The Peace Conference of Lausanne, 1922-1923

Author(s): Joseph C. Grew

Source: Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 98, No. 1 (Feb. 15, 1954), pp. 110
Published by: American Philosophical Society
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OF LAUSANNE, 1922-1923

THE PEACE CONFERENCE

JOSEPH C. GREW
(Read November12, 1953)

As I wroteto JusticeRobertslast spring,the

We Americans,sincewe had nevergone to war
invitationto address this Society is one of the with Turkey,were presentonly as so-called obhighesthonorsthathas ever come to me.
servers,our dutybeingtwo-fold:First,to help in
The purposeof the Societyto reviewsignificant everyproperway towardthe attainmentof peace
developments
in all the fieldsof knowledgeties in and, second, to protectlegitimateAmerican inwith my own feelingthat the accurate recording terestsin the Near East. During the firstpart of
of historyis one of the most importantof the the conferenceour representatives
were Richard
disciplinesand this feelinghas led me duringmy W. Child, Ambassador to Italy; Admiral Mark
forty-odd
years of publicserviceto keep fullper- Bristol,High Commissionerto Turkey; and the
sonal contemporary
records. These are comprised presentspeaker,who was thenMinisterto Switzin some 168 bound volumes,which I have felt erland. In the second phase of the conference
mightsome day add color and atmosphereto the he alone representedthe United States.
perhaps drier officialreports from our officers The originsof the Lausanne Conferencewere
in
abroad. They are now in the Harvard Library. historicallyof markedinterestand significance
I have feltthat an obligationrestedon us, while the developmentof Turkey's futureworld relain the arena,to make our individualcontributions tions. The transitionfromthe OttomanEmpire
towardpiecingout the moreformalrecord.
to the TurkishRepublicwas not an easy process.
This, togetherwith the Society's furtherob- I well rememberthoseearlyyearsof the Republic
jective to develop a humane and philosophical for I was closelyassociated with that process of
spiritis my excuse, if excuse be needed,for my transition. Those were the years of great repaper tonighton certainaspectsof thefoundingof formswhich profoundlyaffectedTurkish lifethe presentTurkish Republicon the wreckageof the new law codes, new emphasis upon liberal
the formerOttoman Empire, for few events in education,the emancipationof women and many
historyhave surpassed in drama the enlightened otherprogressiveand constructivedevelopments.
transitionin a remarkablyshort period of time
I rememberthe days when Angora was little
fromtheold to thenew and the alterationof "The more than an undevelopedprovincialtown, adSick Man of Europe" to a progressivemodern joining the ancientcitadel,almostbereftof trees
stateconsciousalike of its international
swamp on the outobligations and with a mosquito-infested
and of its opportunities
to take its properplace in skirts. Malaria was rife. Washingtonwas probthe familyof civilizednations.
ably even moreprimitivewhenit was firstchosen
The Lausanne Peace Conferenceof 1922-1923, as our own nation'scapital. In fact,thirty-three
whichled to the consolidationof the TurkishRe- years wentby beforethe foreigndiplomatscould
public,was one of the mostdramaticinternational be persuaded to move there from Philadelphia.
meetingsthat I have ever attended. How could In Angora our representatives
there before my
it be otherwisewhen such well-knownfiguresas own arrivalin 1927, RobertImbrieand Howland
Mussolini, Lord Curzon, Venizelos, Poincare, Shaw, had to live in a railway car on a siding
GeneralIsmetPasha, laterIsmet In6nil,President becausemodernhabitationwas unavailableor nonof the Turkish Republic, and other outstanding existent. It was not uncommonin those days to
? After sittingfor three see a half-dozenor morebodies hangingfromthe
statesmenparticipated
monthsin the autumnof 1922 and the winterof executiontripodsin the main square of the town.
lived in
1923 the conferenceliterallyblew up and it was AdmiralBristol,our High Commissioner,
not until threemonthslater that it reassembled, Constantinople,now Istanbul. Politics seemed
and finally,afteranotherthreemonths,produced fairlysimplein those days, too, for only one poa treatyof peace betweenTurkey and the Allies litical party existed, and that was the Governof theFirstWorld.War.
mentparty.
PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

AMERICAN

PHILOSOPHICAL

SOCIETY,

VOL.

98, NO.

1, FEBRUARY,

1954.

