The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1923. TURKEY AND GREECE.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15245, 23 May 1923, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 1923. TURKEY AND GREECE.

The questions pending between Greece and Turkey have again assumed a most serious aspect. The Greeks are willing that Turkey’s claim for reparations should bo decided by arbitration, but claim, on the other hand, that Turkey should pay compensation for the 500,000 Greeks driven out of Anatolia, whose • maintenance is now provided by the Greek Treasury. Turkey takes up the position that she has conquered and can do what she likes, and General Pelle, the French representative and Sir Horace Rumbold, the British representative, are reduced to begging Ismet Pasha to be more reasonable. It would be difficult to imagine a more humiliating situation for two great nations who have lately been victors in a world-wide war. The reports of Turkish doings in Anatolia are tragic reading. Dr. Nansen, who was sent by the League of Nations to ascertain the condition of the Greeks in that district, recommends that steps be taken to remove them at once to save them from starvation or from death by other means. The Turks are quite willing that they should be removed, 'and suggest that the Greeks in Constantinople should also be removed. Such a protieeding would be the complete ruin of all this area, which even under Turkish rule has been wealthy. This, however, would be a long-drawn-out agony. The immediate tragedy would be the fate of the half-million \or more of Greeks torn away from their homes and businesses, despoiled of their possessions and transported to Greece, which is too small to afford them openings for settlement, and too poor to maintain them in idleness. There is every prospect of an appalling calamity both now and in the future. For this position the errors of statesmen ir. Britain, France, the United States and Greece are responsible, but not Heaven itself can o’er the past have power, and our business to-day'is to take what steps may be possible to avert or mitigate the disaster. The Home Government have chosen a most unfortunate time for opening up their quarrels with Russia. The injuries of which they complain have been spread over a long period, and as w’c refrained from’ protest earlier we might have continued to do so until some settlement of tlifc difficulty with Turkey had taken place. The right answer to Turkey’s claims and conduct would be to send ships and troops to seize Constantinople, and from that as a centre to reconquer the country. There would be found to be considerable difficulties in the way even if Turkey were the only enemy, but the chances are that Russia would seize the opportunity to attack us arid to ally herself with Turkey. She has great grievances against ’ms, and though she is anxious to keep open trade relations, she would probably surrender these for the sake of war under such favourable conditions. T&e Soviet rulers believe that either Britain or France would seize any favourable opportunity to try and destroy their government, and they in turn would be glad to destroy the British or French Governments. If, therefore, we decide that it is impossible to submit to the insolence of Turkey and to stand by while a great crime is perpetrated, we must do so with the knowledge that we are probably bringing about another European wan, which would not be confined to the Near East. France would call ou Poland to attack Russia, Hungary and Roumania would fall to blows, and the conflict might spread even further. Britain, too, could expect but little assistance from France, who is becoming so involved in the Ruhr adventure that she is afraid to move in any other direction. It is difficult to imagine 'any war which Britain would face with less willingness, yet the alternatives are serious. If the tragedy involved in transporting over half a million Greeks from Anatolia cannot be averted British credit and prestige will gravely suffer. Small nations will hesitate to throw in their lot with Britain in any future struggle. Then again, the economic efforts throughout the Turkish Empire will be disas-. trous. The Armenian and the Greek represented the artisan and the trading element, both on a large scale and on a small. In driving them out of the country the Turk is ruining himself. As far as ho is concerned, everyone will feel that he has brought his fate cr. himself, but it is no light matter to see a large area allowed to revert !o barbarism. The effects throughout the Mohammedan world may or may not be serious, but it is in any case deplorable to sec the ruin created in Europe spreading itself into Asia. The settlement of largo bodies of men is not a matter that can be carried out in a hurry. It lakes time for men to find work, to make businesses, to discover openings for whatever capacity they may have. The only country that could afford an opening for half a million Greeks is the United States, where they arc complaining of a lack of labour, il'hc United States, however, is suffering from a long attack of nationalism as the result of a short experience of war. She imposes strict limitations on immigration and is not in the least likely to agree to accept half a million Greeks.

In considering the question lying between Turkey and Greece there is no reason to feel sympathy or otherwise with cither nation. The Greeks in their brief hour of prosperity were arbitrary, cruel, and guilty of murder. The best that can, lie said of them is that as their opportunities were less their crimes were smaller. There is no occasion to reproach Turkey for insisting on the full profits of victory or for carrying nationalism to mischievous lengths. We are doing the .witnfl,. Md doing mischief thereby even

if not on the same scale. But the Turk is a savage, and whatever excuses may be found for his tendency to massacre it should be sternly repressed to the utmost of our power, for his good and for that of the world.