The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-11-21
From Other
Editorial Pages
TURKISH TERMS OF PEACE

Boston Transcript: Complaint Ii ire
quently Made OF the reluctance OF bel
liegerents to specify the conditions on
which they would agree to the restora-
tion of peace. But nothing like full
and detailed statement OF terms can
be made at the present stage OF the war.
The allies have gone as far as they can
prudently go by naming only few es'
sentials, including the re-establishment
of the independence OF Belgium and OF
Serbia, with compensation for the in
iuries done to these little nations. SO
long as the Germanic confederacy does
not signify Willingness to comply with
these stipulations the war must con-
tinus. As regards what the German
government calls its peace offers, the
closest scrutiny falls to discern In them
any definite terms on which peace would
be made. But here comes the Turkish
government. speaking through the pres
ident OF the council Of ministers. to
set the desired example.
Talaat Bey, who carries In his head
the brains Of the Young Turk party
knows Just what Turkey wants. and
does not hesitate to tell. Turkeys aim
in the war, he says. Is to secure inde-
pendence Of all the great powers, not
excepting even Germany. But 1t hap
pens that Turkey dh not need to enter
the war for the attainment OF this aim.
In September, 1914. she had abolished
the capitulations and proclaimed her
judicial and financial Independence. And
she might be as independent as she
pleased II she would only behave de-
Gently. But when her government be-
gins to speak OF peace the allies have
something to say about the Kind OF
81 hot hn, hoo N
given in the last three years to hun.
dreds Of thousands Of Turkeys Chris.
tian subjects in Armenia and Syria.
The second part of the statement
made by Talaat is the most important.
Turkey. he says. cannot make peace
| without reclaiming all her lost territory
either by force of arms or by negotia.
| tions. Territory lost within what time?
Forty years ago Turkey-in-Europe was
an extensive empire. But in 1878, con-
sequent on her war with Russia and
| Roumania, she lost the Dobrudja, Bull
garia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and the
better part Of Thessaly, and in 1885
Eastern Roumelia was added to Bull
garia. Still, when the Balkan wars be-
gan in 1919, she had a considerable ter
ritory, extending right across the pen
| insula from the Adriatic to the Black
Sea. She lost in those wars Albania,
Novibazar. the northern sections Of Epi
rus and Thessaly. the whole OF Mace
donia and the greater part Of Thrace
leaving only the smaller section east
Of the Martha, mere fragment OF
what was the Ottoman empire In Eu
rope.
In the present war the Turks have
not been deprived Of anything in Europe
but in Africa they have lost their last
weak hold on Egypt and are thereby
excluded from the dark continent. II
is in Asia, however. that they have sui
fered the most. Portions Of Armenia
Mesopotamia, Arabia and Palestine
with the island Of Cyprus. have passed
from their control. and the loss OF the
Mohammedan sacred cities. coupled witt
the grand sherirs reputation Of the
Constantinople califate. must be felt al
a peculiarly. heavy blow. How many
OF these lost territories Is Turkey u
reclaim before she will agree to make
peace? Perhaps only those which have
been taken from her in the last five
years. But even those are irrecoverable
Each case has meant the liberation Of
people from misrule. and in thest
days the light on the dial Of freedom
! does not for one moment recede. Whai
| the Turks have to do is not to reclaim