TURKEY'S CAPITULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2260, 21 September 1914, Page 6

TURKEY'S CAPITULATIONS

PROTEST-BY UNITED STATES (Rec. September; 19, 5.25 p.m.) . ■ Washington, September 19. ; President Woodrow Wilson has cabled to Constantinople refusing to acquiesce -in"tho attempt to' set'aside the. capitulations.—("Times" and Sydney "Sun". ;.Services.) " " ' "Capitulations" iu'the sense here; used means a form of. treaty which has long been in force in Turkey, granting other ; States a certain, jurisdiction over; their . lubjeots- resident in Turkey. • These have ■ \>een' repealed by.' Turkey's action. The ' chief[ privileges granted to foreigners are liberty of residence, inviolability of doini•cile, liberty to travel by;land and sea, .freedom of commerce, freedom of religion, .immunity (save under certain,safeguards) from local jurisdiction, exclusive extraterritorial jurisdiction over foreigners of tho same nationality, and competence of the Court of the defendant's country to deal with cases in which two foreigners are concerned. The same system has been followed in Persia, China, and Siam. The result of tho capitulations in Turkey is that each foreign colony has become a. sort of- imperium in imperio, the local ■jurisdiction .is- much hampered, and the more Tin-key has progressed the more it has chafed under the restraints upon its .'■ sovereignty over its residents. There has been, apparently, no preliminary an- . nouncement of Turkey's intention to disclaim further allegiance to the treaties, which are the only ones existing between her' and the Powers. K