Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-06-23
German Propaganda and the Panmana and Pan-Im Movements

republic. For months little news
came from Tifiis. but the intelligence
which was received indicated that
there was constant fighting with the
Turco-German troops. The Georgians
fought to maintain the independence
which they had preserved under au-
tocratic Russia. The Armenians
fought to save themselves and their
brothers in Armenia proper. They
fought the more desperately because
the bolsheviki in the Brest-Litovsk
treaty had coded Batum, Van ana
Erivan to Turkey, and this meant
the determination of the Armenians
in those regions.
The result was that Turkey, not
withstanding the betrayal of these
provinces by the bolsheviki, was un-
able to enter into full possession OF
the spoils. Her troops continued to
massacre Armenians. but not in the
systematic manner with which 1t is
done when Turkish rule has an eS-
tablished base
Not long ago news came from Con-
stantinople. through German sources:
that Turkey and the republic OF
peace treaty. This was followed bysen
Amsterdam dispatch saying that a
telegram from Constantinople an
nounced the signing of the peacs
treaty.
If this message is correct. 1t is not
ment to the Pan-Turanian and Pan
Islamic movement. Neither Turkey
nor Germany will respect the rights
Of the Transcaucasian republic. no
matter what guaranty may be given
in treaty. Brest-Litovsk is the
proof The semblance of an outono-.
nous government may be kept up. but
1t will only be a semblance, for Ger
many and Turkey will work their own
will.
What the aria r;ap ana tho Mobam-
medan powers especially wanted was
to have free passage for the Turkish
troops to Persia, and to Mesopotamia.
Apparently they have got this, and
the same position with Ukrainia, Po-
land and Rumania as regards Ger
many. That is, it has no standing at
all.
X
While the Geofgians and the Arme-
mans were making their heroic fights,
it is know that their situation re-
ceived attention in the allied councils.
where it was fully realized that they
must have both financial and military
aid. 1t was not expected that they
could resist the superior Turco-Ger-
man forces Indefinitely. but the ques-
ton of aiding them was beset with
difficulties. Now. however, it becomes
an emergency question.
The Turco-German troops have no
longer a barrier between them -apdl
Persia and Mesopotamia. That is. the,
Mohammedans of Turkey and of what
once was section of Russia. may be
able to act together in the Pan-Islam
movement. If no further obstacle is
opposed to the Turkish occupation of
Batum and Kars and Van, the Turkish
armies may move forward to attack
the British in Mesopotamia. The re-
gion that is open to them is the one
in which the cars cousin, the grand
duke, achieved such brilliant mill
tary success after the German in
triguers had succeeded in having him
displaced from his command on the
frontier.
The grand duke had reached Free
rum, in Armenia, and was pressing
up to Trebizond and the other south
ern ports of the Black sea, when the
same influence again thwarted him.
Had he been let alone. Russia would
have driven Turkey from the entire
region south of the Black sea, but
that is now an idle speculation.
What concerns the allies is that the
Turks, having been beaten in Meso-
are now in a position to make a
military advance southwark with q
view to recovering this region.
Military experts do not think this
probable, but they realize that the
British line in Mesopotamia is threat
ened by an attack from the rearward.
and the best means to meet this at
tack may be by a counter offensive.
When the British troops, after one
humiliating defeat, got possession of
Bagdad. it was felt that Turkeys
power had been shattered beyond re-
covery in this great region. 1t was
also felt that the possibility of an
appeal to Moslem fanaticism Twas
averted. Even before then, Turkeys
efforts to invoke holy war had
failed.
The Russian collapse, however. has
changed everything, and it may be
that the allies will be compelled to
overcome one of its consequences by
making Bagdad the military base for
a campaign which will extend to the
Caucasus. That is less than 200 miles
from the present British line in Meso-
potamia. The military situation is not
fully known in this country, but the
general conditions are well enough
known for 1t to be understood that a
military movement toward the eau
casus may be the most effective check
to the Pan-Turanian and Pan-Isla-
mic movement.