The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-01-26

L
that Serbia should have Northern
Albania, conquered by her in the
| first Balkan war surrendered at the
| conference Of London under German
| and Austrian pressure and through
the ineffable folly of Sir Edward
Grey Deprived of this window on
the sea-, Serbia insisted upon holding
all of Macedonia, including portions
assigned to Bulgaria in the ante-bel-
lum agreement, and this produced the
second Balkan war and led to the
present world war.
An Outlet To The Sea.
Serbia insisted upon holding Mace
donia, not primarily for reasons of
territorial aggrandizement, but in or
| der to have a common frontier with
Greece and thus an outlet to the sea
through a friendly nation. Austria
and Bulgaria were both her enemies
and both enforced against Serbia un-
fair economic terms. But through
| Greece and at Salonica, by the con-
sent Of her Hellenic ally. she touched
| the sea and escaped the complete
supremacy Of the Hapsburgs, which
had borne so heavily upon her in the
past.
| If Serbia should regain Northern
| Albania and be assured possession Of
the port of Durazzo she might con-
sent to evacuate Southern Mace
donia, retire behind the line agreed
upon with Bulgaria in 1912, and there
might be an end Of the SerbO- -Bulgar
| rivalry in the Macedonian regions,
although many Serbians believe that
it would be unwise to attempt to oc-
cupy Albania and insist upon the res
| toration of the old condition of 1914.
| Obviously what the President has
in mind is that there shall be restor-
ed that old Balkan league which won
the first Balkan war and broke down
under Austrian intrigue before the
/ second. Could Greece, Bulgaria and
Serbia settle their differences as to
Macedonia (and settlement might
have been had under the guidance of
VeniZelos if Austria had permitted 1t
in 1919, then the Balkans would
cease to be the fighting ground of the
great powers and with Rumania these
three states might make a compact
Balkan alliance which would insure
mutual freedom against all comers.
But this would be still another wall
! thrust between the Austro- German
mass and the Turkish lands in which
Germany hoped and hopes to find her
colonial place in the sun. 1t would
restore and reinforce that wall to
break which Austria Tisked and pre-
cipitated the world catastrophe.
Freedom From Turk Domain.
In addition, the President demands
for the various subject peoples of
Turkey some form of autonomous
existence. He would leave that por-
ton of the Turkish empire in Asia
inhabited by the Osmanu to it's pres
ent Inhabitants; but this lis only
Anatolia. OF more than 700, 900
square miles now under Turkish rule
in Asia, slightly less than 100000, an
area about equal to that Of Spain,
are actually Turkish by right OF race.
For the rest, Armenia, with its
shamefully ravaged fields and cruelty
decimated populations, demands uni
fication with the Armenian districts
Of Russia and complete freedom. This
Armenian state would extend from
the Black sea at Trebizond to the
Gulf Of Alexandretta, on the Mediter-
| ranean, facing Cyprus. 1t would con-
tain upward of 4,00O, 900 people and
have an area about equal to that of
| Great Britain.
Mesopotamia and Syria, with
| Palestine, belong to the Arab world,
although in Palestine many races are
represented. For many centuries
French influence has been pFedomi-
nant about Beyrout, and there has
been a general belief that France
would become che protecting state
for Syria when the war was over if
the Turks were called upon to lose
their Asiatic fringes. Syria itself has
an area of 1880 square miles, about
the same as that Of Italy, and close to
100000 people. For Americans tho
work Of our missionaries, particularly
at Beyrout, lends peculiar interest to
the Syrian question, but whether un-
der French protectOrate or as an au-
tonomous portion of the Turkish en-
! pire, Syria would have to be guarded
, against its old masters by European
\ troops.
Palestine Indspsnusnt.
In the same way Palestine could
exist only as an Independent state.
and ! am sure that 1t will be erected
into some kind Of free state if it's
safety is guaranteed by the greater
nations. Britain has every reason for
desiring to see Palestine Independent,
because 1t would serve as a buffer
| state against invasion from the north
| and, even if Syria remained Turkish.
push the OsmanH far back from Suez
and the frontiers Of Egypt. There is
besides the question of Zionism. OF
world interest, but not bearing on the
present discussion.
As for Mesopotamia, it cannot
stand on its own feet. Its people are
Arab, not Turkish, but unless under
British protectorate or garrisonsd
and guarded by international forces
It would fall into anarchy and per-
maps revert to the Turk. 1t is we'll
TO face realities in this Eastern field
However fine in theory it might he
to create a new Armenia and anoth-
or Arab kingdom, however alluring
are the phrases about freedom and
autonomy the plain truth is that only
under actual protection of European
nations, whatever the disguise can
these states be created or maintain
ed, and, so far as history goes. ioint
protectorates have proved impossibIe
in practice.
Syria Under French.
Ihar syria under q French prOtec-
torate might develop into q state
capable OF measure of independence
and eIf-defence seems probable.
Palestine Is small enough to exist as
an internationally guaranteed com
munity, and there are obvious rea-
sons why the customary ieaIousies
might be laid aside in this instance
put how Syria, Armenia or Mesopo-
tamia could stand alone in the i'm
mediate future is hard to see. And
with Russia refusing to protect all
Armentans, their outlook is again
dark. Personally, / feel sure fhat
British evacuation of Mesopofamia
Will prove impossible, il IT is not
forced by military events before peace
ls made, and / am inclined to believe
that Syria will end as a French pro
tectorate. French experience in Al
geria and Tunis. where France has
not only brought material prosperity
but also earned native confidence.
mas fitted the French for the task as
no other nennle are fitted