Ogden Daily Standard | 1919-08-06 | Page 6 | Greeks Pillage Turks at Smyrna

GREEKS PILLAGE TURKS AT SMYRNA LONDON, July 14 (Correspond ence of the Associated Press.) The Creek army of occupation which land ed at Smyrna a few months ago murdered mur-dered and pillaged the Turks, according accord-ing to a letter published by Marma-duke Marma-duke RickthQlI, a well known WTlteT oi eastern affairs The writer of the letter was described by Mr. Pickthall as "the reliable correspondent" but t his Identity was npt disclosed. The writer asserts that when the Greek army landed at Smyrna, Turk-! ish troops had been ordered by the Turkish authorities to remain in their I barracks and that they did so; but that the Greeks broke into places where Turkish oiliccrs were collected and shot down all who would not shout "Long live Venizelos.'" Many were thus shot down according to the writer. writ-er. The writer adds: "Tho governor of Smyrna was dragged drag-ged along the wharf and carried aboard a Greek ship. His wife was wounded and his house looted. The Turkish chief of staff was bayoneted in the face and thrown into the hold of the Greek cattle ship amonu the animals. The senior doctor of the Turkish army corps was murdered and bis body mutilated. Fingers of Turkish Turk-ish men and women who wore rings were cut off wholesale. Houses were looted, women robbed of all their Jew els. "This was supposed to be an absolutely abso-lutely peaceful occupation in the interests in-terests of law and order. Greece had not even been at war with Turkey. In no case did the Turks show fight until they were atacked by ihe Creeks The civilian Qretlks joined with the invading invad-ing soldiery in the work ot murder and pillage. And the allied fleet acquiesced ac-quiesced in these proceedings, which wero made possible only by its presence." pres-ence." A member of the house of commons recently asked the government representatives repre-sentatives whether it was true that tfie Greeks had massacred their prisoners in Smyrna in full sight of the allied war ships, Sir Cecil H. Harmsworth, now secretary of foreign affairs, replied re-plied that numerous Turkish officers and men lost their lives in that way but the Greek government, he said, regretted re-gretted the affair and it was engaging the attention of Ihe British Minister to Paris. ' oo