File No. 711.673/70
Chargé Philip to the Secretary of State
Constantinople , April 24, 1916, 2 p.m.
1762. Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me on the 10th instant that at his request Minister of the Interior had sent telegraphic instructions to the provincial authorities directing the latter to avoid in all matters friction with Americans. Should any cause for dispute [Page 965] arise these authorities are instructed to suspend all action and refer to Constantinople for settlement between the Embassy and the Sublime Porte. The Minister asked me to inform consular officers of the above and to direct them to endeavor to avoid on their part all friction with the provincial authorities. He further requested me to advise consular officers that while the American Government had not acquiesced in the abrogation of the capitulations they should bear in mind that the Ottoman Government considered that de facto they were abrogated and that would act accordingly. In a circular telegram to American Consuls I informed them of these instructions of the Sublime Porte and avoiding any reference to capitulations I added:
The Embassy appreciating this friendly attitude of the Sublime Porte advises all Consular Officers to act in a similar manner with a view to avoiding all friction and to communicate at once to the embassy any local misunderstanding that might exist so that each case may be taken up with the Sublime Porte as proposed by it. Consular Officers will bring these instructions orally to the notice of the local authorities.
Consuls at Beirut, Harput and Smyrna telegraph appreciating action of the Sublime Porte and state their [relations?] are entirely friendly.
I believe the above action may have beneficial effect upon our affairs if international complications do not arise. The continued restrictions against all sealed consular correspondence with this Embassy of course prevents Consuls from freely reporting such matters at present. The Minister for Foreign Affairs assures me that this restriction is temporary.