The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-06
The Eastern War cloud.


For two years we have been watch
ing for Continental Europe. in some
:orm or other. To take advantage of
Great Britain's preoccupation in South
Africa. II is probable that but for the
British policy in regard To the near
Eastern question i'm the past. the '-un-
speakable Turk would have been ex-
PEELED from the Continent long ago. and
sent packing into Asia. where he belongs.
if anywhere. The recent action of the
French Government i'm assuming a men
actng attitude toward Turkey. and seiz-
ing the Turkish island of Mityleae. may
or may not mark the beginning of "a
movement the end of which will witness
the partition Of the Ottoman possessions
in Europe and the Levaut. II is perhaps
significant that NM. Loubet Waldeck-
Rousseau. and Delydsse waited before
moving upon the Sultan until they
could have "A personal conference with
the Gar Of Russia and his minister.
who accompanied him on his late visit
TO France 1t may be- surmised that
there WAS an interchange Of views in
regard To how far France might GO
without interfering with the Russian
policy and programme. And the French
Government 50 far has acted with more
reserve than IL was expected %. Smyr-
ma has not been seized. the reason as
signed being that the Sultan has shown
signs of surrender, and such an extreme
measure might be unnecessary. It Will
be observed that the whole business is
being conducted on the exoteric theory
that France only wants satisfaction In
money and some other things. for the
claims of her citizens and for alleged
violations Of treaty stipuIations on the
part of the Sublime Porte But Nifty
lene is close 70 Smyrna and the latter
can easily be bagged when the time is
ripe.
The question as to whether Germany
would permit the movement against the
Sultan To develop into a war of con
quest and partition, in which. Of course.
should such a thing happen. more Pow
ers than France would necessarily take
a hand. is an extremely interesting
one. The probability Sc ms to be that
the Kaiser would be quite willing %
watch the game as an uuinterested
Spectator if he could be assured of Iio-
eral compensation for keeping his hands
of Just where that quid pro quo could
be found and turned over TO him we do
not know. And even were he neutral
lied, there still would be serious diff
Guilty in carving Turkey 10 please all
pretenders 10 the pieces. Austrie has
dreamed for a century of acquiring
strip Of territory across Macedonia 10
include the Gulf and port Of Salpnica.
But the Macedonians want annexation
to Greece or, perhaps. Bulgaria. and
that would COmDIcate matters since
Bulgaria wants expansion at the ex-
pense Of Macedonia. I,usSia's desires
could be more easily met, as CONSTANT
nople, the BosphOrus. and the Darda-
nelles. with a liberal slice Of hinterIand
on both sides. would probably satisfy
her. And Italy would be apt TO de-
mand a good deal OF Balkan territory
nearest % her Adriatic frontier. So.
there would be cross purposes ia plenty.
and England, by reason Of the danger
that would accrue to her. were France
in possession Of Syria might be drawn
into the tight in spite Of herself.
II is said that the danger Of Euro
pean war over the partition Of Turkey
is being carefully and constantly con-
sidered by our State Department.
While we have 20 political interests at
stake In the premises. our commerce
would be seriously affected by such an
event. The present war cloud may pass
away. or 1t may not but for the pres
ent developments in the near East will
be watched By the whole world with
anxiety.