File No. 763.72115/299
The American community at Beirut to the President
[Telegram]
Large American community in Beirut, in close touch with Turkish situation, unable to communicate confidentially with Ambassador, keenly alive to grave dangers involved in announced Ottoman policy of holding non-combatants as hostages and apprehensive lest the sinister official declaration that such hostages would be held responsible for the consequences of attacks upon coast cities by belligerent powers should lead to terrible results, would appeal to the President to use every possible means to save British and French citizens now committed to American protection from such disastrous consequences. The gravity of the danger is greatly augmented by the recent proposal to remove these hostages to the interior. The Governor General says this order includes women and children. The possible results of this action we regard with horror.
The general danger for all non-Moslems has been greatly aggravated by the official declaration of the holy war, a proclamation which has been read in all mosques and printed in all papers and is already awakening the fierce fanaticism of the populace and may lead to movements which the Ottoman Government is powerless to control. Deeply appreciative of the tireless efforts of our Ambassador and Consul General, we would urge our Government to push to the uttermost these claims of humanity. This statement may be used at President’s discretion with foreign ambassadors.
Franklin Hoskins
Bayard Dodge
In behalf American community