The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-12-19
he opening Of the Dardanelles

| The opening Of the Dardanelles
would enable Russia to realize a
dream generations old. The result
would be to give that great wheat
producing empire a highway to the
sea at all seasons of the year.
An announcement was made by the
new Russian Premier, Trepoff, imme-
diately upon the assumption Of Of
fee, that Russia must have Constan-
tinople. At the same time he inform
ed the Russian people and the world
that the allies already had entered in
to a solemn agreement whereby the
Turkish capital would be turned over
to Russia.
This declaration was enunciated be-
fore Field Marshal Won Mackensen
and Gen. Won Falkenhayn had rolled
back the Roumanian army and cap
tured all of the Wallachian plain.
Since then nothing has been said by
Premier Trepoff concerning the pos
session Of Constantinople. The COM
bined German, Austrian. Bulgarian
and Turkish army closed the door
through which Russia's legions were
to march on the coveted city. ;.
Russia's Opportunity.
Russia may now satisfy her ambi-
ton, according to the auth ority in
dicated, to the extent of freely using
the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmora and
the Dardanelles without losing mil
lions of men and wasting billions of
treasure. Her allies can have the
same privilege by arranging peace at
this time on reasonable and just
terms. !,
The Dardanelles and the Bosporus,
according to this authority. have been
strongly fortified until this time by
the Turks because they apprehended
attack, and for no other reason. With
a binding peace agreement, supple
mented, by at least partial disarma-
ment, and a worldwide association Of
nations to enforce peace, there no
longer would be real danger of at
tack.
Neither would there be any good
reason why Turkey should maintain
strong defensive armament on both
sides Of the Dardanelles This would
be q practical illustration of disarm-
ament, according to the German au-
thority. It would be Immediately ap-
preciated by the entire world, but
more especially by the allied nations,
which, with Russia, are fighting
among other things for an opportun-
ity to utilize the. Dardanelles.
Great Britain and France made a
determined effort to open the OAR
danelles on orders issued by Winston
Spencer Churchill when he was First
Lord of the British Admiralty. The
q ton ov,f foil nd 1oI, %oI
erals then were sent to the Darda-
neHes to cooperate with the fleet.
100000 allied troops
were reported in that vicinity The
loss to the allies land forces was plac-
ed at more than 100000 men,, and
again they failed to open the Darda-
nelles. Then they were Withdrawn
from Gallipoli.
Allies Blocked
Presumably as = a, last step in the
direction Of capturing Constantinople,
the allied troops were landed on neu-
trail Greek soil at Sa1onica: More
than a year has elapsed and no pro-
gress in the direction Of achievement
has been made. With great army
of Germans, Bulgarians and Turks
massed against him, Gen. Sarrall is;
held fast, while Russia no longer can
expect to force her way through the
balkans.
The right of Turkey to hold the
Dardanelles has been disputed for
centuries. But a few years have gone
by since all the Balkan nations, in
Guiding Bulgaria, sought to drive the
Turk permanently from Europe, De-
spite these efforts ConstantinopIe re-
mains in Turkish hands. The forti-
fications Of the city are stronger by
far than ever before and seemingly
capable of withstanding all the pres
sure which the armies and navies of
great European nations can exert
against them.
All this turmoil and strife may be
ended, according to the German au-
thority who believes dismantling of
the Notifications along the Darda-
nelles can be arranged. A peace
agreement with definite guarantees
behind it, he contends, would accom-
plish that result