Evening star., 1916-03-12

Berlin to Bagdad" promised to bes
come an international fact
This meant 0ermany's ability TO
threaten Engiand's route to India. It
also meant Asia Minor as a field for
German colonization, since the conces-
stons accompanying the Bagdad rail-
could be exploited alone by Germans.
Many students OF international af-
fairs believed that this German expan-
sion In Asia Minor was a natural one.
and notwithstanding England's fear OF
q rival power controlling a land ana
water route to India in competition
with the Suex canal they believed that
German control in Mesopotamia was
ono means OF peace.
No one will yet venture to say that
Germany may not prove herself to be
the master in Mesopotamia. but while
she is hurting her legions on the west-
ern front the Russian advance toward
Bagdad and its consequences cannot
be overlooked. Years ago. before the
plans for the Bagdad railway could bs
perfected, the possibility OF Russia
building something like a parallel
route had to be taken into considera-
derstood. had removed this possibility.
and Russia acquieeced in the general
scheme OF Germany building and
financing the railway.
Now. all this Is changed. Russia has
territory enough and to spare. and may
not care for a slice Of Mesopotamia.
But she cannot ignore the tremendous
advantage OF being in control of the
valley Of the Tfgris and Euphrates
whenever peace negotiations may he
opened. There Is universal agreement
that whenever the settlement comes
Turkey will be sacrificed. That might
also have been the case had she cast
her lot with the allies instead OF with
the central powers. The selfishness
of none of the belligerents is an en-
lightened one. Rather IL always has
been a readiness to sacrifice Turkey.
Germany. therefore, may be ready to
make, or cause Turkey to make, great
concessions in order to keep Russia
from annexing territory in Asia Minor:
The only concession which will be OF
any real value to Russia will be freq
access from the Black sea to the Medi-
terranean through the DardanelIes.
This means Russian control at Com
stantinople.
When the allies began their fll-fated
Ga1lipoli campaign, and it was thought
the Dardanelles would be forced. Earl
Grey. speaking in the British parlia-
ment. magnanimously said that in the
event of the expected success Russia's
was given this assurance, yet ii meant
nothing more than the possible neu-
tralization Of Constantinople under in
ternational agreement.
Since then Russia has been Of incal-
culable aid to the allies in the sacri-
fice she has made on the eastern front
She has carried out unaided the Cau-
casus campaign, which is heading her
toward Mesopotamia. She is getting
control along the Turkish coast of the
Black sea- She may become the die
tator at Bagdad, and even the anchor
of Englands influence in the Persian
gulf.
In these circumstances the relief OF
Armenia is a mere incident. The possi-
bility looms up that Haidar Pasha, tho
Bagdad railway terminal across from
Constantinople. may pass under Rus
sian influence. the Black sea become a
Russian lake. and Russia, through her
own initiative and energy, secure for
herself the open highway to the sea
which has been her aspiration for cen.
turtles.