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JOSEPH C. GREW

My own recollectionstake the formof a series

of cliches. Far back, in 1905, I attended,as a
visitor,the Selamlik,and saw the Sultan Abdul
Hamniddrive throughthe narrowstreetsof Constantinopleto attendthe Friday rites. Picturesquenessand beautyweretherein fullmeasure,the
fascinationof the mosques and bazaars in old
Stambul,the perenniallovelinessof the Bosporus.
How keenlyI rememberthe five summerslater
spenton that ineffably
beautifulwaterway. But
in those days of the OttomanEmpire,it was not
the beautyof a freesociety. The Turkishpeople
were stillin shackles.
Then came theFirstWorld War and eventually
the Lausanne Conference. Afterthe Allies had
completedtheirpeace treaty,GeneralIsmet Pasha
and I sat down at a small table and together
negotiated a treaty between Turkey and the
United States.
It was a good treaty,fromboth the American
and the Turkishpointsof view. Even today,that
treaty,althoughit is now as dead as a door-nail,
is commemorated
by a bronzeplaque in the Beau
Rivage Hotel at Ouchy, Lausanne. In some respects,indeed,it was morefavorableto American
interestseven than the treatynegotiatedby the
Allies was to their interestsbecause I simply
outsatGeneralIsmet. I broughtit hometo Washington,well pleased and expectingthe accolade
servant." But,
"WNell
done thougood and faithful
alas, alas, domestic politics intervened. There
were stillin our countryelementswhichwere dissatisfiedthatI had notbeenable to pull impossible
rabbitsfromimpossiblehats. I was openly acctusedin the lUnitedStates Senate of havingsold
nmyfora imessof pottage. The
nation'sbirthright
Americans of Armenian origin in the United
States wantedto obtainall of Armeniaas a sort
of independentfatherland. The debate in the
Senate was close butmytreatywas finallydefeated
bv six votes. Then, a fewyears later,I was sent
as the firstAmerican Ambassador to the new
TurkishRepublicto negotiatea new treaty.
Ah, but timeshad changedthen. By thattime
the Turks were ridinghigh. My new treatywas
duly negotiatedin Angora. By that time the
Armeniansin our countryhad shot their bolt,
and, while this second treatywas not one-halfas
favorableto Americaninterestsas the firstone,
it I)assed the Senate viva voce withouteven a tallied vote. Such are politics!But I was satisfied.
The relationsbetween Turkey and the United
States were thenon a firmtreatvfoundationand

[PROC. AMER. PHIL.

SOC.

the ground was laid for futurehealthydevelopment.

To go back to the originsof the Lausanne Conference,thereoccurred,duringthe war, the British invasionof Gallipoli. If myhistoryis correct,
the BritishCommandingGeneral,afterhis troops
had swarmedashoreon the beaches,allowed them
hoursto wash theirclothesand
some twenty-four
before
rest,
proceedingto the attack. At that
criticalmoment,the storyhas it,and I believethe
storvis accurate,the Turkishline across the Gallipoli peninsulahad in its centera dangerousunfilledgap throughwhichany invadingarmycould
have poured. This situationwas reportedto the
German General, Liman von Sanders, in command of the defenseof Constantinople,louthis
ordersappear to have been delayed. And thenit
youngTurkish Colonel
was that a comparatively
on his own initiativehimselfgave the orderto fill
the gap and moved his regimentinto the unfilled
the
area to completethe Turkish line. WNhen
Allies arrivedthe next day, it was too late. The
hours of
gal) had been filled. Those twenty-four
rest and clothes-washinghad been fatal to the
attack. Perhaps I need hardlysay thatthe name
of the TurkishColonelwho had takenthe responsibilityand given the commandto fillthe line of
defense was Mustapha Kemal, later President
Kemal Atatuirk,the George Washingtonof the
TurkishRepublic.
I will not take up your time by a detailedacof the next fouryears.
countof the developments
Sufficeit to say that in the Armisticeof Mudros
in 1918, afterTurkev had capitulated,and in the
grim Peace Treatyof Sevres in 1920.Turkey,with
one in Constantitwo governmentsfunctioning,
nople and the otherin Angora,was reducedto a
helpless fractionof its formerself. The Allies,
beingbusywithotherthings,thenapparentlyforgot all about Turkeyand overlookedthe factthat
the Sultan had refusedto ratifythe Treaty of
Se'vres and that the nationalists had simiply re-

1)tldiatedit. Thus Turkey and the Allies were

still at war.
In the meantime, the Greeks, incited largely by
Lloyd George, had in 1919 invaded Anatolia and
destroyed Smyrna. But the Turks, magnificent
fightersthat they were, led by Mustapha Kemal
and General Ismet Pasha, drove the Greeks from
Asia Minor in September, 1922, and the Armistice
of Mudanva was signed on October 11, 1922. by
which Turkey retained all of Anatolia and Eastern
Thrace. It was in that situation ain(l atmosphere

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VOL. 98

NO. 1, 1954]

