The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-07-23
BY FRANK sIMoNDS

! Copyright, 1919, by The Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate).
The announcement that fighting is
going on between the Turks and the
Greek army of occupation in the Smyr-
ma region of Asia Minor, calls atten-
ton to one more Of the unsettled
problems of the Paris conference.
OF this problem the Smyrna episode
is but one detail. Actually the diff
cultiee begin at the European frontiers
Of the Old Ottoman Empire and ex-
tend to the Persian Gulf. In this
territory. far larger than the districts
affected by the European settlement.
the rivalries of European nations and
the age-long strife between the in
habitants themselves combine to baf-
file the best intentioned peacemakers
in the world.
Turk and the Greek oddly recalls
ancient history. More than two thou
sand years ago the appeal Of the Greek
colonists inhabiting the western
shores Of Asia Minor provoked the
Persian Wars. Now the Turkish perse-
cutton of Greeks in the same region
has been the warrant for a new Greek
Intervention.
But Greece, herself, even with the
increases of territory and population
acquired in the Balkan wars, is not
strong enough to defend the territory
she occupied against the Turks. She
has neither the men nor the money
and she cannot expect her armies to
make head against those of the o.
manli. The permission given by the
Great powers to Greece to occupy
Smyrna was, it would seem, perma-
ture, even conceding the rights of the
Greeks in the premises.
The truth seems to have been that
Greece was allowed to go to Asia, be-
cause the French and the British had
made an uncomfortable and an un-
righteous bargain with the Italians,
granting to them the right to take
both Smyrna and Adalia, while Italy
on her part agreed that France and
Britain should have Syria and Mesopo-
tamia, respectively, without Italian
protest. But there was no Italian
population in either Smyrna or Ada
liza. Therefore, when the Italians oc-
cupied Adalia, somewhat precipitately,
a few months ago, the Greeks were
spurred to make their landing In
Smyrna.
Who viii Aid the Greeks?
Now who is to aid the Greeks? Will
the British and French consent to
send troops to Asia Minor to fight the
Turks? If they do not the Greeks
may shortly be driven back to the
coast. may even be forced off the
mainland altogether. And If they
are the mandate of the League of
Nations becomes mockery. To be
sure the Turk has been ordered to
desist But will he? Constantinople
Is in allied hands, but the Turks have
organized armies on the Asiatic main
land beyond the reach of the Allied
fleets.
1t is Of course manifest that the
Turk cannot successfully fight the
United States, Britain and France,
but will all or any one Of these states
be ready to send large armies to
Asia Minor and incur the heavy ex-
penses of war, even a minor war
Certainly France has a large con-
tract on her hands. If she Is to take
over Syria, and Britain has an Egyp-
tan rebellion and a Mesopotamian
problem. AS for the United States
will public sentiment at home support
an expedition to Smyrna, an occupa.
ton of the Turkish empire, or of the
Anatolian faction?
1t is possible to create an Internal
ional state in Constantlnople. Syria
and Mesopotamia are sufficiently re-
mote from Anatolia to make 1t posi-
BILE for the French and British, using
native troops, to hold them. The in
habitants probably would prefer Euro
pean to Turkish rule, but the Smyrna
and Adaladia districts, all Of Anatolia
and for that matter of Armenia. too
are within striking distance of the
Turkish armies, the Turks having the
advantage Of position.
Italy Is Satisfied.
Meantime the Italians are watching
the Greek difficulties with unconceal
ed satisfaction. Italy expected to take
Smyrna, as France planned to take
Beirut and Britain, Bagdad. But while
the French have Beirut and the Brit
ish Bagdad. the Greeks are in Smyrna
II Hellenic troops are driven to the
sea, then the Greek failure may give