THE NEAR EAST.

Grey River Argus, 11 October 1922, Page 5

THE NEAR EAST.

NEUTRAL ZONE PROBLEMS TURKS ARREST CHRISTIANS IN CONSTANTINPOLE SUBURBS. [A. and N.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON, October 9. While the Near East situation has been greatly improved by the Allied agreement regarding the interpretation of the terms of the recent Note, official circles point out that the difficulties in reaching an agreement at Mudania are by no means removed. It is regarded as most significant, that Kemal has not yet committed his Government to a withdrawal from the neutral zones. He has withdrawn troops from the Chanak zone and is actually continuing the peaceful penetration of the Ismid zone, which he himself assisted to mark out.

J A high authority states that a coni dition precedent to the Greek evacuation of Thrace is the Turkish withdrawal from the neutral zones. It is also jiointed out that while the Allies have agreed to admit Turkish gendarmerie to Thrace, they wilt not admit unlimited numbers. The number will Ibe a matter for negotiation. The official resumption of the Mu dania Conference was postponed unti i this afternoon, owing to slight discrepancies in the instructions to tin ' Allied delegates, which have now beer removed. I Latest official reports from Constan tinople state that the Turks have be

gun to arrest Christians in the Asiatic suburbs of Constantinople, but it is not believed the Kemalists have instigated the arrests. The Allies will protest. TURKS EVACUATE ISMID. PARIS, October 9. The Foreign Office learns that the Turks penetrated Ismid through mistaking the neutral zone boundaries. They withdrew as soon as the English demand was received. The incident is considered closed. REMINDER FOR ISMET. CONSTANTINOPLE. October 9. A British communique states: The Allied Generals have handed a Note to Ismet Pasha drawing the Turks’ attention to the violation of the neu-

tral zone. U.S.A. RELIEF FUND. WASHINGTON, October 9. President Harding has announced the formation of a committee to raise funds throughout the country in aid of the Near East relief. Various bodies, such as Red Cross, 1 .M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., Federal Council of Churches and Jewish societies are merging with the American relief administration.

HUGHES’S IMPERIALISM. NOW WAR THREAT IS PAST. MELBOURNE, October 9. 1 Mr Hughes, at a Lord Mayor’s luncheon, referring to the Near East, said: The Great War had taught us how close and intimate our relations with the Empire were, and it was our clear right to be called into council and given a voice in moulding the Empire’s foreign policy. Th-e Empire could not speak in half a doeen voices, but must speak in one. By the way Australia had stood by the Empire recently, we had been able to make the world realise that the force of Britain was not exhausted when it reached the confines of its own territory, but shouted with tremendous volume across the seas, speaking for a united Empire. It was our clear duty when the British Government had spoken on matters of foreign polic yto range ourselves by its side. In domestic affairs we had complete control, but. in regard to foreign policy we must act through Britain. We demand to bo consulted on matters of foreign policy before that policy is laid down, but once laid down, we were committed to it, otherwise there would bo no unitv in the Empire and no safety for the Commonwealth.