THE PEACE CONFERENCE

AT LAUSANNE

that the Lausanne Conferencewas called in the me the story,said he found Mussolini quietly
autumnof 1922. By thenthe Turks were fullof readingin his roomand, whenhe told himthathe
confidence,
as theyhad good reason to be. Some was twentyminuteslate forhis appointmentand
of the Allies failedto recognizethe great change that the two other statesmenwere waiting for
thathad comeaboutin TurkeysincetheArmistice him,Mussolinisaid: "Oh! they'rethere,are they?
of Mudros and the Treaty of Sevres. They Very well, I'll come." On anotheroccasion, he
to Lord Curzon to announce
pounded the conferencetable and demandedone senta representative
concessionafter another. General Ismet Pasha thathe woulddinewithhimthatevening. Curzon
sat quietlyand simplysaid "no" to almostevery- sentback wordthathe wouldbe veryglad to have
thing. He was in the driver'sseat and knew it. Mussolinidine withhim at 8 :30. The messenger
The Allies had no stomachto fightso soon again. remarkedthat he was sorrythat he had instrucToday a strongTurkeystandsout as a forcefor tionsto say thatMussoliniwould dine withLord
stabilityin the Eastern Mediterraneanarea. This Curzon at 7:30. Curzon threwup his arms in
is a Turkey determinedto maintainits national despairand agreed to splitthe difference
and call
to co- it 8 :00. But quiteapartfromtheselittleby-plays,
integrity,
but mindfulof its responsibilities
nationsto cre- I was deeply impressedby Mussolini's quiet reoperatewithotherfreedom-loving
ate the kind of world in whichit can surviveas servedforceand thegreatpowerofhis personality.
A storyis told that when Claire Sheridan,the
a free nation and proceed with its national
authoressand sculptress,turnedup at Lausanne,
development.
in 1945 by PresidentIn6nii Mussolinijokinglyinvitedher to come to see him
The announcement
that new politicalpartiesto supersedethe single in Rome and thatshe promptlyacceptedthe sugGovernmentpartywould be permittedin Turkey gestion,traveledby thesame trainand tookrooms
was a tangibleindicationof the consolidationof in the hotelwherehe was staying. Mussolinistill
the Republic. In recent years, the multi-party regardedthe matteras a joke untilthe day after
systemhas come to be recognizedas a permanent their arrival several men appeared at his room
featureof Turkishpoliticallife. While unitedon withmanypails of plaster,boards,nails,etc.,and
foreignpolicy,the various partiesare expressing whenhe asked what in thundertheywere for,he
themselvesopenly in the Grand National As- was informedthat Mrs. Sheridan was about to
sembly,in thepressand in publicmeetings,on the make a bust of him. Mussolini forciblyput the
differenceswhich separate them in internalaf- men to flightand is said to have writtenMrs.
fairs. They, as well as the Turkishpeople,have Sheridana letterin whichhe refusedpositivelyto
been gaining valuable experience in democratic be sculped adding that busts were made only of
processes,learningthe necessityof gettingalong dead men and thathe himselfwas stillverymuch
with each other, even though holding opposing alive.
views, in such a way as to promoteratherthan
There was the late Mr. Stamboliski,the Prime
endangerthe national security. The world will Ministerof Bulgaria,hairy,enormous,withfierce
watch withgreat interestfurtherevidenceof the upturnedmoustaches,looking far more like a
maturityof the Turkishpeople.
brigandthan a statesman,sittingstolidlyat the
Mlle Stancioff,
conference
tablewithhis secretary,
THE LAUSANNE CONFERENCE
of the Bulgarian diplomaticservice,just behind
At the verybeginninginterest,of course,cenhiminterpreting
his wordsand, I imagine,also his
teredon Mussolini,the new hero,untriedand unbecause fora halfdozen wordsfromher
thoughts,
known. He himselfevidentlyhad a view to the
chiefMiss Stancioffwould talk perfectFrenchor
dramaticand was anxious to impressthe people
perfectEnglish for ten or fifteenminutes. She
at home with his independenceamong foreign
was wittyand had manypassages of armswiththe
statesmen. Instead of coming straight to
other
delegates. One day, when pleading for
Lausanne, he stopped at Territet and made
Bulgaria's
outletto the sea, she said to Venizelos
Poincare and Lord Curzoficometo see himthere.
In the course of the eveninghe agreed to meet "How can you, with your hundredsof harbors,
themin Lord Curzon'sroomat Lausanne thenext object to the legitimatedesiresof poor littleBulmorningpunctuallyat teno'clock. At 10:20, after garia, whichhas but threemiserableportson the
Poincareand Curzonhad fumedup and down the Black Sea?" Venizelos, as quick as a flash,reroomwaitingforhim,theysenta secretaryto see plied "God put Greece in the middleof the sea;
what was the matter. The Secretary,who told it is not myfault!"

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JOSEPH C. GREW

[PROC. AMER. PHIL.

SOC.

There was Marquis Garroni,the firstItalian have I enjoyedanythingmorethanthe small dindelegate,aged, genial,soothingas a lullabyat the ners of threeor fourwhichhe appeared to love,
conferencetable,but withnevera word thatwas and where he would sit hour afterhour telling
vein.
originalor constructive.He simplytaggedalong. stories,anecdotes,experiences,in a delightful
There was Barrere,theold-schoolFrenchdiplo- But at the conferencetable his attitudeand tacmat,who had been Ambassadorto Italy forsome ticswere,in myopinion,ill-judgedand productive
years. It is said that in his youth of littlesuccess. He habituallytreatedIsmet like
twenty-five
he was a rabid communistand thatwhen he pre- an officeboy,browbeathim,and coveredhimwith
sentedhis lettersof credenceto King Humbert, ridicule. Ismet bitterlyresentedthis,and it did
thelatterasked himhow it was thatsuch a change not makefora spiritof conciliationon the part of
had taken place in his politicalideals. Barrere the Turks. At the very beginningLord Curzon
methodsand refusedto allow
replied: "Sire, a man who is not radical in his adoptedsteam-roller
youthhas no heart,but a man who is not con- the Turks to have any say in the organizationof
servativein his age has no head."
the conference. One decision afteranotherwas
There was Tchitcherine,the Russian delegate, adopted over Ismet's protestsand, when at the
who talked in a high, squeaky voice which re- next meetingIsmet was faced with a "fait acmindedme of nothingso much as a slate pencil. compli" and venturedto protest,Lord C(urzon
During the conferenceI was invitedby my Nor- simplyremarkedthatobjectionswere now too late
wegiancolleagueto meethimat dinner,in an en- and went on to the business of the conference.
asked WheneverIsmet mentionedTurkey'snationalasway, as he had particularly
tirelyunofficial
to meettheAmericanrepresentative.My inclina- pirations or her desire for independenceand
Curzon always waxed facetious. He
tionat firstwas to refuse,butmycolleaguesurged sovereignty,
me to accepton the groundthatsomethinguseful once said "Ismet, you remindme of nothingso
mightbe learned. And so I went. There were muchas a music box, for you play the same old
fiveof us at table, the three Scandinavian MNin- tune over and over and over again-sovereignty,
sovereignty." On anotheroccasion
and myself. We sat therefor sovereignty,
isters,Tchitcherine,
fourhours and the talk was intenselyinteresting. he said "Ismet,you have a perfectmania forbeWe discussedfascismat lengthand Tchitcherine's lievingwe are deprivingyou of yourindependence
summingup of Mussoliniwas "He has a passion, and you have thoughtabout it so much that you
not a program." Once, in speakingof the con- reallybelieveit is true. You remindme of King
ference,he turnedto me and said: "Every rebuke William who used to tell his friendsthat he had
Lord Curzon addresses to me across the confer- led the chargeof the guards at Waterloo and he
me just so much with the told it so oftenthat he finallycame to believe it
ence table strengthens
Soviet Governmentand strengthensthe Soviet himself,although,as is well known,he was fully
Government
proportionately."In replyto myin- one hundred miles away when the battle took
quiry as to whetherdevelopmentswere taking place." Curzon was equally facetiouswith the
place in Russia tendingtowardsa more moderate Russians,and once, when Tchitcherinesuggested
and less radical regime,he said: "Yes, but don't that the discussions regardingthe Straits were
tellthepeopleso. The peoplemustnotbe allowed makingno progressand thatthe best thingto do
to suspectwhat is going on in this direction. If was to get down to work and draft a treaty,
replied"MIonsieurTchitcherdevelopments Curzonimmediately
theywereopenlyaware ofit,further
ine, that is a most excellentsuggestion. If you
would becomeimpossible."
But the outstandingpersonalitiesof the first will shutyourselfup in a roomall alone and draft
were,in myopinion,Lord us a treaty,I can assure you thatwe shall give it
phase of theconference
Curzon,Venizelos, Montagna,the second Italian most carefulconsideration,and I have no doubt
delegate,and Ismet Pasha. Curzonimpressedme thatit willproveto be a documentofmostunusual
greatly. He was said to be pompous,conceited, interest." But apart from his sarcasm and irony
who stillrefer with the Turks and the Russians, Curzon was an
and a martinetto his subordinates,
to the old college legend that "George Nathaniel admirable Chairman. It was a delight to listen to
Curzon is a very superiorperson." But in his his clear, incisive remarks, his beautifullychosen
personalrelationsat the conferencewe saw noth- words and phrases, and his well-rounded sening whateverof thiskind. He was always genial, tences. At the conferencetable he was neverfor
always courteous, always entertaining. Never a momentat a loss. Once, when asking that

