The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-18 00:00:00

- -titottrilriby (11Dbgoer„
,
SATURDAY, DFCEMBER 18th, 1880

TURKEY AND GREECE.

THE Circular addressed by the Porte to the
Powers upon the Greek frontier question is
exciting a good deal of interest, in our own and
in Continental countries. The Turkish Govern-
ment repeat the offer informally made some time
ago to accept a sort of composition upon the fail
arneuet of the Greek territorial claims as as-
sassed by the Berlin Conference. There is a
disposition in some quarters to take a hopeful
view of this international difficulty, and it has
been asserted within the last day or two that a
method of settlement is in course of being de-
vised. A proposal has been made to constitute
Europe a high court of arbitration to summon
the parties before it, to hear the argumenta on
both sides, deliberate on them, and deliver
jedeusent by the majority of votes, the litigant
earties undertaking beferehand to accept the
jedgment of the tribunal. The characteristic of
arbit set ion proposals is leat their principle should
be Lidoptc, it being difficult for an one to object
with decency to a scheme whieh professes to
provide for the equitable adjustment of his
rights.' The point of disagreement is reached,
t mover, when we pass from principles to details.
But when this transition has taken place it is
eonoeinses discovered by one or both of the
patties that there are certain questions on which
, they cannot consent, as a matter of dignity, or
of high rolicy, or self-preservation, to submit to
the inljudication of any external authority; and
inesmuch as these qeestione have ften a
material bearing on the subjsct-ntatter in dispute
the arbitration proposal i not at all tiines the
success which could have been wished. The
Greeks are now demanding a certain increase of
territory on the ground of its being necessary for
their national development, and the Turks re-
fusing to coda this territory on the ground of its
necessity to their national protection. It is ob-
vious that both Greece and Turkey might decline
to allow any other State or group of States to
define authoritatively what is necessary for the
prosperity of the one or the safety of the other.
The principle of arbitration, whether iu a legal
dispute or an international point at issue, is un-
doubtedly a sound one. When it is applied in
the former sense the decision el the arbitrator,
as a rule, has all the effect of a legal tribunal
possessing the power to enforce its award. Bat
an international court does not possess this
power, and the obeying of the award is a mere
que4ion of international honour. For instance,
there was the famous arbitration between Great
Britain and the United States eight years ago.
The matters in dispute were referred to the ue-
nieiell of three other Powers, two of which—
namely Switzerland and Italy possessed no
power to enforce the judgment arrived at or to
make it respected. In that case the State against
which judgment went at once complied with it;
and so also in the arbitration concerning the
possession of San Juan, which was referred to
the Emperor of Germans?. The disputants in
this case, as in that of the A'abania,. were Great
Britain and the United States ; and as in that
instance Great Britain was the loser of the suit.
But sopposing, for the sake of argument, that
this country had declined to accept the judgment
of the Germen Emperor in the San Juan diffi-
culty—a far-fetched assumption, as must be al-
mitted—it would !vivo been impossible for that
Sovereign to enforce his decision. Germany is
a strong P iwar perhaps the strongest in
mil,tary sense in the wotld ;hut military strength
would have availed' but little against a State
which is the mistress of the seas. This is a
point which mast always be considered when
(pi:stions of international arbitration are ai4
oess.Al tho iipabidty of the tribunal to enforce
its eecisions should one of the partiec chose to
disregard the judgment arrived at.
In the matter of Greece and Turkey there are
some things to be overcome before the method
of arbitration could be applied with any prospect
of success to the settlement of the Greek frontier
question. It must be borne in mind that tl,e
European Power, which would form this inter-
national concert of appeal, have already pro-
nounced a decision on the matter. The decision
is an irregular and informal one, no doubt; and
one of an ex parte nature, so far as Turkey is
concerned, but still a decision published aflii
brought to the notice of the disputants. This
rather complicates the question for all concerned.
As regards the Powers themselves, they must,
if the arbitration is to be a reality, begin by re-
viewing their former judgment, and consenting
to take it back for reconsideration and revision.
It is hard to see how Greece could consent to
, the annulment of the former award. The Greeks
would be willing enough to go through the form
of an arbitration upon the distinct understanding
th:t it was merely intended to give quasi-legal
force and authority to that award. But if the
whole question is to be re-opened, and the
Powers aro to have full discretion to reduce the
'extent of the territorial changes formerly recom-
mended by them, what kind of an inducement
can Greece have to go to arbitration at all?
There is no probability that she would get more
from the arbitrators than was voted to her by
the Conference. These recommendations re-
main unenforced because no Power cares to go
to war with Turkey to enforce them. Would an
award of an international tribunal more formally
constituted than the Conference was stand any
butter chance of enforcement if Turkey chose to
remain recalcitrant? There is, however, one
condition upon which both parties might consent
to arbitral.ion under which that process wi.:uld
lead to a real settlement. If in the course of
preliminary negotiations the Powers could by
any means bring the minimum which Greece
would accept into coincidence with the maximum
which 'terkey would concede, they would enter
upon theit tiuttes with the certainty of
being ahJ. in he last resort to devise an aware
,snicie ho', psetna would accept. If Greek de-
ms.nds and WWI-Lulu CeriCcSSiODS could be
trrought :7ogether by mere diplomatic mediation,
tee souid be no need to eateley any of her that;
orainere eipletetetic machmery for the seise:-
meth, of toe with question. , But from tee ;Oil
-
tilde, at the dispoonits and more per,ieu;art
from the increase of the Orrek er.ey from a
peace to a war foetteg, it is feared tnat the dis-
puie has passed far i:eyond the bounds of &pin
, watic