Evening star., 1918-01-27
PRESIDENT PEACE PROGRAM
CUTS IN HALF THE KAISER'S
DREAM OF "MITTELEUROPA"

ably Polish populations. with free ac-
cess to the sea and with political and
economic independence and territorial
integrity nationally guaranteed" This .
would mean at the least the creation of
a Polish state. including all of Russian
Poland. half of Austrian Galicia and a
considerable portion OF eastern Ger
many. including Posen and portions of
East and West Prussia. 1t would mean,
1t would appear, the return of Polish
rule to Danzig, which is the true Polish
seaport. 1t would mean the creation OF
a state with close to 100000 square
miles. about the size of continental
italy, with a population Of at least
tervene along the lower vistula be-
tween the main bulk of German-speak-
ing people and the minority east of the
Vistula. 1t would thus undo the work
OF Frederick the Great in the first Poll
tsh partition.
turning Now to Serbia.
Turning now to Serbia, the President
proposes not merely evacuation, but for
Serbia thus restored free access to the
sea, and this can mean only that Serbia
should have northern Albania, con-
quered by her in the first Balkan war
and 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-bellum agreement. and this
produced the second Balkan war and
led to the present world war.
Serbia insisted upon holding Mace
donta. not primarily for reasons of
territorial aggrandizement. but In
order to have a common frontier with
Greece and thus an outlet to the sea
q
and Bulgaria were both her enemies
and both enforced against Serbia un-
fair economic terms But through
Greece and at Saloniki. by the consent
of her Hellenic ally. she touched the
sea and escaped the complete suprem-
acy of the Hapsburgs, which had
borne so heavily upon her in the past.
II Serbia should regain northern Al
bania and be assured possession OF the
port OF DuraZzo she might consent to
evacuate southern Macedonia, retire
behind the line agreed upon with Bull
garia in 1912, and there might be an
end of the Serbo-Bulgar rivalry in tho
Macedonian regions, although many
Serbians believe that 1t would be un-
wise to attempt to occupy Albania and
insist upon the restoration OF the old
condition of 1914.
For Restoring Old Balkan League
mind is that there shall be restored
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 a settlement might have been
had under the guidance of Venizelos
If Austria had permitted 1t in 19l5),1
then the Balkans would cease to be
the fighting ground OF the great pow
ers 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 be-
tween the Austro-German mass and the
Turkish lands in which Germany
hoped and hopes to find her colonial
place in the sun. It would restore and
reinforce that wall to break which
Austria risked and precipitated the
world catastrophe.
Turkey; According to Peace Plans.
In addition, the President demands for
the various subject peoples of Turkey
some form of autonomous existence be
would leave that portion OF the TURKISH
empire in Asia inhabited by the Osmanlt
to its present Inhabitants: but this ts
only Anatolia. OF more than 1O0.0eV
square miles now under Turkish rule IN
Asia, slightly less than 100000. an area
about equal to that of Spain, are actu-
ally Turkish by right of race. For the
rest. Armenia, with its shamefully raw
aged fields and cruelty decimated pop
ulations. demands unidcatfon with tho
Armenian districts of Russia and com
plete freedom. This Armenian state
would extend from the Black sea at
Trebizond to the Gulf Of Alexandretta,
on the Mediterranean, facing Cyprus. II
would contain upward of 100000 peo-
pie and havd an area about equal to that
of Great Britain.
MesopotaIhia and Syria. with Pales-
tine, belong to the Arab world, although
in Palestine many races are represents
ed. For many centuries French inf1u-
ence has been predominant about Bel
rut, and there has been general be-
lief that France would become the pro-
tecting state for Syria when the war
was over il the Turks were called upon
to lose their Asiatic fringes. Syria it,
self has an area of 115,000 square miles.
about the same as that of Italy. and
cans the work of our missionaries, par.
ticularly at Beirut. lends peculiar in
terest to the Syrian question, but
whether under French protectorate or
as an autonomous portion of the Turk
ish empire. Syria would have to be
guarded against its old masters by
European troops.
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 its safety is guar
anteed by the greater nations. Britain
has every reason for desiring to see Pales-
tine Independent, because it would serve
as buffer state against invasion from
the north and. even if Syria remained
Turkish. push the Osmanli 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. II cannot stand on
its own feet. Its people are Arab. not
Turkish, but unless under British protec-
torate or garrisoned and guarded by in
ternational forces 1t would fall into
anarchy and perhaps revert to the Turk.
1t is well to face realities in this eastern
field. However fine in theory it might be
to create a new Armenia and another
Arab kingdom however alluring are the
phrases about freedom and autonomy. the
plain truth is that only under actual pro-
lection of European nations. whatever the
disguise. can these states be created or
maintained. and, so far as history goes.
Joint protectorates have proved impossible
in practice
Syria and Mesopotamia.
That Syria under French protec-
torate might develop into a state capa-
BILE of measure of independence and
self defense seems probable. Palestine
tionally guaranteed community. and
tomary jealousies might be laid aside
boo 1,~r