THE HE AS EAST.

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1922, Page 3

THE HE AS EAST.

(To the Editor.) Sir.—Aow thaT the ‘ 1 Argus,’’ per editorial and headings of its issue of 1 flic 11th inst.j has declared war on I the Turks, and proved itself liable to I fall at any old time for the inciteI meat ladled out by agents provocateur like Afartni Donohue, tire rear correspondent, thvro sire a few other I items upon which I must seek cnlight- | enment. Firtly, will the rest of La- I I hour throughout the Empire reconsider 1 I its anti-war attitude .realise it is out ! Ot Step, and follow the lead given by -few Zealand Labour; secondly, if war >s to be stirred up against the Turks, are there any other catch-cries better calculated to serve the purpo: - in hand than ‘ ' Itissncres of Christians?'’ rhirdly, will Dominion Labour not repent somewhat for not whole-hearted-ly supporting the recent war against the Turks, during which the latter oxl er..nn,■no,| the whole Aime.nan race, | men, women ami children, upon eighi recorded occasions? Fourthly, now i that the “British forces are doing I some good work,’’ whether the “Ar- i gus.’■ which stands for the good as. | against the bad, will at once open :■ ■rm.i ii g bureau? Fifthly, now ths! the “Argus” assures us the Turks fire not “ playing the game," whether they wore playing the game when | they drove the Greeks (Christians') out ! ot Asia -Minor? Sixthly, whether tile i mantle of truth has suddenly dropped I on the shoulders of Donohue, and the J “Argus" has been granted the revela- ; lion to see that he is now exposing I tb.e Turks, whereas before, per “Ar- I gus/’ he was merely playing the J game of his capitalist masters? Trusting I shall soon be enlightened.— Lam. AVON I)i:i? I N(r. Hyperbole such as the above, like any i other exaggeration, carries its own refutation. We don’t suppose “W.m-I dering" wants to be a recruit to do- , fend refugees, (the only question at ' issue) regarding whom the Turks have , never yet ‘’played the game.’’ Donohue is on the spot, am*, ‘.’s oft-nroven veracity and knowledge Tis to th l Near East guarantee his reliability now. .He affirms Christian, refugees from t:,e Black Sea shores have been allowed to penetrate the British lines so as 1" protect them from certain massacre by , the Turks. Believing this, ■who would urge leaving the unarmed om s defenceless? Not even “ Wondering! ■’ He docs not say so, though; and win : It would destroy his hyperbole! lie may deny, but the whole world knows, the Turks; do massacre Armenians! The “Argus" wan! ‘ . > slaughtered neither Turks, Armenians, Greeks, nor Britishers. Whoever suggests the mantle of a liar for Donohue deserves it himself far more, Murdering Turks or Armenian* is rot, wm. -m tecting both, is “good work." Only a blind fanatic would confuse the protection of refugees with ■warring on Turks. The agreement signed at Mudania settles the. lie about “stirring up war" against the Turks, which is quite different from urging defence of the helpless. Playing the game tne Turks were in driving out invading Greek armies from Asia Minor, but to abandon refugees would no’ bo ‘‘playing the game," even for Greeks (not to mention British) any more than slaying refugees would be. To oppose war on the ‘Turks is not to say they have suddenly changed from being th.cruel victors all history shows them to be. The “Argus" never accuse-! Donohue of lying. Dot “Wonder ' big" prove ho deserves such an accusation.—Ed. “Arg*us."