The Washington times., 1915-08-17
THE DARDANELLRS CRISIS

Not until the end actually comes
at the Dardanelles will the world be
able to realize the bigness Of that
event, now apparently gravely i'm
pending. It may be months before
the crash, but it will come, because
the allies have rightly calculated the
biggest strategy Of this war. Every
day that the Kaiser devotes to the
hopeless task Of completely crush
ing Russia he is giving the allies
opportunity to perfect their ar
rangements for the last push
against the ancient Byzantine seat.
The political situation in the Bal
kans is moro difficult for the Ger
mans than for the allies, for the Ger
mans can only proceed to the res
cue Of the Turk by violating the
Balkan neutrals as they did Belgium.
The sllies, on the other hand, have
avenues Of access to the Turk capi-
tai. The Russians are pushing their
campaign in the Caucasus, the Brit
ish are progressing into Asia Minor
from the Persian Gulf, the fleet and
the infantry are grinding their way
along the Gallipoli peninsula.
Heavy re-enforcements Of English
have been landed and yet heavier
are on their way through the seas
that the allies command. Finally,
there is the strong probability that
when the political deadlock over
Bulgaria ends It. will end with all
the Balkan states anxious to be in
at the death. None will want to sulk
in the tent until the day for dividing
the spoils shall have come without
making an effort to earn a share in
them.
The sure way for the allies to win
the Balkans aid is to prove that
they can get along without that aid,
and they are making dispositions
with exactly that in mind. Italy Is
getting ready to join in the grand
onset. She must have q hand in It
in order to lay . secure foundation
for the claims in Albania. Roumania,
having already made Germany and
Austria her enemies by the embargo
on munitions, dare not isolate her.
self from the quadruple entente toe
long. Greece has made her decision
and only awaits the reassumption Of
power by Venizelos. Bulgaria, will.
ing or unwilling, satisfied or MOI
with the best terms she msy get
will be swept along because she viii
be only a brick in q row.
It is hard to visualize the conse.
quences Of the Turks collapse. Ger
many's dream Of an empire from
the Baltic to tho Black Sea anc
thence through Asia Minor to tn.
Euphrates and down to tho Persia1
Gulf, with Suez on the flank and In
dia another step ahead-all that will
be ended forever. The Balkan prob
lem will not be solved, but 1t will b,
simplified, for the Turk has been tn
one impossible factor in It. Som,
adjustment to the idea Of sustaining
the small nations will be effected
and the thing will be done under tn
guidance Of the powers sincerel!
friendly to that idea.
In its immediate effects on tn
war the results are more easily t.
be judged. The vast allied nava
force in the Levant will be release,
for use elsewhere. The big army tina
will be there when Constantinopl
falls-for it will take a big one AM
probably the most cosmopolitan tina
even that world-pivoting city eve
saw-will be ready for cooperation
with the main Italian forces wher
ever it can be most effectively used
A drive through the Balkans an
into Austria seems the logical thing
By the time 1t can be set on foo
Russia will have been provided Wit
ammunition and arms by way of tn
Black Sea ports and will be ready t.
launch a new campaign.
Meanwhile what about the ''bil
:. push" in the west? 1t Is likely t.
wait indefinitely. Neither side ha
much chance to decide the wa
there. The Near East is the are
that in the situations logic must Sc
the events that will decide the cam
paign in the west by deciding tn
war.
Probably w. ]. BIS oyernigh