The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-08-17

The most imports Mt piece of news
this morning was the note sent by
Russia to Turkey demanding" an
open door for the Russian warships
in the Black Sea (sixty-odd of them)
through the Dardanelles into the
Levant.
Everybody knows that it has been
RUssia's one supreme desire TO get
into the Mediterranean and to the
Suez canal, in order to grab the
short route to India, TO cripple Brit
aims trade and speedy communica-
ton with its dominions in Asia and
Africa, and at last to get to the Per-
sian Gulf. and so to fulfill the tesla
ment of Peter the Great
According to the treaty and guar
antee of the powers Of Europe, en-
tered into on behalf OF England,
which fears some day having to face
Russia al the Hindoo-Koosh range
and the Kyber Pass, Turkey has
no right TO accede TO this request
of St Petersburg, coming, espe-
cially, at this day. when. under the
guise OF friendship TO Britain and
tor the alleged purpose of aiding
her in this war against Germany,
Nht VIC IL
loses the key to the Bosphorus. let
England beware.
All that can be said in respect
of this extraordinary desire Of Rus
STA 10 fish IN the dark is that some
day the British statesmen will re-
gret having deemed a close friend
ship advisable between the Lion and
come-for England's and Russias in
terests are too antagonistic in the
Far East and central Asia.
On the other side. We recall Bis
marck's great word: Rivers OF
blood, in war times. wipe out ink"
and that the ink of no treaty is
indelible." 1t can only be hoped
that Turkey will have enough STAN
ina to withstand such palpaole CO.
ercion, for with Russia at the
Crescent, farewell. England's hold
upon Egypt, the Levant trade, and
the Suez canal
That Japan is DESTROYS also to fish
in the dark is not surprising Two
decades ago the Kaiser warned Eu-
rope of the yellow Peril in the Far
East. He might have warned Amer
lea. too. Time will tell il this pres
ent move Is engineered just for the
sake of treaty obligations toward
ENGLAND. IL is doubtful, especially as
Nippon surely has no love left for
Russia. and would not sacrifice the
lives OF her soldiers and-what is
far more to the point-sacrifice i'm
mense sums of money, which she
does not possess. 10 do anything TO
please Russia, even IL only indirect
ly. The very words OF her ultima
tum to Germany contain her true
meaning-that she is determined 10
grasp or retain the hold upon the
Far Eastern trade. When Japan will
drop its mask and talk Philippines
or worse-to us in retaliation for the
California incident and the Panama
Canal and her colonization schemes,
remains TO be seen.
The Stats Zeitung persists in its
declaration that the first big battle
Of the war has been in progress
since Saturday night. with a terrible
artillery duel TO the south Of Namur.s
Its advices-coming via London, at
that-fail TO tell Of a repulse Of the
Germans. OF which Partisan dis
patches make so much. Quite TO the
contrary. IL says that the advance OF
the Germans continues unchecked.
also that Dinant has been captured
by the ekiser's cavalry. which Paris
denies. AS matter Of fact, Il Is
emphatically declared that the army
OF the Meuse also has overlooked the
great valley near D'nant. bringing
re-enforCements to the forces en-
gaged about Namur.
II is stated officially. from a source
which that paper declares TO be au-