811.20 Defense (M) Turkey/863: Telegram

The Ambassador in Turkey (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State

1916. As a side light on the assistance being rendered by the Turk authorities in frustrating the movement of chrome to the Axis, I have been informed today that, although the Germans have sent to Turkey 117 locomotives and 1250 freight cars to be used for the movement of chrome destined for Germany from the mines to the Turkish railway terminals, that most of these locomotives and freight cars have “disappeared into military zones where foreigners are forbidden,” resulting in an acute shortage of rolling stock for the movement of chrome to the Axis.

Steinhardt