File No. 367.116/486
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in Turkey (Philip)
2628. Your 1814 and 1815, May 17.1 Inform Turkish Government that United States has received with great surprise and regret the information of the seizure by the Turkish authorities of buildings belonging to the American missionaries in Turkey. A series of acts on the part of the Turkish authorities against American officers and interests have already occasioned grave concern, namely: The breaking of American seals on foreign consular offices which had been placed in the care of the Government of the United States, notwithstanding the formal protest of the American Embassy against such a violation of consular privileges; the treatment of American consular mail in a manner contrary to all international usage and [Page 836] the practice of every other government at the present time, resulting in great inconvenience and in interference with the legitimate work of American consular officers; the deportation, notwithstanding consular protest and long-standing custom, of an Armenian employee of the consular agency at Alexandretta; the bringing of a civil suit against the American consular agent at Alexandretta and the reopening of an old criminal suit against the consular agent, notwithstanding the plaintiff in the action had waived all claims and the case had long been regarded as closed.
The seizure of American mission buildings, considered in relation to the acts enumerated, makes it necessary that there should be requested without delay a statement of the attitude of the Turkish Government toward the United States. For many years the United States has entertained for the Turkish Government and people high esteem and the most cordial friendly sentiments, and it is reluctant to believe that the present Government of Turkey deliberately intends to sacrifice the friendship of the American people at the present time by a continuance of acts such as those enumerated and by a failure to modify the measures already taken against American interests and property. If the Turkish Government has no unfriendly purpose in view and earnestly desires only the strengthening of the bonds of friendship which have so long existed between the two countries, the United States assumes that the Turkish Government will at once make suitable investigation with a view to ascertaining all the facts and will then take appropriate steps toward the early return of the seized property to the American missionaries, the immediate abandonment of the suits against the American consular agent at Alexandretta, and the discontinuance of all other violations of American rights in Turkey.
In conveying the foregoing to the Turkish Government you will not fail to emphasize the grave concern of the United States and the earnestness with which it hopes for a prompt and favorable reply.