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VOL. 98, NO. 1, 1954]

THE PEACE CONFERENCE AT LAUSANNE

I mentioned Signor Montagna, the second

Turkey deed to England the ground where the
Britishdead lay buriedat Gallipoli,and Ismet re- Italian delegate,as one of the outstandingfigures
marked that there was no precedentfor such of the conferencebecause he understoodthe menrepliedthat talityof the Turk and the propermethodof dealactionin history,Curzon immediately
the BritishGovernmenthad deeded to France in ing withhim betterthanany otherdelegate; and,
the house and groundwherethe Great not onlydid he bringtheworkof his sub-commitperpetuity
conclusionwhile othercomNapoleon died on the Island of St. Helena and tees to a satisfactory
flewfromthestaff mitteeswere stilldeep in acrid debate,but at the
thattheFrenchflagperpetually
criticalmomentsof the conferenceit was always
of the building.
through- he who, in a quiet and unobtrusivemanner,manAs to Venizelos,he was the fire-brand
out and, althoughoftenillogical and frequently aged to smoothmattersover by his sensibleand
inaccuratein his argumentsand remarks,every- conciliatory
tactics. At the end of the conference,
one paid attentionwhenhe spoke. He would be- after Montagna had, in my opinion contributed
gin gentlyand in a soft ingratiatingvoice, but more than any otherdelegatetoward reachinga
little by little would work himselfinto a fury, finalagreement,old Marquis Garroniinsistedon
bellowat the top of his lungsand wildlywave his comingup fromRome to sign for Italy,although
arms in the air, which,as I was seated next to he was the onlyone of the originalfirstdelegates
him, was not always conducive to my personal to do this. And thus Montagnawas deprivedof
comfort. On one occasion during one of these theprestige,if it could be regardedas such,which
offurytheChairmansaid "I beg ofyou he had earned by indefatigablework. In the
transports
Mr. Venizelos to be tranquil." Whereup Mr. darkest hours of the conferenceMontagna was
Venizelosbeat thetablewithhis fistsin redoubled always optimistic,and I am convincedthat on
violenceand shoutedat thetop of his lungs"I am morethanone occasionhe personallypreventeda
tranquil,I am tranquil." Riza Nour Bey, the rupture.
As for Ismet Pasha, my opinionof him underTurk, then turnedthe solo into a duet and proceeded to shout at Venizelos across the table. went several changes during the course of the
Montagna,the Chairman,pounded on the table conference,but my finaljudgmentis that,while
withbothfiststryingto restoreorder,but finding lackingany of the adaptabilityor finesseof his
it impossiblehe declaredthe meetingadjourned. opponents,he played a straightand honestgame
This howeverhad no effecton Venizelos who had throughout.He was oftenaccused of givinghis
worked himselfinto a frenzy. Indeed his pas- word and then withdrawingit, but it must be
sionateduels across the tablewithRiza Nour Bey remembered
thathe was continuallysubjectto inwere the delightof the conference.
structionsfromAngora,whichI have everyreaOne day a dramaticincidentwas provokedwhen son to believewere frequently
more intransigeant
Tchitcherinesaid he hoped Rumania would be thanhe himselfwishedto be, and, at least in our
carefuland not allow herselfto get into the posi- own negotiations,when, from time to time, he
tion of Greece whichhad sufferedso severelyat tentativelyaccepted a certain formula or prothe hands of the Turks. Venizelos immediately visionforour treatyand laterwithdrewhis agreechallengedhimsayingthatit was notcustomaryat ment,he alwaysmade it clearin advancethatthese
conferences
to make crypticre- provisionalagreementswere subject to instrucsuch international
marks of this nature and that he demanded an tions fromhome. In the course of our negotiaexplanation. Tchitcherineshuffledhis papers, tions,when we were debatingsome complicated
consultedhis expertsand made a ratherlame reply point,he would frequently
say to me "Mr. Grew,
thathe was referring
onlyin generaltermsto the you are a diplomatwhile I am nothingbut a
international
situation,at whichVenizelos shrug- soldier and I am not versed in the finesse of
ged his shouldersand said thathe wouldnotpress diplomacy"; to which I always replied "Every
the point as he did not wish to delay the pro- day of my twentyyears' experiencein diplomacy
cedure. Whetherwe sympathizedor not, we all has shown me the advantageof expressingone's
listenedwhen Venizelos spoke. He was a man mindopenly,candidly,and honestly,and you will
who would commandattentionin any situation never findany other kind of diplomacyon my
and his free,self-confident,
clear deliverywas a part." Afterall, in Ismet's position,it was the
blessed reliefafterthe haltingindistinctspeeches bluffqualities of the soldierand not the subtlety
of some of the otherdelegates.
of the old-schooldiplomatwhich he needed and

