Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-11
QUESTIONS OF THE NEAR EAST

nAtionalized la. Question Of the straits
ana became n. faot the guardian OF the
ano.ers Turkish rule.
&c 10aky Of Paris Of 1856 neutralized
tina. the oon- sntion of lS4l. which main
tanned the ancient Turkish rule relative
to- the closing Of the straits. was
revised by common accord. ana that
vention subsisted it was admitted that
| under certain circumstances the sultan
might accord ffrmans to permit light for
eign vessels to pass. 1t was the hrst
breach In the wall laboriously erected
against Russia. Russia by reason Of the
special situation created in 1870 de
nounced the naturalization of the Black
| sea and obtained by the treaty OF Lon
don Of 1871 that the sultan might open
the straits in times of peace to friendly
foreign vessels Of war in case he should
deem II necessary TO safeguard the exc
| cution of the stipulations of the treaty
| of Paris.
| It is under this last regime confirmed
by the congress of Berlin Of 1873 that the
subject has remained until now.
| The recent action taken by Russia tenos
to reopen the question of the straits III
| all its bearings Ernest Nys has de-
clared that the closing of the straits OF
| the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus to
| foreign war vessels cannot be tustined.
for the seas that these straits place in
communication being free. the straits are
consequently free But with the judicial
point Of view there is the political. which
renders it complex.
The conflict over the question of the
straits since 1909 is the conflict Of Russi,
and England in the near east and the
eastern Mediterranean. Certainly thu.
| Anglo-Russian rapprochement and the
creation of the triple entente have mod
fled many questions. The installation OF
a German commander of the straits a
Constantinople opens the door to many
combinations. depending upon the current
of events.
1t appears that Turkey. in the presence
of the actual incident. maintains utter
silence and apparent indifference.
La Temps. discussing the question under
the title Turkey Continues. writes:
M. de Giers In conversation offered
Prince Said Hahn an honest means OF
getting out Of the impasse In which Tur-
key has placed herself He asked "a
formal guarantee of the statu quo In the
straits: the promise that no fortincation
shall be constructed or reconstructed.
that in case of the closing of the straits
for any cause the losses to commerce
should be guaranteed by the porte. NJ.
de Giers indicated finally that Russian
officers should be engaged for the re-
organization of the gendarmerie in Ana
tolia.
The Turks imagine they are masters
of the situation. Is that exact? Without
doubt because of the negli-
The Turks gence of our ambassador
at Constantinople they
AAAeaseA. have obtained of the public
debt a series of advances. After that
they proceed to threats. The grand vizier
threatens bankruptcy. They would thus
brighten French holders of Turkish bonds.
They inform us through a German jour
nal that il France does not accept
Turkish loan of 500 millions the negotia-
lions with Berlin concerning the Asiatic
railways will feel the effect"
| The Turk is showing his teeth since
the creation of the German mission
Germany for fact is in a situation IN
Turkey far stronger than WAS RUSSIA
after the treaty of Unkiar-Skelessi oil
July 10, lS33 when all Europe was
alarmed Today Constantinople has as
sumed an air of arrogance Which Is .ne
inevitable precursor OF conhicts. Inc
press is insolent and incidents are OF
daily occurrence in the bazaar. The
doors of a church were recently painted
..red during the night. and IN order 10
: excite the fanaticism of the puplc a
Greek nag was placed over saint SOPHIA.
The European press interpret these signs
as an Indication that certain powers
would have Turkey SO stirred that her
partition would become inevitable
II The change in the attitude of the Turk.
indeed. dates from the second war of the
Balkans when he slipped In quietly ana
reoccupied Adrianople. t mas oeen
charged that he received his inspiration
from Vienna. hut In the light OF recent
events it would perhaps be more Just 10
,,.conciude that it came from Berlin. BE
that as it may. the Turk cares hotniiis
for the mandates of Europe. Is this a
part of the game OF Wnich ne Is desuiieu
to be the only victim.
: 1t is confessed by Italian diplomats
that Italy Is keeping possession OF me
Aegean Islands not as gage Tor the
. inexecution Of the treaty OF Lausanne
executed since lung time by Turkey
but as sort of advanced inheritance
of the Ottoman partition. The TURK
perhaps is not cor scious OF the FEELING
: in Italy. as confessed by certain ltai-
ians. that that country is impatiently
, | expecting a large share of inheritance
in the partition. which is perhans not
remote. In this partition. II there Is
, to be partition. Germany has secured
. for herself the best place at the
banquet.
X :.
Dispatches from Argyrocastro re-
count the experience of the intcrna-
tional commission for the
| Albanian de imitation Of the Al
bantam frontiers. With
EIoAtIe1s. out doubt that Greek
statesman, NJ Nenizelos. who has sue
cessfully taken Crete from the Turks
and from the hesitations and discord
of the powers. will find means to balk
the international commission from cont
hitting the crime of placing i.d'"'
Epirotes of the Eprus, pure Greeks.
under the control Of the prospective
principality of Albania NJ Nenizelos
has made known to the powers the e>-
IRENE hardships of the situation IN the
Epirus and he declares that no gov
eminent in Greece could cause tte
evacuation under the actual eondI-
tons.
| Besides. Albania although created hN
a protocol has only an embryonic cN-