Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-01-25
ARAB ATTACKS ON :. TURKS EXPECTED
 ID AID BRITISH
Palestine Theater of War Has Important Bearing
 On Peace.
(Correspondence of The Associated
 preSSl

Correspondence of The Associated Press.)
 London. Jan. 15.-Arab activity against the Turks in the Palestine theater of war is expected here to show considerable results during the next few months. An official report , on tho Arab exploits against the Turks during tine first six weeks of General Allcnby's offensive in Pales- tine shows that the tribesmcn con fined themselves principally to raids on the IIedjoz railway. extending apparently from Doraa to Mann.
 This railway, at least in the part attacked. is not a line of communica- ton with Palestine but with Arabia. That the Arabs have shown dis- position to cut what is in some sense sacred railway is interesting, but that they were not able to venture on more than sporadic forays seemed to indicate that their strength was not great Meanwhile the Turks were able to keep Medina without appar- ent difficulty, in spite of the efforts of the king of the Hedjaz
 The explanation for this Arab weakness is apparently partly their ancient tribal quarrels and partly the uncertainty of the military situ- atiOn, which has now been made se- cure by the British occupation or Jerusalem.
 An effort was made last March to bring about Arab operations on a large scale timed to coincide vita British operation, but the effort failed owing to the defession of enc of the leading chiefs, the head of the Schammar tribe. The support of this tribe enabled tho Turks to maintain themselves at Medina and keep the Hediaz line open. But the pro-Turk- ish Schammar chief was killed few weeks ago. and the tribe appears to be 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 perma- nently cut, it is declared. all Arabia will be lost to the Turks. The left flank of the British army is Meso- pdtamia made secure, probably jeopardizing large Turkish forces.
 The German peace offer at Brest- Litovsk is taken by students of East ern affairs to indicate Germany s recognition of the importance of the British threat in the east. In fact, it has been frequently stated that the military importance of the British eastern victories is far more general ly redognized in Germany than in
 England or America. -Germany's s peace efforts are regarded by spe' cialists in Eastern affairs as an ef- fort to draw out of an economic a1d commercial strangulation which is threatened by the British success in cutting the Berlin-Bagdad route. i It is pointed out that it is ever possible that the most important military campaign of 1918 will be fougat in the East. The Manchester Guardian expresses that opinion ill an editorial. in which it says: ] "Wc take this opportunity of once more expressing the opinion that de- cisive results on the west cannot be secured before 1919, and that if we are going on with the war-as we probably are--we must make up our minds for another two years of it remain on the defensive in France and Italy throughout 1918, making our main offensive effort il the east and keep our offensive effort on the west until 1919. when the American strength will have reached it's maxi | num-"