867.144/30
The Ambassador in Turkey ( MacMurray ) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 12.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s despatch No. 1505, dated July 10, 1940, regarding developments in the liquidation of the Y.M.C.A. in Istanbul, and to report that according to a letter dated October 7, 1940 received from Mr. Luther Fowle, Treasurer of the American Board Missions at Istanbul, the remaining seals placed by the Istanbul police authorities on the safes and offices in the Y.M.C.A. building have now been removed by them and the entire property of the Association has been handed over by the Turkish courts to the duly empowered representatives appointed locally by [Page 1001] the International Y.M.C.A., for disposal as they see fit. The only propery which has been kept by the Police is one rubber stamp bearing the seal of the Y.M.C.A., which has no value inasmuch as the Association no longer has the right to use this name in Turkey.
The provisional board, composed of local American and British citizens, which has been supervising the operation of the successor organization to the Y.M.C.A., the American Language and Commercial School, continue to function and has chosen a permanent chairman, Dr. Kingsley Birge of the American Board Missions.
Respectfully yours,