AS
THROWING some light on the spirit in which the foregoing pages have boon
written, I append the following letters, the first two from American missionary
associations, the third from a committee of prominent Turks at Smyrna:
AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS
Incorporated 1812
Congregational House, 14 Beacon Street, Boston,
Massachusetts.
March 22, 1923.
Doctor George Horton,
American Consul-General,
Care Consular Bureau, State Dept.,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Doctor Horton,
Enclosed
is a letter written by Mr. Getchell in behalf of the missionaries of Smyrna,
addressed to Doctor Barton, to have been handed to you on board the steamer
which you in some way failed to take.
It was thus delayed
and reached my hands only yesterday.
Please
accept the sentiments expressed although unfortunately so long delayed in
transmission. The original of the letter addressed to Doctor Barton was
delivered when the party reached America and was read by him on his return from
China.
We
are watching events in the Near East with the greatest interest and, as one of
the missionaries has said, “with hopes that scarce know themselves from fear”.
I
have heard that the American Consulate is again functioning in Smyrna and it is
possible that you are there once more. If so, it will be a comfort and a relief
of many persons whose interests are still largely centered in that city.
I
trust that you and your family have maintained your health despite the
terrible strain upon you and that you will be able to continue in the splendid
cooperation with our missionaries that has characterized your work in the past.
Very
sincerely yours,
(Signed)
Ernest W. Riggs.
The
letter referred to as “enclosed” was as follows:
Athens,
Greece,
October 12, 1922.
Reverend James L. Barton,
D. D., Secretary of the American Board,
14 Beacon Street,
Boston, Mass.
Dear
Doctor Barton,
At
a recent station meeting of the Smyrna missionaries now refugees in the city
of Athens (numbering fourteen adults) a vote was passed recognizing the exceedingly
helpful and sympathetic services of our Consul-General, Doctor Horton, during
the days of the late Smyrna tragedy. The vote also expressed the desire that a
copy of this letter be sent to the State Department, Washington, D. C., and one
also to Doctor Horton himself.
During those days of Turkish fire, pillage and massacre, which laid
the beautiful city of Smyrna in ashes and rendered homeless her Christian population
of not less than 500,000 people, including the refugees from the surrounding towns
and villages, Doctor Horton passed through more trying, exacting and dangerous
experiences than I could imagine any official of the United States Government,
doing service abroad, has ever been called upon to undergo.
Under
such circumstances, when our American Consulate was crowded with helpless human
beings, all looking to the consul for help and advice, Consul Horton kept cool
but never cold. His warm sympathetic heart went out to each sufferer, and aid
was extended wherever possible.
The
missionaries are especially grateful for the assistance rendered by Doctor
Horton in helping to rescue teachers and pupils from the schools, with the
result that not one teacher from the American Girls’ Institute, at Smyrna, is
missing; and most of the girls, who were in the burning building, have been
saved.
Since
the flight to Athens, Doctor Horton has been most energetic in helping to feed,
clothe and house the needy refugees.
We
wish to put on record our appreciation of Doctor Horton’s brave and sympathetic
efforts for ourselves, as well as the natives of the city.
On
behalf of the missionaries of Smyrna Station, I remain,
Very
sincerely yours,
(Signed)
“Dana K. Getchell.”
The
third and following letter was received by me in Washington, August 20, 1923,
in the Turkish language. Among the signers are Ilimdar Zade Edhiem, President
of the Islamic Emigration Committee and Hall Zeki, proprietor of the
well-known “Shark Gazette”.
My
constant policy during the long time that I was in the Near East, was to
befriend, in so far as my official position permitted, all who might be in need
of help, irrespective of race or religion.
30
July, 1339 (Turkish date)
Since
the appointment of His Excellency, George Horton as Consul-General of the
United States in Smyrna, His Excellency has won the heart of the whole Turkish
nation by the sympathy and good will, which His Excellency has always shown
every Turkish man.
During
the Greek occupancy of our country His Excellency, Mr. George Horton, gave full
protection and kindly treatment to those of the Turks who went to him for
protection and the right of humane existence.
We
therefore beg to express our heartiest thanks to His Excellency, Mr. George
Horton, for all the interest and kindly services rendered by him for the
Turkish nation, which has also created in our hearts a deep and eternal
affection for his honorable nation.
(Signed)
Ilimdar Zade Edhem, President of the
Islamic Emigration Committee
Sahlebdji Zade Midhat, Merchant
Hussein Djemal, Chemist
Beshir Zade, Merchant
Mehmet Nourri, Carpet Merchant Hali Zeki,
Proprietor of “Shark Gazette”
Hassan Fowzi, Lawyer
Shaih Kadri
Eyyub Sabri, Merchant
Mehmet Emin, Merchant
Melimet Hamdi, Merchant
Kesreli Hadji Ali, Tobacco Merchant
Berkeli Zade Hadji Bedriddin
Mkr. Ahmet
Kantardji Zade
Mustapha Nouriddin
Mehmet Zeki, Hat Merchant.
Of these and of many other Turks that I have known personally, I
have the most friendly and even affectionate recollections. I wish them well
and would gladly welcome an occasion that would allow me to be of service to
them again.
It is necessary, however, for the honor of the Turkish race that
some of its members should denounce the massacres and publicly declare that
they are and have always been opposed to them. If the Koran does not advocate
the putting to death of the unbeliever as some of its expounders maintain, then
it should seem indispensable to the good name of Mohammedanism in general, that
all the other Moslems should denounce the Turkish massacres.
The
above testimonial was forwarded to me by Mr. Rufus Lane, formerly American
consul at Smyrna, who writes among other things:
“I
thought it would be a pleasure to you to have as a souvenir of your stay here a
few lines from some of your Turkish friends, attesting their sympathy for
you.”
“One
man declares that you saved the lives of his entire family in 1916, by
providing them with food, a doctor and a nurse when his mother, his wife and
three children were all down with typhus. I know the man well, as also the
circumstances, which no doubt you have forgotten!”
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