Papers of the War Cabinet's Eastern Committee [‎257r] (513/544)

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also in the Canal Zone control the shores of the inside waters. The Americans if they
exercise police functions would certainly exercise water police functions oyer the
harbours and quays in all the ports in the Marmora. There would be no difficulty
about that. We have been drawing up in the Foreign Office in some detail a scheme
to give effect to the American Commission. We do not believe that we can give all
the powers to the Americans there which they have in Panamd ; but I think that it
would be essential to them to hold the city of Constantinople. You would have a
Turkish Commissioner in the Commission who would have to be in close touch with
the American Government. The influence of that Commissioner would be a thing that
would affect the working. Everybody would run after him and try to get something
out of him.
The argument we have heard about Mahommedan feeling in India is subject to
this : if it is the case we must be very, very careful indeed, in dealing with the Sultan,
not to do anything to him on account of Mahommedan feeling, the deduction I draw
from that is that we perpetuate difficulties in dealing with the Sultan, because every
time we want to do something we have to face the difficulty of dealing with Mahom
medan feeling. If we once cut the Gordian knot and get rid ol the f urk
LORD CURZON : Supposing that the Americans or some other form of adminis
tration were set up in Constantinople, how would you deal with the hinterland ?
SIR EYRE CROWE : The only hinterland which at the present time I believe
is in question is west of the line Enos—Midia. Ibis is the only territory, and this bit
of Thrace. I think that everybody is agreed that that is all that is going to be left
to Turkey under any scheme. That territory is largely inhabited by Greeks; the
principal ports of it are Greek ; Rodosto is Greek. W ith all due respect to General
Milne, I entirely disagree with him when he says that the Government ot Greece is
worse than that of Turkey. It is by no means perfect, but it is a travesty to compare
it with that of Turkey. The Greeks do keep order ; they have a thriving population ;
they carry on legitimate trades on perfectly civilised lines, and they are very well able
to hold their own. It is quite possible that they do oppress foreign populations all
the Balkan peoples do that. I believe that the Turkish element in this bit of Thrace
would clear out. As Lord Curzon pointed out, if the Sultan goes to Brusa or Konia,
1 think most of those Turks will clear out, just as they cleared out of Crete. I think
that the Armenians would clear out.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: You do not think that the Armenians would go,
surely ? They would stay where they can make money.
SIR EYRE CROWE : I think they might. There is a scheme on foot for
concentrating the Armenians.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: Quite right.
SIR EYRE CROWE : It might be made a condition that they should till it up.
LORD CURZON : I do not think that we can attempt to sum up our discussion
in any resolution. We have really been exploring the ground, and I think that the
discussion has been of great value for that purpose. When we come to discuss the
matter with President Wilson we shall find that most of the arguments on both sides
have been used to-day, and the ground will be a little clearer.
Mil. BALFOUR : I will tell you what might be done. It might be worth while
to tabulate the arguments.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: We might come to the conclusion that, with the
exception of Mr. Montagu, we are all agreed that the best solution would be for the
Americans to take it over.
MR. BALFOUR: The Admiralty as well as Mr. Montagu.
LORD ROBERT CECIL: And the War Office do not agree with us.
LORD CURZON : I do not think that we are in a position to pass any resolutions.
I am quite ready to do what Mr. Balfour suggests, namely, have the arguments on both
sides put on a piece of paper.
MR. BALFOUR: That would be useful.
2, Whitehall Gardens, S.W.,
December 23, 1918.