The Evening Star TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1918.

Evening Star, Issue 16847, 24 September 1918, Page 4

The Evening Star TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1918.

The nows from Palestine diverts attention momentarily from TBs Good HOWS other arenas of tho Continues. world-war campaign. It has been said that it is not possible for the great mass of tho general public to concentrate their attention upon more than one event, at a time, oven though any one of them may involve tho fate and destiny of no inconsiderable. portion of Die human race. And at present, half reluctant perhaps though, some may be to do so, the brilliant success that has attended General Allenby’s most recent movement in Palestine compels the attention of the world. Tho Germans are, we think, responsible for the term “a war of movement!” They have found its use most suitable and convenient for explaining to their own bewildered and depressed people tho reason of many of the recent developments and changes in their own plans on tho western front. To describe the present war as “a war of movement’’ —which possibly is equally' unsatisfactory to a nation and neoplo who up to less than three months ago had arrogantly assumed that their movements tins European summer would be these of advance —though less definite, is more politic than that of “ a strategic withdrawal in accordance with a prearranged plan." The first may mean anything or nothing, according to tho measure of the reader's knowledge; the in those clays of doubt and anxiety in the enemy's ranks, presses too near the truth to bo welcome. For one supreme fact remains clear to every unbiased outsider—all enemy movements of moment of late have been those of withdrawal, whether in tho west or south or east, and therefore retirements or worse, which it is desirable to call by some other name than the more common one. The Turk has bettered his master. What he officially calls “ the arrest of a British attack, an enemy penetration, and a Turkish withdrawal,” one of the most competent and experienced of war correspondents describes as a smashing defeat from which the Turk cannot hope to recover, and that Ids army has ceased to exist. The victory of General Allenby is, save Mr Massey, one of the moat complete of Die whole war. the tale of which, at tins hour of writing, and for many days, yet to come, it will hardly be possible to set forth in detail. At tho moment the authorities are too busily concerned in making provision for the custody of the many thousands of prisoners, the, captured hundreds of guns, and the immense quantities of war material and supplies. They, however, oan well wait. Hero

and now it is sufficient to know that tho general who, less than twelve months ago, began his Palestine campaign with the capture of Eeersheba, Gaza, and Jaffa in quick succession, crowning his rapidly successful advance by the capture of Jerusalem on December 10, is the general whose name to-day is upon every lip, and whose splendid feat of arms has sent a thrill of grateful pride throughout Christendom. Tho entry into and occupation of the Holy City in the early days of December last year by the British was marked, probably, and for obvious reasons, by more universal and sustained outbursts of popular acclaim than its actual military significance warranted. f But there are other, and on tho merely sensational side greater, things to-day in this gore-stricken world than military achievement. Relatively insignificant as the fall of Jerusalem was, viewed solely from its military side, from its moral and spiritual aspects there had been nothing to approach or equal it since the German War Lords first unsheathed the sword and sought to hack their way through to world dominion. A relieved and relaxed humanity saw in that glorious transformation the certain augury ol the coming of tho end for which the world’s youth were offering themselves a willing sacrifice, and the first definite beginnings of the ultimate doom ‘ ‘ of almost thirteen centuries of Mohammedan domination over ‘the City of God.’ ” General Allenby’s most recent victory has set the seal to his own fume, and may well prove the final blow to Turkish rule over subject Christian peoples in the East. Ifc i.-s too early to seek to estimate tho ianuodisato military and political effect® of tho Turkish defeat in Palestine upon tho progress of tho world war. Wore there anything approaching serious and therefore effective public opinion in that cruellygoverned country, there might bo hope that it 'would .-to organise and direct itself that the pro-German bauds who have so long held sway would bo swept from office and power. It is impossible, however. to assert with any confidence what will or will not happen in the near future. What we can and do assert is that tho evil forces which for over four yesara have kept the world in terror are at last being gob under control. Mankind does not propose to offer itself an acquiescent victim on tho alcar of Prussianiain, It never has so intended, and to-day, more than ever, its intent is never to sheatho the sword until the vile thing that drew it forth has been utterly destroyed. Even tho poorest souls among us have at least learned that there can be no safe placo fox the normal human being while militarism exists; but we may not all have learned that for its permanent dost ruction German and Turk, as well as Briton and American, must assist. “Tire United States and the Allies,” says Viscount Grey, ‘‘cannot save the world from 1 militarism unless Germany learns the lesson thoroughly and completely* and they will not save the world, or even themselves, by complete victory over Germany until they, too, have learnt and can apply the lesson that militarism has become tho deadly enemy of mankind,”