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JOSEPH C. GREW

[PROC. AMER.

PHIL.

SOC.

which he exercised throughout. He was in a not been fullydiscussed,and he also drew uipa
besiegedstrongholdand all he had to do was to timetable mappingout each day's procedureand
to leave
hold out against all assaults and he did it with ending with his definitedetermination
conspicuous success. In actual debate he was Lausanne on Februarysecond, which was later
hopelesslyoutclassed,partlythroughthe handi- extendedto Februaryfourth. To make a long
cap of his deafness,whichnecessitatedeveryword storyshort,I can perhapsnot do betterthanread
beingwrittendown to you the entriesin my diary for that last day
thatwas said at theconference
for him by the secretaryat his side, and, also, I of the firstphase of the conference.
believe,because he was neitherquick-wittednor
Sunday,February4, 1923.
nor did he appear to have
keenof comprehension;
A
fatefulday. None of us had any idea what it
a thoroughgrasp of the details of the subjects
bring forth. We simplyknew that the Allied
would
underdebate,and manya timeat the conference
drafttreatywas to be on the conferencetable at 4 P.M.
to score
tablehe missedan admirableopportunity
for the Turks to sign or leave, and that Curzon had
offLord Curzon and otherswhen being attacked sworn to departat 9 P.M. whateverthe result. Duca,
and browbeaten. I rememberonce when Lord the Rumanian Minister for Foreign Affairs,said to
Curzon was attackingIsmet's objection to the Mrs. Grew just beforelunch,in a particularlychoice
continuanceof the foreignstationnaireships in metaphor: "The abscess is going to break today but
Constantinopleon the ground that they were a we don't know whetherthe result will be good or
relic of the capitulations,Lord Curzon said "But bad."
At 1 :30 while we were all at lunch the firstimour only reason for keepingthe stationnairesis
to and portant developmentoccurred. I saw Arlotta, the
forthe purposeof obtainingtransportation
fro like cabs or taxi automobiles." What a hit Italian secretary,hurry into the dining room and
Ismet would have made if he had replied"Then, hand a documentto Garroni who immediatelyarose
It proved to be a draft treaty
Lord Curzon,I assume thatyou will have no ob- and left the room.
up by the Turkish delegation and handed to
drawx~n
jectionto our maintaininga Turkish stationnaire the Allies in reply to their draft, containing only
in London,whichis also a portand wheretrans- those clauses which had been discussed and agreed
portationis equally as necessaryas in Constanti- to by both sides in committeeand omittingall others.
nople."
Ismet accompaniedit by a note in which he said that
The element of intrigue and international he felt the clauses already agreed to constituteda
basis for peace, and that othersubjects still
rivalrywhich went on at Lausanne, of which I sufficient
had occasion to observe many instancesand il- under controversycould be settled later. It was a
lustrations,opened my eyes to the sorrystate of clever move.
The delegates of the Inviting Powers immediately
old worlddiplomacyand caused me to realizethat
into conferencein Lord Curzon's room. At
went
even the plots of E. Phillips Oppenheimare not
summonedIsmet who came down fromhis
3
:30
they
of
all of themso far-fetched.During the course
hotel with a large group of his experts. At 7
a roomof one of
the firstphase of the conference
Bentinck, the British secretary,called me on the
our secretarieswas entered,his locked trunk telephone and said that the Turks wvere probably
brokenopen and an envelopebearingthe titleand going to sign in a few momentsand suggested that
seals of the Departmentof State was stolenand I get our delegates togetherto be ready to go to
never found. Fortunately,it containednothing Lord Curzon's room to witness the ceremony. I
thanthe laissers-passers and collectedAmbassador Child and Admiral Bristol and
more comprehensive
personal accounts of the secretaryin question. we went into the hall at the foot of the staircase in
But, fromthatmoment,we arrangedto have one the old part of the hotel leading fromCurzon's floor.
of our staffin the Chanceryday and night,with- The hall was packed with members of (lelegations
and newspaper correspondentswaiting for the final
out exception.
denouement. The air was full of electricity;hardly
sideBut I must not dally with these various
anyone talked; we simplylistened and waited. The
lightsand musttell you somethingof the working hall upstairs was litteredwith the packed trunksof
Lord the Britishdelegation; in factwhen Ismet was calling
of the conference. On Januarythirty-first
Curzon decided that drastic measures must be on Curzon yesterday.the British made a point of
taken to conclude negotiationsand he not only bustling about and removing various trunks under
presentedthe Turks witha completedrafttreaty Ismet's nose so that he could not fail to be impressed
based in part on the agreementsalready reached, withthe definiteplans fordeparture.Thus we waited,
but containingmany otherprovisionswhich had expectingany momentto be summonedto watch the

