The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-24
PALESTINE VICTORY
VASTLY IMPORTANT
First Step in Complete lsola-
ton Of Turkey, Is View of
Washington Army Men.
FLEETS CAN GIVE AID
Germany Cannot Send Large
Numbers Of Troops to Con
stantinople Before
Bad Weather.

Washington. Sept. 23.-The British
victory over the Turks in the valley
Of the Jordan creates at once jaw
for a pincers movement tor the COM
plete isolation of Turkey, in the view
Of military men of this city.
intellectually. but of the greatest
importance. the rout OF the flower of
the sultan's forces strengthens, al
though apparently remotely, the iron
ring which is destined to crush the
central powers.
For both reasons the staff opinion
here is that the significance, effect
and military srlendor Of the victory at
..arroareyIden" cannot be over esu-'
mated,
It is pointed out that while the
movement of the British along the
Caspian sea has halted somewhat
there is a direct connection between
that movement and the one under
General .Allenhy. the exploits OF
whose army, reported today nave
electrified the stats of all the allies
II is easily prophesied now that there
will be immediate and telling pro-
gress west of the Caspian. The re
sistance In that neiehhorhood was
due principally to some fierce tribes
These. il is said will naturally be
dismayed by the total overthrow OF
the sultan's best troops. which were
chosen to face General Allenby.
STAFF experts maintain that taking
Turkey by the throat is no longer
phrase; il is fact. There is now
no resisting the jaws of the pincers
on two fatal lines Of progress The
serhians and their allies-Greeks,
British and French-are forging
head over a rough road, with the
Turkish west border as their imme-
date objective. II is held that while
there is difflcult work ahead from
Rustub, when reached. to CONSTANT
nople there are too many armies now
en- route against Turkey to make the
problem unusually difficult.
The other Jaw is clearly the one
forged by General Allenhy. His ad~
vance may be slow hut il will take
him along the seashore by Smyrna.
II will be possible 10 give him all
the troops ne will need for final
smashing of the Turks III Asia Minor
as the French and British fleets are
expected to cooperate with him the
moment he opens one of the ports in
Turkey in Asia. These are now al
most Theoretically sealed by the
French fleet, which specifically has
the blockade of Turkey in hand.
II is impossible. staff officers say.
to over estimate the adverse effect
the British smash in Palestine will
have on Austria and Germany. 1t is
believed here that Turkey win not
make a fight to the finish, as might
be expected from Germany: and that
the German army staff knows it
without being able to help her ally.
II is thought that even If the Ger
mans started at once to send rein
forcements to Turkey against the
Macedonian and the Asia Minor
track OF communication. get zoo, 900
troops to Constan'inople before the
severe winter sets in.
While General March did not dis
cuss at his last conference with the
press the report that Germany and
'Rolshevik" Russia had made a
treaty of defense and offense, the
almost universal military opinion
here Is that the agreement Is too late
and will be imperative.
The military assistance Germany
could get from Russia within the next
three months would have to he drawn
from Russia proper. That territory.
however, is now the. objective of trc
allied armies coming from the White
sea via Samara from the east to-
wards Moscow 1t is easy. staff au-
thoriries say, to state that the Rus
slams will know on what side to array
themselves. more particularly as they
know that the allies and Americans
are not in Russia for the acquisition
of territory.