that every one should have implicit, faith in tho impartiality of the negotiators, and the attacks which the British press has made on him have shown that tho British public has refused to understand his role or his ideas. M. Poincare replied thanking M. Bouillon for the work for peace which he recently accomplished in tfio Near East. TURKS SHOW HIGH HAND. «» — ANTI-FOREIGN FEELING.

CAPITULATIONS ABOLISHED. Time*. CONSTANTINOPLE. Oct. 27. The news from Smyrna continues unsatisfactory. The Turkish Nationalists refuse to recognise the capitulations, and are busily expelling the remaining Greeks and Armenians. Imported, goods for Greek and Armenian consignees are seized, and heavy taxation of foreigners is threatened. Dock labourers are do. manding a minimum of £1 for a 7i hours' day. The captain of a foreign merchantman pointing out that this policy would drive out European merchants, received the startling reply from a high official, "That is what we want." Similar conditions prevail at the Black Sea ports, where it is reliably reported that Frenchmen were imprisoned and bastinadoed for importing a few bottles of wine into " dry" Kemaliatan. The Allied High Commission .s have protested strongly against the abolition of tho capitulations as well as the decision not to recognise the financial obligations of the Constantinople Government.