Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-26
ARABS TO MOVE
AGAINST THE TURKS

LONDON. Jan. 7.-(Corresponder,o,
Arab activity against the Turks n -
Palestine theatre Of war is exneot"s
here to show considerable results d.
ing the next few months. An ot5nh,
report on the Arab exploits asa;,a.
the Turks during the first six u,oa,s,
o. General Allenby's offensive IN
Faiestlne shows that the tribesmen
confined themselves principally TO rata
On the Hedjaz railway, extending on
parently from Dorea to Mann.
This railway. at least in the part q.
tackled. is net a line of communicate
with Palestine but with Arabia. Th.,
the Arabs have shown a disposition ;.
cut what is in some sense a sacrss
railway is interesting, but that ,ba,.
were not able to venture on more than
sporadic forays seemed to indico,n
that their strength was not grea,
Meanwhile the Turks were able 70
keep Medina without apparent d,e
Guilty, in spite of the efforts Of the
King of the Hedjaz.
The explanation for this Arab veal
ness is apparently partly their ancient
tainty Of the military situation. which
has now been made secure by the
British occupation of Jerusalem.
An effort was made last March IA
bring about Arab operations on a
large scale timed to coincide with
British operation. but the effort failed
owing to the detection Of one of the
leading chiefs. the head of the Scham.
mar tribe. The support Of this tribe
enabled the Turks to maintain them
selves at Medina and keep the Hediaz
line open. But the pro- Turkish
Schammar chief was killed few
weeks ago, and the tribe appears to
he now on the point of rejoining the
King of the Hedjaz.
! The further the Turks are driven
back by the British under General
Allenby, the more the Arab tribes
are expected to rally to the victor.
Once the Hedjaz railway is permanent
ly cut. 1T is declared. all Arabia will be
( lost to the Turks. The left flank Of
the British army is Mesopotamla made
secure probably jeopardizing large
Turkish forces.
/ The German peace offer at Brest
Litovsk is taken by students of Last,
ern affairs to indicate Germany's rec
ognition of the Importance Of the
British threat in the East In fact, 1t
has been frequently stated that the
military Importance of the British
eastern victories is far more generally
recognized in Germany than in Eng
/ land or America.
Germany's peace efforts are regarded
by specialists in Eastern affairs as an
effort to draw out Of an economic and
commercial strangulation which is
threatened by the British success in
cutting the Berlin -Bagdad route
1t is pointed out that it Is even pos
sible that the most important military
campaign of 1918 will be fought in the
East. The Manchester Guardian en-
presses that opinion In an editorial IN
which it says:
I'VE take this opportunity OF once
more expressing the opinion that de-
cisive results on the west cannot he
secured before 1919, and that II we are
going on with the war---as we probably
are-we must make up our minds 70,
another two years Of it. remain on tht
out 1918, making our main offensive
effort in the east. and keep our offens
i've effort on the west until 1919, whei
the American strength will hav
reached it's maximum"