MISTAKES IN THE NEAR EAST.

Southland Times, Issue 19656, 5 October 1922, Page 4

MISTAKES IN THE NEAR EAST.

As bearing- upon the very critical situation in the Near East, a book which has just made its appearance, and which may be accepted as an authority, is of special interest. This is “The Western Question in Greece and Turkey,” by Professor Arnold Toynbee. Professor Toynbee was the British official expert on Turkish atrocities during the Great War, so that he ought to know what he is writing about. Furthermore, he is an historian and not a politician. He looks upon the facts impartially, and gives his judgments with regard solely to their accuracy. And Professor Toynbee shows clearly that practically the whole of the trouble in the Near East is due to the serious mistake made by the Allies when they allowed Greece to occupy Smyrna in May, 1919. Greece obtained the consent of the Allies by suggesting that an encroachment by the Italians on the Smyrna zone was possible, and Greek troops landed under the mandate of the Allies “to maintain order.” The result was immediate and extensive disorder. At the time the Turkish armies were being disbanded and arms were being handed in, in terms of the armistice and under the supervision of Allied officers. When the Greeks landed there was an immediate rising in Smyrna against the disarmed garrison and for fourteen days chaos prevailed. Then the Allies were also unfortunate in their attitude towards the Nationalists. It is not as if the Nationalists were a minority of the Turks, or even only a few more than half of them. Professor Toynbee heard of only six Turks of any importance who were not Nationalists, and the Sultan was one of them. The Nationalist movement was a Turkish movement and the natural seat for a Nationalist Government was Constantinople and not Angora. There are very serious difficulties to be overcome in the Near East, because no matter what adjustment cf boundaries may be made, there must be nearly as many Moslems left in nonTurkish territory as there arc Christians in Moslem territory, and when it comes to atrocities and the oppression of minorities, Professor Toynbee makes it pretty clear that there is not much to choose between the Turk and the Greek. Of course, the Allies have already submitted terms which will restore to the Turk not only the part of Asia Minor which Kemal Pasha has recovered by force of anus, but also Constantinople and Eastern Thrace, including Adrianople. The Allies must insist upon the freedom of the Dardanelles, and perhaps on a neutral zone on either side, but in so far as the Nationalists’ aims are legitimate the Turk is entitled to a fair deal and consideration for Greece should not prevent the Allies from giving it to him.