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VOL. 98, NO. 1, 1954]

THE PEACE CONFERENCE

AT LAUSANNE

signing of the treaty. Suddenly, at 8 o'clock, the asked him if he would make furtherconcessions on
sound of a door opening above; everyonegot up and the judicial clauses provided we should obtain conmoved toward the staircase. In a momentIsmet ap- cessions fromthe Allies in other respects. He asked
peared, descendingthe stairs followedby his delega- what we suggested. We said that firstof all the
tion; he took offhis bowler hat, bowed rightand left foreignjudicial advisers should be admittednot only
to the crowd in the hall, smilingbroadlyand leftthe to the courts of Constantinopleand Smyrna but to
hotel. CertainlyI shall never forgetthatscene. The those of Samsun and Adana as well. The argument
Conferencewas broken; there would be no signing. continuedforabout halfand hour; Ismetkeptrubbing
AfterBentinck'smessagean hourbeforewe had hardly his foreheadas if almost dazed. He said in Turkish
doubted that a settlementwould be made. Child, "My heart is squeezing me." Finally he got up and
Bristol and I almost immediatelywent to Lord went into the adjoining room,stayed there for three
Curzon's room. Everyone had left. In a moment minutes,then returned. It was evident that he had
Curzon appeared; he burst into the room like an gone to consult his experts, but he continued the
angry bull, glared at us and began to pace up and discussion without a sign that he had seen them.
down waving his fistin the air. He was perspiring Then quite suddenlyhe said, "All right,I will conand looked all in. He shouted,"We have been sit- cede." We said "Samsun and Adana?" He replied,
'No, only Samsun." We said: "That is not enough
ting here for four mortal hours and Ismet has replied to everythingwe have said by the same old to justify our retaining Lord Curzon." Another
banalities-independence and sovereignty. We have twentyminutesof discussion. Again Ismet left the
all done our best. Even Bompard (the French dele- roomi-for we were pushing him hard-returned and
gate) beat his fiston the table and told Ismet that seated himselfagain. He looked awfullytired. Then
he was simplystirringup war. Bompard made the aftera decent interval,so as not to give us the imstrongestspeech I ever heard him make." We asked pressionthathe had talkedwith his experts,he said:
'All right,I will give you both Samsun and Adana,
Curzon what Ismet had broken on. Curzon said it
was the judicial clauses. (This was only partially but you must give me your word of honor that you
will not reveal these concessions to the Allies before
correct as it was the economic clauses too.) He
said that at the last momentIsmet had withdrawnto you have secured theirs." We agreed, arose, shook
another room with his experts and that they had hands and said we hoped and believed thatthis would
fullyexpected him to come back and sign. Instead be a fair basis for renewed negotiationsand hurried
he returned,refusedto sign, bowed and leftthe room. to the station in the car. We were elated for these
concessions that we had obtained were by no means
It was all over. Curzon was in a fearfulstate. We
asked him if we could do any good by seeing Ismet, unimportant,Ismet having obstinatelystood out on
for as impartialobserversit was withinour province them with the Allies. We felt sure at that moment
while safe-guardingAmerican intereststo contribute that Curzon would remain.
At the station I saw Bompard gettinginto his car
in every properway to the cause of peace. He said
that Bompard and Montagna had gone up to see him and wondered why he was leaving just as Curzon
but that it could do no good. We said we would try was about to start. Other people appeared to be enand again asked him if the judicial clauses were the teringtheir cars also and I saw some of the Italians
real stumblingblock. He answeredin the affirmative. coming out of the station. I went up to McClure
who was near our car as we got out and asked him
Child, Bristol and I then hurried downstairs. I
had the Hudson at the door in a minuteand we drove how soon Lord Curzon's train was starting. "He's
quicklyto the Palace Hotel. Bompard and Montagna just gone," he said; "The train has just pulled out.
were with Ismet but we were shown into Hussein's They've all gone-the whole delegation." And that's
room. The concierge told us that Lord Curzon's that.
train,the OrientExpress, was an hour late and would
It is idle to speculate upon whether the Connot leave before ten o'clock. This proved to be
ference
of Lausanne could have been saved by our
had
had
the
train
held
back
himself
wrong. Curzon
for half an hour in order to hear the result of arriving five minutes earlier at the station. It is
Bompard's and Montagna's talk with Ismet, but as not impossible; in fact I hardly see how Curzon
soon as theyreportedno resultsthe trainwas released would have dared to leave after what we had to
and actuallyleftat 9:25 or thereabouts.
tell him, for it showed that the Turks had not got
A momentafter we were seated Ismet came in, to the end of their
rope in the matter of concesBompard and Montagna having just left. We were
sions
and
that
with
a
sufficientamount of patience
with him approximatelyan hour. We went over
still
concessions
other
might be gained. Patience
mlch ground with regard to the judicial clauses, but
was
the
element
which Curzon lacked
necessary
were
the
clauses
economic
Ismet told us at once that
no less the cause of the break as they would place and now I know that without that quality it is useTurkey in "financial and industrial slavery." We
less to try to deal with the Turk.

