Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-11
I TIMELY QUESTION.


Allies was the positive agreement,
made two and a half years ago, that, in
the distribution of booty after the
war, Russia should receive CONSTANT
nople as the lions part of its share.
subsequently, Great Britain reiter>
ated it's intention of abiding by this
agreement.
But the Russia that demanded that
promise is not the Russia Of today
It's diplomats. its car, even its very
form of government have succumbed
to revolutionary change, and from a
powerful nation. capable under ade-
Quate direction of being the equal in
military accomplishment of any of the
Allies, Russia is a great, flabby body,
foundering and helpless. Russia is a
burden to the Allies, rather than
help
In view of these tremendous changes,
Is it to be expected that the Allies
will now consent to Russia ever re-
ceiving Constantinople as a gift?
/ The attainment of Constantinople
has been Russias ambition for years.
probably for centuries Even Peter
the Great, who awakened Russia from
! its long sleep, realized the advantage
t his country of securing the Turkish
capital Succeeding Russian emper-
ors also priced the idea, and it was
O. this point that the Emperor Alex
ander and the Emperor Napoleon
could not agree.
At the memorable meeting of Napon-
con and Alexander at Tilsit in 1907
when the former was well-nigh master
all the world, the two monarchs
discussed the prospect of dividing Eu-
rope and Asia Minor, but the emperor
oG the French would not agree to part
with Constantinople. After returning
from a ride with Alexander one day,
Napoleon took down his maps, spread
out that of Turkey and placing his fin
-, ger on Constantinople exclaimed with
great earnestness, as if repeating a
conversation: "Constantinople! Con-
stantinople! Never! 'Tis the empire
of the world" In his memoirs, writ
ten on the isle of st. Helena, Napoleon
says:
When l reflected upon the con-
sequences and saw what a ire
mendous weight of power it would
, give Russia on account of the
number of Greeks in the Turkish
dominions, who would naturally
join the Russians. l refused to
consent to 1.-THE annexation of
, Turkey by Russia-especially as
. Alexander wanted to get Constan-
tinople, which I would not allow,
as it would destroy the equilib-
ri,,r, re ,,ovynr in EN3ropa
Assent to the deliyerance of Con-
stantinople to Russia would be a bit
- ter pill for Great Britain to swallow
This is particularly emphasized when
> it is recalled that the English were
foremost in intervening in 1878 to pre-
vent the capture of Constantinople by
Russia, and that all of the leading ma
tons of Europe have looked avidly
longingly with hungry eyes at Constan-
tnople for, 10, these many years.
Il OF course, to figure on the distribu.
ltlon OF terrltorlal Spots before the wal
Is terminated is counting chickens be-
fore they hatch-and in this case, with
Germany on most Of the eggs, there is
absolutely no telling whose chickens
they will be.
r But, at any rate, in view of the ter
l. rible governmental turmoil in Russia
IS today the discussion of the probabl,
lie disposition of Constantinople, in the
event the Allies a re eventually sue
v cessful, is pertinent and interesting.
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