he Dominion. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1917. OUR VICTORIES IN PALESTINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 52, 24 November 1917, Page 6

he Dominion. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1917. OUR VICTORIES IN PALESTINE

Fok long centuries the Turkish flag—a blood-red sheet with a white crescent,' a gruesomo emblem of governmont by massacre—has been unfurled over Palestine, but it is now yielding to tho flag that speaks about tho cross, and that sots forth ideals about a redeemed and emancipated world. Two of tho saints woose emblems form part of our national flag were natives of the Holy. Land. Legend represents Geokge, England's patron saint, as born at Lydde, and, in the same place, after his martyrdom, his dust was laid, and his monumeatal memorials, moro than once- destroyed, .rare-there to this day. We tread firmer historic ground'when wo say fhat Andrew, Scotland's patron saint, was of Bethsaida, in Galilee. These saints have come to their own again on earth in having their memorials in our flag unfurled over tho land they loved and'which they held so sacred. It is of interest to note that tho cross of St. George now flies over. his. grave in Lydda. which for centuries has been in the possession of tho Turk. In the .Middle Ages it was a haunting horror to Christendom that the Holy Land should be .ruled by the "Infidel," and Christian blood was poured out like water in the Crusades in impotent attempts to wronch it from- him. • Centuries ago, Europe would have been incited to a delirium of joy,by the news that tho Christian flag_ .was being victoriously unfurled in Palestine. We view things more sanely and calmly to-day.. But wo may take it as an ornen of good that a large part of the land that was tho birthplace of Christianity-is now under the easy •yoke, of a Christian nation.. This War ; as Mk. Abqtjith pointed out at its beginning, is at bedrock a holy war, a war of spiritual ideals. Wβ may hope l that the victories in this land so full of saored associations foreshadow the larger victory that a war-worn world Doeds. To tho thoughtful Turk, then, British success in Palestine will bo a serious mental disturbance. The possession of Palestine spoke to him of Islam's superiority ovor Christianity and ovor Europe. The loss of his sacred city Mecca, the fall- of Bagdadj and defeats in Palestine will sound as the death-knell of his Empire. It is no_ wonder that a maddened populaco in Constantinople are cursing to-day the. Yoiting Turk Government, whose alliance with Germany has brought disaster upon them. This war in Palestine is not a mere side-issue of the war—a mere diversion made by Britain to create a good moral effect. It may prove of tremendous strategic importance. Germany's' one ambition for expansion to-day is in tho Near East. Her colonial empiro is gone. If tho war were to end to-morrow with tho territory she has invaded in Europo as her possession she would ho sitting on a cockatrice den. The alien peoples she had brought under her yoke would prove her curse and ruin. Germany's great dream i 3 tho East, with open doors for commercial and political expansion. To tho realisation of their dream, Turkey is necessary as Germany's vassal. Pan-Germanists for years before the war very frankly declared that in the event of war with Britain thoir only hope of victory lay in using Turkey as their ally to stab Britain in Egypt, capture tho Suez Canal, and India, tb,us suspended in the air, would speedily fall. The notorious Paul Rohrbach, in his book on tho Bagdad Railway, set forth this scheme. He was a triue prophet. Turkey, incited by Germany's bribe- of Egypt, assailed Britain in Egypt, and tried to capture the Suez Canal. Germany had bought the Khedive Abbas IT. and expected the Turks wou'd have an easy win. But Abras II fled in disgrace, and the Turks were routed in Egypt. Britain has not only struck. down the assassin's arm of Turkey in Egypt, but has carried the war into Turkey's moat treasured territory. Turkey is meeting tho fate she planned for Britain at the bidding of Germany.

"She disgert a pit, and digged it deep, She digged it for her brother, And' for her ein, sho tumbled in The pit she digged for t'other." If the victories in Palestine and Mesopotamia be pressed forward it may mean very much in this war. The East means much to Gorman ambition to-day, perhaps means everything. She has the Balkan door wide open in her hanfjs, but if it leads to nowhere w!iat is its value? And it loads to nowhere if Turkey is shattered by Britain and her Allies. The_ Kaiser, and his gang must have disturbing dreams as they pursuo their devilish task of trying to rivet the fetters of A-.us-'trian despotism on the peoples of Italia Irridenta. Tho babble of a big Eastern Empire will be bursting before their eyes as they see Palestino and Mesopotamia ■ overrun by victorious British armii's. Britain is finding in Palestine today somo compensation for her failures and bunglings in the Balkans. Tho Union Jack flying over Palestine may mean much more than it seems. We may be on the eve of a great change in the Near liast problem.- There is a colossal amount of man power in tho Near East on the side of Britain and her Allies—Greece, Serbia, Rumania have manhood enough there to make £, powerful army. The Salonika army of the Allies may be reduced in size, but it is also on tho spot.. Bulgaria, no doubt, is our enemy, lrjit she is always up for sale to the highest bidder, and her neutrality 01; her active assistance might not "bo difficult, to secure if thoro was a .reasonable prospect : of victory for Britain. If o«r gun power in the East were, equal to ouv man power, a jiiind attack shot from Greece by 11. combined army would likely mean the'utter ruin of tho Turk- in TCurniie. With Britain on the flanks of Llie Turks in Palestine and Mesopotamia the power of icsistancr; in. Constantinople would In weak. All this, of course, is surmise, but it is legitimate surmising. We may l>o on the eve of epoch-making changes in the Near East. Tho fall of Jerusalem' is imminent, .-ind the, fall of Oonsfiintinnnle may be in the near future Britain's sea power in the Mediterranean is worth half a dozen •of FMjRENTuyns at Aleppo.