TURKEY UNEASY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 71, 21 February 1940, Page 9

TURKEY UNEASY.

DEFENCE LAW INVOKED. BALKAN TROUBLE FEARED. ANKARA, Feb. 19. Turkey lias decided to invoke the national defence law, which was authorised by Parliament on January 18. The application of this law is interpreted to mean that Turkey feels that she or the Allies is threatened in the Balkans or in the vicinity. The law embraces measures for the strengthening of the delences, and controlling imports and exports and industrial re-organisation to enable supplies to be obtained for the armed forces. The invoking of the law caused surprise and some alarm, because it was not expected so soon. The National Assembly will probably meet immediately to confirm its implementation, but Cabinet might not await the Assembly’s approval before applying the . law, which gives the Government power to “iortify the Constitution or the nation in matters of economy and national defence,” consequent upon, first partial or general mobilisation ; and secondly, the probability of the nation entering a war between foreign nations affecting Turkey. The newspaper Cumhuriyct, which is the mouthpiece of the People's Party, warns its readers that the coming spring will bring a bitter struggle, but the outcome of the struggle is already known, because the Democracies are successfully carrying out their task.

The Turkish National Assembly’s decision. according to a message on January 13, also involved compulsory national service for both sexes between the ages of 18 and 60.