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JOSEPH C. GREW

[PROC. AMER. PHIL.

SOC.

whichbe- Instead,however,of comingto me and tellingme

The second phase of the Conference,
gan on April 23 and ended on July24, was in franklyof his changeof attitude,as I should certhan the first tainlyhave done in a similarcase, he had to save
manyrespectsfar more interesting
phase, but I do not wish to weary you with too his faceat all costsand merelysenthis legal expert
long an account and shall thereforelimitmyself to break the news to me. About the same time
to speakingof onlytwo or threeof theoutstanding he called upon me withgreat ceremonyand, takproblemwe had on ing a documentout of his pocket,he said thathe
features. The firstdifficult
our hands was, strangeas it may seem,the neces- had been instructedby his Governmentto read
sity of establishingfriendlyrelations with our to me the followingmessage:
Britishcolleagues. ApparentlyLord Curzon had
values the friendship
His Majesty'sGovernment
gained the impression,duringthe firstphase of
American
Delegationan(1will
and
cooperation
of
the
thatour delegationhad been disthe Conference,
itofourviews
be gladto learnitsviewsandto inform
tinctlypro-Turkand had aided and abetted the duringthecourseof theConference.
Turkish delegationin their MachiavellianmanThis was theonlycall thatRumboldmade upon
oeuvres. It is true that one or two membersof
our delegation,who had lived long in Constanti- me duringthe entirethreemonthsthat we were
nople, were somewhatpro-Turkishin their at- colleagues at Lausanne, although we had been
in the young secretariestogetherin Cairo some twenty
titudeand wereperhapsseen too frequently
companyof membersof the Turkish delegation, years ago and were again colleagues in Berlin
whichmay have given rise to these unwarranted beforethe war when we togethersealed up the
suspicions. But the chargethatour delegationit- archivesof theBritishEmbassy. The Frenchand
selfwas pro-Turk,or took any step,or said any Italian delegates,on the contrary,came to see me
word contraryto the interestsof the Western as oftenas I went to see them,and we were in
Powerswas whollywithoutfoundation.Through- the habitof droppingin on each otherat any time
out the entireConferencewe lived up to the pur- of day or nightto comparenotes and discuss depose of our mission,whichwas (1) to safeguard velopments. In spite of the message from the
in every BritishGovernment,Sir Horace Rumbold never
Americaninterestsand (2) to contribute
once duringthe Conferenceconsultedme or gave
properway towardsthe conclusionof peace.
on his own
Be thatas it may,we learnedthroughvarious me his own opinion or information
.\s a rein
Lausanne.
initiative
while
we
were
not
was
British
Government
the
that
channels
anxious that we should be presentat the second sulthe miissedmuchthatmighthave been of value
he could have given
phase of the Conference. The Frenchand Italian to him,whilethe information
view of me I was able to obtain equally well fromother
however,took a different
Governments,
the matterand, when the noticesfor the second sources. These thingscountin the long run. It
meetingwere sentout by the SecretariatGeneral, makes one inclinedto agree witha remarkmade
we dulv receivedour noticewiththe rest,and, to to me one day by one of my othercolleaguesat
my considerableapprehension,I was appointedto Lausanne that "the French are clever in little
representthe United States alone. At the very thingsbut stupidin great ones, while the British
beginningI made a point of seeing each of my are clever in great ones and immenselystupidin
Allied colleaguesand tellingthemexactlywhere the small things."
The miostserious developmentin the second
we stoodand whatwe proposedto do at the Conference,and that I should take no step without phase of the Conferenceof Lausanne was unquesgivingthemfull information.Thereafter,when- tionablytheTurco-Greekdisputeoverreparations.
ever I saw Ismet,whichwas, of course,promptly There is no doubt whateverthat at one moment
knownto all, I took immediateoccasionto see my the Conferencehung on the brinkof ruptureand
Allied colleagues and tell them exactlywhat we Europe on thebrinkof war, forifthe Greekarmy
talked about. To make a long storyshort,this had invaded Eastern Thrace, as it was certainly
policyhad its desiredeffect,because,afterhaving on the pointof doing,therewould withoutquesstrenuously
opposed our requestto be admittedto tion have been a general conflagrationin the
the deliberationsof the various sub-committees Balkans,and thereis no tellinghow far thatconand groups of experts,Sir Horace Rumbold,the flagrationmighthave extended. The dangerbefinallywithdrewhis ob- came evident about Mav 10 on which date I
British representative,
was considerjectionsometimeafterthe Conferencehad started. learnedthatthe GreekGovernment

