WAR IN ANATOLIA

Otago Witness, Issue 3523, 20 September 1921, Page 17

WAR IN ANATOLIA

BOTH SIDES EXHAUSTED. LONDON, September 13. Questioned regarding the position in Asia Minor, the Foreign Office said that it is obscure and unsatisfactory. Discussing the progress of the warfare, the Foreign Office points out that after the Greeks had made a succession of strong attacks the lurks entrenched along the line of the Sakaria River and occupied practically impregnable positions in the mountains overlooking the winding river. Some places were entrenched 3000 ft above the river, ine Greeks advanced a considerable distance, many getting over the river, but the progress towards Angora was held up. Ihe Turks at the end of July, fearing that Angora was about to be captured" prepared to remove the seat of Government to Ivaisarich, but they stopped operations at the last moment.

The Foreign Office has received information that both the Turks and the Greeks are exhausted and are unable to advance. The Turks had depended mainly on supplies of arms and gold from the Bolshevists, who, notwithstanding that they asked the Allies for £40,C00,000, seemed to have plenty of money for propaganda purposes. They had sent large quantities of ammunition, which had enabled the Turks to continue their resistance. On the other hand, the Greeks were handicapped l>y Great Britain’s embargo on munitions going to either side. Great Britain is not prepared to mediate until both sides are ready to accept the previous offer of mediation which they had refused. GENERAL HARRINGTON'S W YRNIX G. LONDON, September 12. I’he Daily Telegraph’s Constantinople I correspondent states that the discovery'of a new plot against the Allies might suggest that Constantinople is the centre of a revolution, but really a complete calm reigns The Allied occupation is universally accepted, and is bearing lightly on the population. General Harrington, however, owing to the fresh conspiracy, warns the population that such intrigues mav bring a more rigorous application of the occupation. General Harrington has given the Turks a week to hand over suspects for trial bv the Allied Court. A WIDESPREAD CONSPIRACY. CONSTANTINOPLE, September 14. i he Council of High Commissioners decided lo demand the arrest of a brother of the Foreign Minister in the Turkish (abinet, who is considering his resignation, but Izzet Pasha wishes to avoid this, as lie himself fears arrest. The local Turkish Commander and the Prefect- of Police are said to be implicated in the plot. The names on the list drawn up by the conspirators include the British. French, and Italian High Commissioners. LONDON, September 14. lelegrains from General Harrington show that the Constantinople plot is widespread. None of the leaders were arrested. bill, the persons detained were found to be in touch with the Kemalists. I hey endeavoured to play on the Moslem ieolings of the Indian troops, amongst whom large quantities of seditious pamphlets were distributed. They also aimed at- the assassination of the Sheik Isl am and other prominent Turkish officials, as well as the Allied military leaders. The situation undoubtedly is serious, but there is reason to believe that the movement has been stopped in time. MOSLEMS M l SJI DC F. GI? E \T B RITA IN. LONDON, September 15. The Turkish situation is attracting much attention. The Daily Express states

j that the Greek offensive failed, but the I full extent cannot be stated, because the j Greek have a strangle hold on the cables, ihe Greeks get no sympathy in their misfortunes. I hey went to war to get their j iuli pound of flesh. Great Britain comI mitted an error in allowing them to do i so, as every Moslem thought we were ! backing the Greeks against the Turks, i Now is the opportunity to remedy our | mistake. The war in Asia Minor must be • stamped out, and justice done in regard i to legitimate .Turkish claims.” A FIERY SPEECH. LONDON, September 15. j Ihe Morning Post’s Constantinople ! correspondent states that at a great meeting of Moslems the Afghan Ambassador made a fiery speech, declaring that Turkey was being attacked because it was Moslem, lie said it was regrettable that i owing to distance the Moslem countries could not aid one another. The effervesjcence in Afghanistan, India, Tunis, and Algeria showed that the movement for j Moslem unity was extending. GREEK OFFENSIVE FAILS. LONDON, September 15. The Daily Express’s special correspondent in Constantinople mailed a despatch in order to escape the Greek censorship. He says: “ the Greeks are retreating, having failed to capture Angora, and have suffered terrible losses in killed, wounded, and sick, dysentery and other diseases. The offensive, has cost Greece at least 10,000 men. If the Turks had sufficient efficient transport they would sweep the Greeks into the sea. The Turkish victory was gained by sheer valour and good generalship, lor they were opposed to an enemy far superior in numbers and equipment. Ihe Turks had practically no aeroplanes. The fighting at Sakaria River was of a most desperate character, but few details are to hand. If anyone supposes that the Islamic world is going to he subdued through the Greeks he is making a big mistake. The Greek Govern ment is making frantic efforts to hide the truth.” -~ FOUGHT TO A STANDSTILL. PARIS, September 15. A message from Constantinople reaffirms that the Greeks are retreating. They are abandoning their wounded and war material. LONDON, September 15. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent expresses the opinion that the Greek army has been fought to a standstill; but there is no evidence supporting the Turkish claim that the Greeks are in | full retreat. The Greeks assert that they are only awaiting reinforcements before essaying another bid for Angora. 1 he Daily Express Constantinople correspondent reports: ” The Greek losses are much heavier than was mentioned in my previous cable message. I now learn that they are at least 20,000 killed, wounded, and sick. The attempt to outflank the Turkish left wing was a disastrous failure, which forced the Greek General Staff to launch a powerful offensive against the Turkish centre, which also failed. Finally the Greeks attempted to outflank the Turkish right wing, and in this effort they fared even worse, owing to the absence of roads. The Turkish counter-offensive is unlikely to be successful because of the lack of transport, but the Greeks must retreat to Eskishelir before the equinoctial rains transform the roads into morasses. GREEK CONSCRIPTS CALLED UP. ATHENS, September 16. A decree summons to the colours conscripts of the 1922 class, also all those to the age of 40 who have acquired Greek nationality since. -January 1.