Loti Saddened By Balkan News.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 3, 1912:
Turkey's Enemies Taking Base Advantage of Her Weakened State, He Says.
FAVORITE GODCHILD DEAD
Author Pleased with Visit to President Taft — Feminine Autograph Hunters Swamping Him.
    Pierre Loti, the French author and playwright, who is here to superintend the rehearsals of his new play, "The Daughter of Heaven," returned yesterday morning to the Hotel Marie Antoinette from his visit to President Taft at Beverly, Mass. He was presented to Mr. Taft by ex-Assistant Secretary of State Francis B. Loomis, who acted as interpreter, the President's knowledge of French being slight and M. Loti's knowledge of English being slighter.
    In speaking of his trip, M. Loti said his visit had pleased him and that the President had received him most hospitably. They discussed the Turco-Italian war and other subjects. The French writer said that he was feeling sad at Beverly because he had received a cable from France telling him of the death of a favorite godchild of his, a charming girl of 18 years, and he was disturbed by the news from Europe of the rising in the Balkans.
    "The people of the Balkan States are cowards," said M. Loti, "and have taken advantage of the war with Italy to attack Turkey, but her people are patriots and will fight to the last cartouche. The Turkish soldiers do not wear smart uniforms, and perhaps do not bathe so often as those of other nations, but when it comes to fighting there are no braver men on earth.
    "My sympathy is with Turkey because the young government is trying to get on and develop the resources or the country, but no one helps them. The Turks have stood a long siege from the Italians, and now there is fresh trouble with the Balkan States." Mr. Loti spent the afternoon quietly at a Broadway store examining the Japanese and Chinese furniture and draperies which will be used in the production of his new play at the Century Theatre. He was accompanied by M. Calderon, his Secretary, who acted as interpreter. Today the French playwright will attend the rehearsal of the play at Wallack's Theatre at 11 A.M. He has invited M. Jusserand, the French Ambassador, to attend the opening performance.
    M. Calderon said that M. Loti receives on an average of fifty letters a day at his hotel from Americans. The majority are from young women who desire his autograph, which he sends. Some of the letters are from inventors of all kinds of curious machines, including one from a man in Montclair who has a wonderful machine that will do everything in the world by means of compressed air, from chopping up sugar to soling shoes, and is so complicated that the inventor got dazed himself when he called at the hotel and tried to explain its working.