701.6711/88
The Acting Secretary of State to the Turkish Ambassador (Rustem)
Excellency: I have laid before the President your note of September 12th, which you sent in compliance with an oral request of the Secretary of State that you inform him whether you made certain statements attributed to you which appeared as an interview in a newspaper published in this city on September 8th, and which reflected upon the administration of justice in the United States and its dependencies.
In your note you acknowledge that you were the author of those statements and that the report in the newspaper was accurate. In extenuation you state that the hostility of the press of this country toward Turkey was sufficient reason to justify your violation of the rules of conduct universally observed by diplomatic representatives toward the governments to which they are accredited, and you also take the opportunity to criticize by inference the policy of this Government toward Turkey.
The President desires me to inform Your Excellency that your note is not acceptable in tone, nor is it a satisfactory explanation of your conduct, and that it is regrettable that you permitted yourself to become so irritated over the utterances of a very inconsiderable portion of the press of the United States as to commit so serious a breach of official etiquette as that which you admit and attempt to defend.
The President desires me to state further that, recognizing the tension caused by the acute situation in Europe, he is not disposed to deal as strictly with an offense against the hospitality of the United States, which you as the diplomatic representative of your Government enjoy, as he would, under normal conditions, consider necessary and consistent with the dignity of the United States.
I am, therefore, instructed to inform Your Excellency that, if you feel that your services at this capital can still be useful to your Government, and if you are willing to express your regret for your published utterances, which this Government considers to be offensive, the President is disposed to pass over without further comment your public statement and your note and renew the cordial and friendly intercourse [Page 74] between Your Excellency and the Government of the United States, which existed before this unfortunate incident occurred.
Accept [etc.]