In the making of the red history of t-lio British Empire bells General Allenby’s have been rang and Achievement. songs have been sung

for lesser victories than the great achievement of General Allenby in Palestine. The operations of his Imperial army of modern Crusaders represent a triumph in strategy and tactics. From ancient Appollonia on the sea, and from Jericho by the Jordan, General Allenby s gallant men, drawn from the far places of the Empire—.from Auckland, to Armagh, from Lahore to London —have within the brief spaa between the rising of the sun to its going down in the evening of the third day overrun an Ottoman stronghold for four centuries, and, casting down the Crescent into the dust of vanished but nnforgotten races, have carried the Cross to the birthplace of tho Son of God. That is a prosaic fact, though it may look like poetic fancy. With a shrewd and mighty stroke General Allenby has irrevocably captured the Judman highlands, tire famous Mcgiddo passes where Barak slew tho Ganaanites, the maritime plain over which Napoleon and many other conquerors of Palestine have riddon, and is pressing rapidly and vigorously eastward over tire Jordan and northward beyond the inland Sea of Galileo. Our men have passed through Ephraim, Manassch, and Issachar, and have entered Zobulun and Naphtali, beyond Nazareth and the Sea of Galileo. Incidentally, in tho wide encircling movement a territory measuring 50 miles wide and tho same distance or a little more in length has been emancipated, the tough Seventh and Eighth Annies of the Turk destroyed, and 25,000 prisoners and 260 guns taken. It is an occasion when the side show equals tho main circus in arresting interest and significance. The references to the Plain of Armageddon might very well easily tempt faithful visionaries to an opportune interpretation of tho Seventh Angel's vial of wrath; but that, as a bleak consolation, may fitly be left to tho unbelieving Turk, who, fleeing from tho place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon, where the final struggle between tho powers of Good and Evil is to be fought, may have heard the voice saying; “It is done.” Let ns rather note with admiration and pride that General Allenby and Ids cosmopolitan army are not of tho race of prophets and dreamers. They have proved themselves men of action and resource. Exactly a year ago the military- object of General Allenby was largely one of defenco against an elaborately-prepared throat by the Turks, reorganised under tho supremo direction of General Von Palkenhayn, with Headquarters at Aleppo. At that time the inactivity of tho Russians in Armenia had released man-power against ns, the flank of our Mesopotamian army was uncovered —was “in tho air,” as tacticians say—and our Palestine armyfronted what seemed to be an imprcgnably fortified Turkish stronghold. The situation was exceedingly formidable for the British ‘'side shows” in the .Middle East. Fortunately neither the late General Maude nor General Allenby was a man to sit still until preparations against him became overwhelming, like a flood. General Maude struck three sharp surprise blows in Mesopotamia, and pierced and eventually commanded the .Median Wall. He destroyed the enemy’s advanced bases on the Euphrates, the Diala, and tho Tigris—a movement which was adequately discussed in our war notes at the time. General Allenby attacked the Gr.za-Beersheba line. The Turkish flanks wore turned, and success led to success. Indeed, one achievement has grown nut of another, until the dogged Turk has been thrust over the Judaean highlands, Jerusalem is now a Holy City free from oppression, and the political and religions prestige of the Ottomans has been smashed. Moreover, our army has virtually galloped from an insecure resting place at Jerusalem to a strong offensive position northward and eastward.

The significance of the present victory of General Allenby’s arm is probably of no less value politically than it is militarily. It is no exaggeration to suggest that, in the East, in the political sense the splendid achievement in Palestine will equal the effect of the fall of Bagdad. The emancipation of all Palestine is within sight; and the greater portion of those places with which wo are ail most familiar in the Old Testament, and which formed the patrimony of the ruling tribes of Israel, is now in the hands of conquerors who will respect inherently rather than as a matter of political expediency the hallowed associations of tho country and all that these mean, to men of passionate faith. The most important Zionist colonics have been recovered, and this, following the net yet old adhesion of the British Government to a Zionist policy, will have a valuable influence in tho political sphere. Then tho value of General Alienby's triumph will have beneficial influences throughout the whole of Inch it should not be forgotten that in the campaigns in Palestine and Mesopotamia the Indian Empire has played a nobio part at a time when its people arc stirred by political aspirations and by tho spirit of self-reliance and progress. The conquest of Nazareth may help tremendously towards tho political emancipation of India, whose people are earning on the fields of battle and great sacrifice the common right ol self-government. Tho bearded Sikh and the lean Cockney' lie together on tho Plain of Esdraclcn, unmindful of the evil birds gathering in the tranquil sky, for each has given his life fur freedom and gained immortality. As for the Turks : “ Have they not sped? . . .” As for Palestine and its sacred places; “So let all Thine enemies perish, G Lord; but let them that, love Him be as the sun when ho goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.”