THE NEAR EAST CRISIS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 232, 13 September 1922, Page 5

THE NEAR EAST CRISIS

Allied Note to Turks NEUTRAL ZONE INVIOLABLE The Kemalists’ Reply CANNOT SURRENDER THRACE [PB3M ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT.]

The Allied Commissioners at Constantinople have informed the Angora Government that under no circumstances will they permit the Kemalists to violate the neutral zone, including the Dardanelles, the Bosphorus and Constantinople. It is the British Government's policy to keep the problems of Thrace and the Straits separate from Asia Minor questions. Anti-Christian outbreaks are reported in Constantinople. French and British shops were attacked. British troops are held at Malta in readiness to sail for Turkey.— (“Times.”)

(Received, 13, 9.0 a.m.) _ London, Sept. 12. The “Manchester Guardian” interviewed Mqstapha Rechid Pasha, Turkish Ambassador-elect to Britain, who declared that Britain must cease to distinguish between the Governments of Constantinople and Angora, which had identical aspirations.

"We cannot surrender Thrace. It is indisputable that Constantinople, being the capital seat of the Khalifa must be secured against attack. The only way to do this is to give it the hinterland. While the Creeks remain in Thrace there will not be peace. Constantinople, the Holy City and Adrianpple must be returned to the untrammelled sovereignty of the Khalifa. We admit the principle bf liberty of the Straits; consequently Turkey can negotiate with the Powers on that basis. Constantinople cannot remain in occupation of foreign troops. The Powers only adopted this measure temporarily.—(A. and N.Z.)

A REAL MENACE. I REVIVAL OF TURKEY. MAY LEAD TO GREAT WAR. AMERICAN AMBASSADOR’S WARNING. London, September 11. The assassination of Francis Ferdinand was the spark which exploded Europe into the Great War. The recovery of Smyrna by her triumphant forces has revived Turkey and may lead to another conflagration unless the danger is recognised and dealt with ■ firmly. This is the warning from the United i States Ambassador, Mr. Morgenthau, in an interview with the “Times.” Mr Morgenthau knows the people of whom j he-' speaks, and knows their- leaders < •personally. He says that while the { Turkish successes may appear small i when compared with the military I events in the Great War, the recovery | of Smyrna is just such an episode as may lead to tremendous results. A< new and menacing situation has arisen I and a positive policy is needed to localise the danger and prevent it from . spreading into Europe. The National- • ist movement has crystallised ’ into a J formidable manifestation of Turkish ! military power and racial intolerance. . - Mr. Morgenthau doubts if the Turks I will now be content with their avowed • aim, the regaining of '.Smyrna and . Constantinople, and dreads that even this may be accompanied by wide- * spread massacres and looting, partly as a makeshift means of paying her troops and partly as a means to re- i move inconvenient minorities, as was - done during the late war. < The Turkish victories are not only < likely to affect the Moslems in British 1 and French dominions and the uneasy ] population of Irak and Syria, but are < even more likely to affect the countries 1 defeated in th© Great War. He asks what will happen if Angora regains 1 access to Thrace and tempts Bulgaria ; to restore communication with Tur- i key? Bulgaria smarts under the I treaty penalties, but especially she i resents the delay in affording her an 1 outlet into the Aegean Sea, and may be tempted to fall upon the disorganised Greeks to recover seaports. I The New Europe is established with an unstable equilibrium. The new order is not sufficiently mature to resist a violent shock if administered by a former dominant military caste, I which has been condemned throughout Central Europe to economic oblitera- , tion. Germany’s unemployed officers, finding Turkey able to come to life again • and defy the Powers, would jump at the chance to join Kemal in a barbaric 1 war of revenge and plunder, in which they would find opportunities for personal aggrandisement. i Thus the democracies of Europe, averse to intolerance of military bur- < dens, may become victims of these 1 gunmen of the world, rallying under the victorious Crescent and embarking ! upon lucrative aggression, perhaps with Soviet assistance. ■ Mr Morgenthau appeals to Britain to ■ take the lead in localising the peril, ! adding that the Turks must at any | cost be prevented from controlling the f Dardanelles.—(“Times.”) EUROPEANS ATTACKED. IN CONSTANTINOPLE. POLICE POWERLESS. Constantinople, Sept. 11. A Turkish agitator arrived at Pera, : the northern quarter of Constantinople ; which is inhabited chiefly by Euro*

with revolvers and stones. He also attacked numerous French and British shops in the British quarter, including the office of the French newspaper “Bosphohe.” Several deaths occurred. The police are powerless.—(A. and N.Z.) MOSLEMS OF EGPYT. READY FOR REVOLT. Cairo, Sept. 11. The populace is elated at the Kemalist triumph. Flags are flying here and at Alexandria and prayers were offered in the mosques. The uneducated people believe that the Kemalists, having driven the Greeks from Asia Minor, will also drive the English out of Egypt. A prominent feature of a procession at Alexandria was that a large crucifix was broken in twain.— (A. and N.Z.) CREEK APPEAL. TO LEAGUE OF NATIONS. Geneva, Sept. 11. The Greeks have appealed to the League of Nations to take immediate steps to protect their nationals in Anatolia. —(A. and N.Z.) CHRISTIANS IN GREAT PERIL. IN ANGORA. London, Sept. 11. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Geneva correspondent reports that League of Nations officials state that the Turkish declaration of non-responsibility for excesses by Turkish troops refers to the entire territory in Kemalist occupation in Asia Minor. The communication is regarded as a notification that the Angora Government is giving the Kemalists a free hand to carry, out their vVill on the Christians, hoping by giving preliminary notification to evade responsibility. The League is powerless to take direct action and can only urge the Powers to inform the Turks that the latter cannot escape responsibility. It is feared that representations will be too late to save the Christians, who are in the direst peril. —(A. and N.Z.) SECRET AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE. — DENIED BY ANGORA GOVERNMENT. (Received 13, 9.35 a.m.) Rome, Sept. 12. A representative of the Angora Government denies the statement that the Kemalists concluded a secret agreement with France to provide arms and ammunition. He added that the Nationalist Government prefers to deal direct with the Greeks, but will not object to any meetings. He suggested that the Allies should establish preliminary peace terms.—(A. and N.Z.) NEW CREEK GOVERNMENT. FINANCES NOT DESPERATE. (Received 13, 9 a.m.) Athens, Sept. 12. ' The new Ministry intends to appoint Ministers to London, Paris and Rome who represented Greece there before 1920. The Finance Minister issued a statement to the effect thdt the financial situation was not desperate, though thrown into disorder by the former Premier’s policy. If order could be maintained the Government would be able to restore finances.—(A. and N.Z.)