Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-01
ARABS TO MAKE
DRIVE ON TURKS
Tribesman Expected to do
Damage to Ottomans in
Next Few Months.

London. Jan. 15-(Currespondence
of The Associated Press)-Arab ac-
tirity against the Turks in the Pales-
tine the3ter Of war is expected here
to show considerable results during
the next few months. An official re-
port IN the Arab exploits against the
Turks during the first six weeks of
General ALenby's offensive in Pales-
tine shows that the tribesmen con-
fined themselves principally to raids
on the Hedjaz railway, extending ap-
parently from Doraa to Mann.
This railway, at least in the part at
tackled, is not a line OF communica-
ton with Palestine but with Arabia.
That the Arabs have shown a dis)o-
sition to cut what is in some sense a
sacred railway is interesting, but that
they We're not able to venture on more
than sporadic forays seemed to indi-
cate that their strength was not
great. Meanwhile the Turks were
able to keep Medina without apparent
difficulty in spite Of the efforts of the
king OF the Bodjaz.
The explanation for this Arab
weakness is apparently partly their
uncertainty of the military situation,
which has now been made secure by
the British occupation of Jerusalem.
An effort was made last March to
bring about Arab operations on a
large scale timed to coincide with
British operation. but the effort fail
ed owing to the detection Of one of
the leading chiefs. the head of the
Schammar tribe. The support of this
| themselves at Medina and keep the
Hofjaz line open. The the pro-Turk-
ish Schanlmar chief was killed a few
weeks ago, and the tribe appears to
he now on the point of rejoining the
king of the Hodjaz.
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
cut. it is declared. all Arabia will he
lost to the Turks. The left flank Of
the British army is Mesopotamia
! 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 rec
oenition 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 recognized in Germany than in
England or America. Germany's
peace efforts are regarded by special
lists in eastern affairs as an effort to
draw out Of ar economic and CONNER
cial strangulation which is threatened
by the British success in cutting the
Berlin-Bagdad route.
It is pointed out that it is even pos
sible that the most important military
campaign OF 1918 will be fought in
the East. The Manchester Guardian
expresses that opinion in an editorial
in which it saws:
1--WE take this opportunity of once
more expressing the opinion that de.
cisive re"ults IN the West cannot he
secured before 1919, and that II we
are going on with the war-as we
r-ohablv - must make un oul
mi1,ds for another two ear of 1t. re.
: mpin on the defensive in France and
Italv ~thtoughout 1913. making or
main offensive effort in the east and
keen our offensive. effort on the. we~'
until 1919. when the American
stre-~+h will have reached it's maxi
num-"