WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 165, 15 July 1939, Page 3 (Supplement)

WORLD NEWS IN STORY AND PICTURE

TO BRITAIN'S BENEFIT. One of the greatest feat* of British diplomacy in recent years was the conclusion of an alliance between (ireat Britain and Turkey. It not only strengthens Britain'*

position in A*ia Minor and the Near Kast, hut that of France and Egypt as well. Turkey already lias what amounts to mutual defence alliances with Iran (Persia), Iraq and Afghanistan. She has also an alliance of long landing with Russia, so that Britain, in rather a round alx>ut fanhion it i* true, will now l>e brought closer to Russia, Iran and Afghanistan. In Iraq, of course, as in Kgypt, Britain still exerciser a certain ainoiint of control, e»<i>ecially in matters of defence and relationships with foreign countries. Since the (ireat War, when a new Persia was born, Iran had not been over friendly with Britain, disputing with her, among other things, the rich oil and pearl islands of Bahrein. The British alliance with Turkey, working on Turkey'* alliance with Iran, may help

By ARPAD SZiCETVARY.

to smooth out these misunderstandings, which would be all to the good, for k would make Britain'* position in the Persian (iulf all the more ji-t'cure. (Jeriiiiiny ha* not forgotten i her pie-war diva in of an empire ! Mretching from Berlin to Bagdad - J Bagdad because (lermauv then, at> I now, hicks oil. and the possession of Bagdad would ( .ive her control of all i the oilfields, in Iraq and the Persian <iulf area. i To-day the alliance U'twecu Britain and Turkey. and the alliance J between Turkey, Iraq and Iran, I places a barrier against the fullilnient J of tliat dream. I There are other tilings to consider. ; Vou will remember that during the Italian campaign against a practical I v J defenceless Ethiopia. Turkey offered the line of all her harbour* to Britain. ' J Why V Because Turkey was scared I

World Events Explained.

of Italian ambitions against her territory. Long ago I told you of how, a* a result of a war against Turkey in IJM2 Italy seized Tripoli in North Africa, and certain inlands, including Hhode*, on" the Turkish coast. Turkey, at the time of that war, woe practically poworleee. She had juet j l»een defeated by the combined Balkan countries — Hiiipiiiiiia, Bulgaria, Servia and Greece, and was "down," as sailors cull it, on her "beam ends." She could not resist. To bring Italy into the Great War on (he side of the Allied!, instead of on that of Germany, Italy was promised Turkish territory in Asia .Minor. When the war ended thie area wan denied to Italy. Turkey lias not forgotten the logs of Tripoli and Rhodes. Italy has not i forgotten a broken promise, which ; resulted in her losing territory in I A*ia Minor.

It k obvious, therefore, that Turkey and Italy are not countries likely to embrace one another. And there you have Turkish feara about Germany and Italy in a nutshell. Turkey fear** that Germany might absorb her in her attempted march towards the oilfields of Iraq and the Persian Ciulf. Turkey fears that Italy may attempt to j>uiii the territory'in Asia Minor promised her by the Treaty of ]»ndon. This territory, incidentally, include*] the area around Alexaudretta which France two weeks ago handed back to Turkey after having pow*(!H*«cd it eince 1910. JAPANESE AIR VICTORIES. We read of all eorte of extravagant i-laime by HiiMi-in and Japan of the results of aerial fighting on the Mongolian frontier. Both sides mention Mongolian airmen. Thecte men are trained by Kussiana and supplied with Russian aeroplane*. Up-to-date Kuaeian 'plane* and pilots, with Spain a* an example, have proved their capabilities as fighters in the face of opposition in the air. Therefore the sensational victories of Japanese machint* should be largely discounted.