OCR Text |
Show TURKEY EXPECTED TO EXPLAIN ATTACK BELIEVED THAT OTTOMAN GOVERNMENT GOV-ERNMENT WILL APOLOGIZE FOR FIRING ON AMERICANS. President Determined That Under . No Circumstances Will United States Be Involved in Controversy Contro-versy With the Turks. Washington. The United States government has directed Ambassador Henry Morgenthau at Constantinople to ask the Ottoman government for an explanation of the firing by Turkish Turk-ish land forces at a launch from the American cruiser Tennessee, proceeding proceed-ing from Vourlah to the American consulate at Smyrna, Asia Minor. Secretary Daniels, with the approval of President Wilson, simultaneously cabled the commanders of the Tennessee Ten-nessee and the North Carolina, also in the Mediterranean, to take no action ac-tion which might embarrass the American Amer-ican government and to await specific instructions from Washington concerning con-cerning the general situation. These steps followed the receipt of a message from Captain Benton C. Decker, commander of the Tennessee, which was paraphrased in this statement state-ment from the navy department: Captain B. C. Decker, In command of the Tennessee, wired Secretary Daniels that while proceeding from Vourlah to Smyrna to make official calls, boat was fired at. Consul anxious anx-ious for safety of consulate. Tennessee Tennes-see proceeded to and left Vourlah at request of ambassador and is now anchored an-chored in the harbor of Scio (Chios), Greece, from which Captain Decker's telegram was sent. Secretary Daniels wired for fuller information. Although without definite details as to just what occurred, high officials of the Washington government had no doubt that the incident, 'no matter where the responsibility lay, would be promptly adjusted through diplomatic channels. President Wilson is determined that under no circumstances shall the United States be involved in war with Turkey. If the Turkish officers acted without the authority of the Ottoman government govern-ment and the firing was not justified by naval procedure, in a closed port, it is confidently believed here that the Ottoman government will render apology. |