The Hawera Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1924. THE TURKISH THREAT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 October 1924, Page 6

The Hawera Star

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1924. THE TURKISH THREAT.

Delivr-recl every evening bv 3 o'c'ocX In Hawera, Manaia, Xormanby, Okaiawa, Eltbam, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho. Manutahi, Alton, Hurley ville, Pntea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Mereniere, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

As a maker of trouble the Turk has proved himself to be without an equal. If one reads the history of the Turks one finds that on a great number of occasions they have caused terrible wars in the Near East, and the conflicts have often been accompanied by fiendish atrocities, which have shocked the civilised world. Early in the war between Germany and the Allies it was seen that the Turks were likely to join forces with the Germans and Austrians, the glittering military power of Germany appealing to them.- f The Turks thought that they would be well rewarded by the Kaiser, who had made them believe that Germany was the real friend of Islam and who had with much pomp and ceremony made his pilgrimage to the holy places in the East. The protection afforded by Turkey to the Goeben and Breslau and the blocking of communication from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea were very valuable to Germany in those early day?, of the conflict, while Turkey’s entry into the war made the Allies’ task much more difficult, and the war was lengthened considerably as a result. The Turks were ultimately forced to give in, but though Sir Edward Grey had threatened Turkey that if she entered the war she would sign her own deatli warrant in Europe, the threat was not put into practice. The Turks

are still very much alive, and ueithe; • the League of Nations nor the Lausanne Treaty seems able to prevent them causing further trouble. This week messages have been received which indicate that there is serious danger of another war. One message, stated that the Turks are violating the decisions of the commission dealing with the transference of Greeks from Turkey, which were the result of the Graeco-Turkisli war. They ordered 30,000 Greeks, who ' were settled Constantinople, to leave the country within ten days, after which they would be forcibly expelled. Other messages report that the activities of the Turks in the Mosul district are causing anxiety, and war with Britain is threatening. As we pointed out in an article a fortnight ago, Britain is responsible to the League of Nations for the mandated territory of Iraq, and if the Turks continue to violate the terms they must be resisted. To what extent the League of Nations will be prepared to assist in the defence of Iraq remains, to be seen, but .if the Turks force the position the League must act. Everyone will hope that there will soon be an improvement in the situation at Mosul, and that there will be no war, but. it looks as if the Turks are in a dangerous mood and are apparently determined to make a. bold bid to recover Mosul, which they regard as important to their national ambitions. The position is such that rapid developments may take place, and there is so much unrest throughout the Moslem world at present that a great upheaval is not beyond the bounds of possibility. The Secretary for the Colonies (Mr J. H. Thomas) made it plain in a message yesterday that, although everything will be done to prevent war, the honour and prestige of Britain must be upheld. We think that throughout the Empire the great majority of people will be in.accord with his statement.- Britain’s firm attitude may be responsible for the Turkish suggestion, which to-day’s cables state has been agreed .to, but. we fear that a settlement wi’l not be reached without great difficulty, for the Turks are ever ready to make promises if it suits their purposes to do so, but they are just as ready to break them if they think that they may gain an advantage.