Germany -- Foreign relations -- Turkey; Turkey -- Foreign relations -- Germany; World War, 1914-1918 -- Turkey
“Certainly,” I said, “the Turks would not recognise me as in charge of
British interests if you remain here.”
Moreover, I suggested that he remain at Dedeagatch for a few days, and
await the arrival of his fellow British. If I did not succeed in getting
them out of the country, then he could return. Sir Louis reluctantly
accepted my point of view and boarded the train. As the train left the
station I caught my final glimpse of the British Ambassador, sitting in
his private car, almost buried in a mass of trunks, satchels, boxes, and
diplomatic pouches, surrounded by his Embassy staff, and sympathetically
watched by his first secretary’s dog.
The unofficial foreigners remained in the station several hours, hoping
that, at the last moment, they would be permitted to go. Bedri, however,
was inexorable. Their position was almost desperate. They had given up
their quarters in Constantinople, and now found themselves practically
stranded. Some were taken in by friends for the night, others found
accommodation in hotels, but their situation caused the utmost anxiety.
Evidently, despite all official promises, Turkey was determined to keep
these foreign residents as hostages. On the one hand were Enver and
Talaat, telling me that they intended to conduct their war in a humane
manner, and, on the other, were their underlings, such as Bedri,
behaving in a fashion that negatived all these civilised pretensions.
The fact was that the officials were quarrelling among themselves about
the treatment of foreigners, and the German General Staff was telling
the Cabinet that they were making a great mistake in showing any
leniency to their enemy aliens. Finally I succeeded in making
arrangements for them to leave the following day. Bedri, in more
complaisant mood, spent that afternoon at the Embassy, viséing
passports. We both went to the station in the evening and started the
train safely to Dedeagatch. I gave a box of candy--“Turkish
Delights”--to each one of the fifty women and children on the train; it
altogether was a happy party, and they made no attempt to hide their
relief at leaving Turkey. At Dedeagatch they met the diplomatic corps,
and the reunion that took place, I afterward learned, was extremely
touching. I was made happy by receiving many testimonials of their
gratitude, in particular a letter, signed by more than a hundred,
expressing their thanks to Mrs. Morgenthau, the Embassy Staff, and
myself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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