Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-25
italy and Turkey.

The sudden outbreak of hostilties be-
tween Turkey and Italy on the score OF
the latter's claims to suzeraln'y IN
Tripou is foreshadowed apparently by
the seizure of an Italian liner at Marsha
by the Turks. There have been rumbhngs
of trouble on one account and another
for some time but no acute situation was
in evidence, and there seemed to be a
disnosition on the part of both govern
ments to await the settlement of the
Franco-German dispute over Morocco be-
fore proceeding to an adjustment of the
Tripolitan affair The dispatches are
provokingly deficient in the matter of de-
tails. Italy has for a long time had its
ewes on Tripoli as convenient and profit
able field Of colonization, despite the fact
that Turkey had clear political claim
based upon several centuries or virtually
,lndisputed authority But for a long
time the Turkish power in the northern
tier of African states has been waning
as the incompetence of Constantlnople TO
govern remote provinces lying within the
radius of the influence of the Christian
powers has been demonstrated. 1t is
another case of the irrepressible conflict
between the Moslem and Christian, not
SO much a question Of religious differ
ences as of general governmental methods
Insistence by Italy upon claims to
part in the government of TripoH would
unauestionably precipitate war unless
1t should be the desire of Germany, which
exercises almost paramount influence at
Constantinop1e, to avoid a conflict at this
time. The Young Turks party, now domi-
nant, cannot afford to weaken in any de-
gree in the protection of the Moslem
states which look to Constantinople for
resistance of the .infidel." holy war
is the ideal of every North African
Moslem, and the party in power at the
Turkish capital is virtually pledged to at
least prevent the weakening of Moham-
mechanism on the south shore of the
Mediterranean. To yield to Italy now
! would be to invite disaster in Turkey,
where conditions are not altogether pro-
pitious.
Italy would have a heavy task in Trip
oil If a war of conquest were under
| taken. The native population is some
where between 100000 and 100000. ac-
cording to the latest estimates 1t is
| largely nomadic in character, and there
| fore difficult to enumerate. In all likeli-
w
available for military uses. Their style
| of fighting is the most difficult to combat.
being largely of guerrilla nature. marked
| by sudden descents and rapid withdraw
ais, demoralizing to a we'll organized
| force and susceptible of almost infinite
prolongation. France has had just the
same sort of trouble in Morocco, and has
found the maintenance of order there no
easy undertaking.
Two dangers are involved in this situa-
| tion-a holy war throughout north Africa
and a general conflict among the powers
of Europe. That Italy and Turkey have
not acted wholly on their own RESPONSE
bilities may be suspected. The pressing
of the shadowy Italian claims to Tri-
politan authority at this critical juncture
may be part of a continental maneuver.
the real nature of which is clouded in the
| obscurity which cloaks, from American
vision, most of the political developments
| of the old world.