The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-01-09
TRANSFORMATION OF THE TURK
est. Louis Globe Democracy

(St. Louis Globe Democracy
The Turk preaching the gospel of
humanity in warfare is one of the It'd
bits of the peace conference in London
Reichad Pasha, chief of the Turkish
plenipotentiaries there, has laid bare
his innermost heart, and torn away
the veil of diplomacy, far enough to
say that Turkey was induced to ac-
cept an armistice on the advice of the
powers in order to avoid useless car
mage on both sides. The same human
itarian consideration might induce the
government to yield certain conditions
for the sake of peace, but there is a
limit which the allies have far sur
is beginning to fear that his mercy,
the quality of which is never strained,
but falls like the gentle dew from the
heavens, is being sucked up by raven
ing wolves against whom it is his
duty to defend himself not for his own
sake but for mercy's sake, and the
sake of humanity in general
There is, however, one candid note in
Reichad Pasha's statement With all
Of his faults, the Turk has never been
what Americans call gutter" Once
engaged. he has always borne himself
in ways to let his adversaries know
that the war would be to finish. 1t
was so in 1877, when, falling back upon
Constantinople before the advancing
Russians. he left it to the powers to
take the initiative in sounding par
ley. Whatever Of craft as well of valor
may have been in the Turkish policy,
of waiting on the powers a generation
ago, may still have animated the Turk
to fight on, without a cry for quarter,
when the Balkan allies were forcing
him back upon his capital. His con-
fidence now, as then was not mis-
placed. 1t was the powers that pro-
posed the armistice to which it is not
surprising the Turk should have as
sented. The surprise has been all
along that the conquering allies
should have accepted it.
1t was as easy at that time as at
this to see that the Turk must be the
the greatest gamer from the delay,
and by the abandonment of the field for
the cabinet. Either through the COM
bined influence of the powers moved
by mptpal fears and jealousies in keep
ing him on the map of Europe, or
through the grace of time in which
Of Asia, the Turk has had everything
to gain and nothing to lose by the
and the London conference.
The Turkish troops along the Tcha-
be before the armistice ends, reen
forced with view not only to repelling
assault. but to taking the offensive.
The changed conditions in the field i
ire certain to he strongly urged upon /
he allies by the same powers which {
Urged the armistice The new strength
If the Turk in the field. and his old
strength in all Of the great chancel
cries Of Europe, inspire Reichad
oasha to say that the terms that the
lilies have proposed are simply alb
'urd. They have produced this i'm
preston even outside of Turkish cir
les There Is no exaggeration in
uch statement, The allies have Bit
en- off more than they can chew since
citing their teeth be pulled, and as
listing in the pulling. The diplomatic
,ame of playing the allies one against
he other is soon to begin. but 1t will I
'e less interesting than the Turks sud
len transformation into an angel of
'eace and mercy.