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VOL. 98, NO. 1, 19541

THE PEACE CONFERENCE AT LAUSANNE

ing an ultimatumto Turkey on the following Italian delegates I worked in constantcooperagrounds: (1) Maltreatmentof Greek prisoners; tion.
(2) theopeningbytheTurks ofsafedepositvaults
aboutthistime
Pelle, the Frenchrepresentative,
in the Greek banks in Constantinople,and (3)
proposedto IsmetthattheTurks shouldacceptthe
the alleged expulsionof GreeksfromAsia Minor. town of Karagach fromthe Greeks in lieu of reVenizelos,however,consideredthesepointsweak parations.
and recommended
to his Government
thattheultiOn May 25 1 called on each of the Allies and
matum,if issued, should be based on the Turkish said I couldnotsee war intervenewithoutexerting
claimsforreparationsfromGreece. Shortlyafter- the impartialinfluenceof the United States as a
wards Venizeloscalled on Ismetand talkedto him totallydisinterestedpower, and that I proposed
in a mostthreatening
and bellicosemanner. Ismet on myown initiativeto extendmy unofficial
good
said, "Do you mean you are threatening
me with officesfor mediation. Each of the Allies agreed
war?" Venizelos calmeddown somewhatand of- heartilyto this proposal.
feredto agree to the principleof payingreparaIn spite of continualinsistenceon the part of
tions, but with the understandingthat no cash Venizelos and Alexandris that a final meeting
shouldbe paid, as Greece was incapableof doing should be held, and, in spite of repeatedthreats
it. Ismet proposedeitherarbitrationor the pay- on their part to leave Lausanne and to invade
mentof a lump sum, both of which suggestions Eastern Thrace unless satisfactionwere immediVenizelosrefused. At thisstageIsmetwas visibly atelygiven,everyeffortwas made to postponethe
anxious and asked permissionof theAllies to send meetinguntil Ismet should have had time to reTurkish troops into Eastern Thrace to meet the ceivean answerfromAngoraregardingKaragach.
threat of war, which was, of course, refused. On thetwenty-fifth
of May it was evidentthatthe
About this time Alexandris,the Greek Minister meetingcouldbe no longerpostponed. I spentthe
of Foreign Affairs,arrivedin Lausanne and took greaterpart of the nightbeforethe meetingwith
an even more bellicose attitudethan Venizelos Venizelos and Ismet separately,using everyposhad done. He said that Greece was absolutely sible argument to induce a peaceful solution.
determinedto go to war ratherthan pay, and he Venizelos told me that he would accept the
remarkedto Montagnathat,as theAllies had sup- Karagach proposaland I so informedIsmet.
portedthe Greek offensivebefore,theycould not
The meetingwas held at five o'clock on the
now deserther. Montagnacorrectedhimby say- followingday withone delegatefromeach country
ing "certainAllies" and added that "victorywas present. It took place in a small room at the
oftenmore costlythan defeat." Alexandris said Chateau and was intenselydramatic. We all sat
that the Greek army was the strongholdof the close togetherat a small table; Pelle, the PresiAllied position at the conferenceand was now dent, and Ismet sitting opposite one another.
but thatif timewent Diamandy placed himself between Ismet and
at the zenithof its efficiency,
would de- Venizelos with a view to separatingthe princiby withoutits attackingthis efficiency
crease. Montagna indignantlyrefutedthe sug- ples in the controversy.The meetingbegan with
gestionthat the Greek armyhad anythingwhat- theutmostsolemnity.Each delegatein turnmade
ever to do with supportingthe Allied position. a speechemphasizingthe seriousnessof the situaAlexandris then went so far as to say that the tionand callingforconciliationand moderationon
Greekarmyhad been deprivedof victoryand that both sides. Rumboldused calm logic, Montagna
now demandedsatisfaction
its officers
by invading made an impassionedplea, whilePelle summedup
addressfollowedby the
Eastern Thrace. There is no doubt that this thesituationin a masterful
whole questionwas one of internalGreekpolitics. Japanese,the Serbian,the Rumanian,and myself.
The militarypartywas literallychampingat the
Ismet thenbegan to talk and it was evidentat
bit while Venizelos' partyalso needed some con- once thathe was tryingto dodge the issue. Diacreteasset to retainpower and theywere clearly mandy slipped a note across the table to Pelle
pushinghim towardwar.
begginghim to pin Ismet down to facts. Pelle
DuringthesedaystheAllies had continualmeet- thenasked Ismet whetherhe had telegraphedthe
ings to determinewhat should be done. I called Karagach proposal to Angora. Ismet repliedin
on Rumboldat this timeto ascertainhis opinion, the affirmative.Pelle said, "Have you receiveda
and he said he consideredthe situationdangerous reply?" Ismet answered,"Yes." "Do you acbut not necessarilycritical. With the Frenchand cept?" Ismet again tried to ramble off on

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10

JOSEPH C. GREW

tangents,but Pelle persisted and finally,after

everyeffortto avoid the issue, he gave a weary
assent.
All this had lasted two hours duringwhichwe
were all under the greatestpossible strain and
when it finallyappeared that a solutionwas in
sight,the psychologyof human nature took its
naturalcourse and the air of solemnitychanged
immediately
into one borderingon actual hilarity.
Diamandy, the Rumanian, got up and insisted
upon Venizelos movingnext to Ismet. The dewere thendiscussedin the
tails of the settlement
most amicableway; Venizelos and Ismet calling
each other "mon cher ami" had their hands on
each other'sarms, laughed like school boys, and
appearedto be on the pointof actuallyembracing.

[PROC. AMER. PHIL.

SOC.

The Serbiandancedabout the roomrecordinghis

protestagainst the cession of Karagach, but assuring the meetingthat he would not thinkof
lettingthis standin the way of peace and thathe
merelywished to go on record, Rumbold,the
Englishman,showed his wild enthusiasmby a
contractionof the facial muscleswhichamounted
almostto a smileand the Jap beamedbenevolently
throughhis glasses as thoughhe had just eaten
a mostexcellentdinnerand feltat peace withthe
world. Justbeforethe end of the meetingVenizelos, on behalfof Ismet and himself,thankedall
thosewho had helpedin reachingthishappysolution,includingthe American"Observer" and we
all got up and shookhands all round. CAndthat's
about the whole story.

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