THE NEAR MAST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18873, 28 May 1923, Page 7

THE NEAR MAST

PEACE OR WAR? A DANGEROUS SITUATION. ENGLISH PRESS COMMENT. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 26. (Received May 27, at 5.5 p.m.) The Lausanne Conference will decide on Saturday whether or not war will break out afresh in the East. The Creek ultimatum appeared to make hostilities inevitable. The Turks maintain that they have not yet received a reply from Angora to the Greek offer regarding Karagatch, but this is probably an attempt by Ismet to gain a respite by which he hopes to convince Angora that they must modify their attitude in time to prevent a rupture. It is 'believed that the Turkish reply was really received last night, but it was a flat refusal. Ismet will be asked whether his Government is willing to discuss the Greek offer. In the event of a negative reply M. Venizelos will firmly quit. The real danger consists in two factors —first, Greece’s internal political situa tion; secondly, her military situation which gives Greece an obvious temptation to strike the first blow quickly. The tbtal Turkish strength is 300,000, and the Greek 180,000, but the great part of the Greek army is concentrated at Maritza ready for action. English newspapers feature the crisis. Tile Daily Express Lausanne correspondent says that the British danger consists m having some part of her army of occupation caught between the rival armies and becoming involved in the struggle. The Daily Telegraph’s Lausanne correspondent states that only by continuance of the councils, which from the beginning have been conducted with mutual loyalty, can the Allies assert their authority _ with convenience and rapidity. He indicates that the collapse of the conference will be nothing short of an international disaster. Only by retaining representatives in the Balkans can effective limitation of the struggle be maintained.—A. and N.Z. Cable. CREEK PREMIER’S STATEMENT. DESIROUS OF ALLIED GOODWILL. ATHENS, May 25. (Received May 27, at 5.5 p.m.) The Greek Premier, in a statement, says: “General Pelle had pointed out to M. Venizelos the impossibility of disposing of the repatriations question this week, sine© the Turks are without instructions from Angora. Greece is prepared to agree to an adjournment pending the arrival of these instructions, in order to meet the wishes of the Allies upon whose goodwill we place so much hope."' —A. and N.Z. Cable. A FRENCH WARNING. GREEKS TO BE “REFUSED EVERY FACILITY.” \ PARIS, May 25. (Received May 27, at 5.5 p.m.) It is understood that the French Government has sent M. Vehizelos an important communication intended to convey a warning as to the consequences of a war decision, and making it plain that n the event of war the Greek armies would be refused every facility of movement so far as it is in the power of the Drench to refuse it. Probably this is meant to convey that the Greek fleet would not oe allowed to carry out operations in the TEgean Sea. —A. and N.Z. Cable. GOOD NEWS. THE MENACE REMOVED. AGREEMENT REACHED AT LAUSANNE. LONDON, May 27. (Received May 27, at 11.5 p.m.) The menace of war in the Near East has been removed by an agreement reached at a meeting of the chief Allied delegations at Lausanne, to which the heads of Jugo-Slavian, Roumanian, and Japanese delegations, and the American representative were invited. It was agreed that a formula be drawn up under which Greece acknowledges responsibility for war damages in Asia Minor, while Turkey, in view of the state of Greece’s finances, renounces the right to reparation. Instead of payment, Greece agrees to a rectification of the frontier at Karagatch, the effect of which is that Greece gives up the triangle of territory in Western Thrace between the Arda and Maritza Rivers and Karagatch. Turkey agrees to the restitution of ships captured from Greece. During the meeting, which lasted three hours, Ismet and M. Venizelos sat side by sideSir Horace Rumhold and General Pelle appealed for peace. Ismet laid emphasis on the devastations wrought by the Greek armies, while M. Venizelos pleaded Greece’s poverty.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

M. VENIZELOS DELIGHTED. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF PEACE. LONDON, May 27. (Received May 27, at 11.5 p.m.) Ismet said that in renouncing reparations Turkey had made the greatest sacrifice. for peace. The Serbian delegate opposed the rectification, but was not prepared to resist a settlement. M. Venizelos, on leaving the conference, called out dramatically to the waiting journalists: “It’s peacelnterviewed, he said lie was delighted. “Never mind the details or the number of ships we. must give up. Peace is so precious that it is worth the sacrifice.” One report says that the terms were proposed by the Allies' and read bv General Pelle. Another is that M. Venizelos made the offer, and that the details will be worked out by experts, but there is every reason to hope that th© matter has been settled. Ismet and M. Venizelos declared that they are fully authorised to make a settlement. The removal of this problem greatly facilitates the work of the conference.—A. and N.Z. Cable. REVOLUTION IN BULGARIA. POSITION REPORTED CRITICAL. LONDON, May 27. (Received May 27, at 11.5 p.m) A message from Bucharest via Karlsbad reports a revolutionary outbreak in Bulgaria. The Premier is in flight, having been sentenced to death by the revolutionaries. It is reported that many revolutionaries have been killed or arrested. The position is critical.—A. and N.Z. Cable.