Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-01

Tsskeys ssrssSst end AsMrsss Reqssst
for an Armistice Are Leaving
Cermany Isolated

armistice complete the Illustration OF the
|, German Berlin-to- -Bagdad plans which
| was begun when Bulgaria got out of the
war. The dream induced by the fumes
| of conceit and overweening ambition to
dominate the earth has ended in the cold
dawn in which the Prussan junkers
have walked to discover that the real
world is very different place from what
they had thought it to be.
But the surrender of Turkey means
more than the end of the German
dream. Il means the freeing of the
Near East from the terror which has
dominated it for many generations. The
achievements of the British armies have
liberated Palestine and Mesopotamia
and have guaranteed to the Armenians
the right to live their own lives in their
own way without fear of massacre at
the hands of the Mohammedans. just
what will be the ultimate destiny of
these districts it is too early to say, but
it is enough to know that they will not
be left to the exploitation of the most
incompetent colonizing nation of modern
times. The terror of the German is not
to be substituted for the terror of the
Turk. This is great gain for civiliza-
ton.
Still further, the opening of the Dar-
danelles and the Bosporus, which is said
to be provided for in the armstice, frees
Rumana from the German menace and
opens Russia to the Allies. IF Germany
should decide to continue the war she
would find it absolutely necessary to re-
constitute her whole Russian policy.
The grain of the Ukraine, which has
been kept in Russia because there was
no way to get it out, will have free
passage from the Black Sea ports to
western Europe. This. means that the
economic rehabilitation of that district,
with all its political and social conse-
quences, can begin at once, under the
tutelage of the nations in sympathy
with the desires of the Russian people.
The remoter effects will be of still
CREATE moment. 1t is inconceivable that
Constantinople shall remain under the
absolute control of the Turk. Its neu-
tralization is advised by those best
qualified to pass upon the question. DR..
E. J. Dillon, who is the most export
authority on the subject of Russia and
Constantinople now writing in English,
has suggested that the city be neutral
lied and put under the control of the
United States, the disinterestedncss of
whose purposes is admitted on all sides.
Such an arrangement would do more
to settle the disputes over the questions
of the Near East than any other that
can be conceived. 1t would insure to all
the nations an eqr ality of rights and a
fairness Of treatment, the absence of
which has been the fertile cause of trou-
BILE. 1t would facilitate the development
of Russia, for it would transform the
ice-free port of Odessa from port on
a closed sea to port having free access
10 all the oceans of the world. 1t would
encourage the building of railroads into
the heart of Russia and would open up
that great country as it has never been
opened before.
The breakup in the central European
alliance which began with the surrender
of Bulgaria and was continued by the
surrender of Turkey will be complete
when Austria's request for an armistice
in the field is granted. This request is
the first step toward the withdrawal of
that nation from the military alliance.
1t had to be made for the preservation
of what there is left of the Austro-
Hungarian empire. In spite of the un-
official statement from Vienna that
Austria was not seeking a separate
peace events seem to be proving that
she must have it.
Germany is thus soon to be left alone
to fight the rest of the world, provided
she decides to continue fighting. N.
one believes that she will be so mad as
to challenge certain destruction by any
such foolish course. The end of the war
is rapidly approaching. shaped in ac-
cordance with the desires of the nations
which have been fighting for freedom
and for guarantees of the preservation
of the worlds peace against violation
by any greedy power.