Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-08

Hungarian monarchy. prop
lens which are Def Jre the Paris con-
ference. and in so far as they anec'
Germany will be solved by
the treaty of St. German. 1t remains
now to discuss the problems present
ed by the Turkish empire. which has
also collapsed and must be dealt with
in Paris.
Turkey presents two distinct ques-
tons: The question of Turkey IN
Europe, which is minor so far as ter
ritory is concerned, but of supreme
importance on the strategic side, be-
cause it includes Constantinople and
the northern shores of the straits. ana
the problem of Turkey in Asia, which
is, or was. an empire greater imam
Germany or Austria in area, with a
population approximately that OF
Spain.
The ultimate disposition of Turkey
in Europe depends entirely upon the
decision of the Paris conference. AS
to the future of Constantinople, IL
this city and the surrounding terri
tories are to go to the natural heir
to the country most largely repre-
sented by the races inhabiting the
region then there is no question as
to Greek rights. From the beginning
of history. Constantinople has been
Greek. 1t was the capital of the
Bryant empire. which was Greek.
1t only fell to the Turks in the M
teenth century. and to the present DAY
the Greeks have remained one OF the
largest elements in the city popula-
ton. The shores of the straits ana
of the Sea of Marmora are Hellenic
in history and in population.
Job Too Big for Greece.
But there are a dozen reasons why
it would be an unwise thing to be-
stow upon so small a country as
Greece SO staggering responsibility
as the guardianship of the entrance
would he to deprive Bulgaria of any
outlet on the Aegean. 1t would place
Greece IN the future across the pain :
way of a new Russia, for there Will
be new Russia. 1t would impose
burdens and responsibilities for whlch.
at least at present, Greece is not pre-
pared. The second solution, mucn
discussed in Paris, would be to make
Constantinople and the shores OF the
Straits and the Sea of Marmora
mandatory under the league OF ma
tions. Not few people regret that
Constantinople was not selected as
the capital of the league of nations,
the seat of it's conferences and the
territory in which the league OF ma
tions would exercise something IKE
| temporal power, once held by the
popes in Rome This possibility hav-
| ing been eliminated, there was long
discussion Of the possibility of con-
signing Constantinople to the United
States as mandatory. separating IL
from Turkish territory in Asia and
bestowing upon it most of the re-
| naming territory of Turkey In
Europe.
This would have meant to elimi-
nate the sultan. 1t would have meant
putting the sick man out of Europe
at last, after 500 years OF 1ncompe--
tence and worse. But the Sultan OF
Turkey is not merely head OF the
Turkish empire. but the recognized
spiritual head of the larger part OF
| Islam, and very promptly there came
from British India and from other
| parts of the Mohammedan world EN-,
| phatic protests. These protests wouio
have had little Weight had there been
any clear-cut policy as to CONSTANT
nople, but there was not. The Euro
pean nations were willing that the
United States should undertake the
task of repeating in Constantinople
| what was achieved In havana: pu o
all Europe has agreed against the
transfer of this city to any single
European power. while there is not
much enthusiasm at the moment on
the part of the United States repre-
sentatives.
under discussion, that Constantinople.
Anatolia. which is the larger part of
Asia Minor, and Armenia should be
constituted manufactures under the
league of nations, Armenia certainly
to be assigned to the United states,
AnatoIia either to the United states
or France and Constantinople with
Anatolia to the United States. il our
country agrees to take Anatolia. over
AnatoIia and Constantinople the sui
tan would have shadow authority,
such as is maintained by the khedive
in Egypt or the hey in Tunis.
This solution of the problem of
Asia Minor was. however, complicated
by innumerable claims and by not a
few secret treaties. By the treaties
in which Great Britain and France
agreed to support Italian claims to
Trieste and Dalmatia. they recognized
Italian claims to Dodacenese and the
islands of the eastern Aegean taken
in war, and to practically all the
southern coast of Asia Minor, includ-
ing the great Gulf of Adalia. Some
announcement was also given to the
Italian claims upon Smyrna.
But tn allies have already assigned
SMYRNA to Greece and have united in
asking Italy to abandon her claims to
the population is wholly Greek. 1t re-
suits, therefore, that Italy has de-
manded and will doubtless receive
further concessions in the hintsrland
behind the Gulf of Adalia. Thus the
whole of the western coast OF Asia
Minor, with the great port of Smyrna
and all the south coast, and Adalia
are separated from Anatolia. If one
were also to create a separate state
out of Constantinople and the shores OF
the straits, Anatolia would be deprived
of all it's outlets to the sea and some
seven or eight million Turks would
be penned up in Asia Minor.
Problem of Anatolia.
As to Anatolia. previous agreements
have made this question dlhcult Also
Under one Franco-Brltish arrahs ha
ment the French were to nave the
Gulf of Alexandretta and Armenian
territory between the Taurus noun
tains and Amanus. about Adana. This
would deprive the Armenians OF an
outlet on the Mediterranean. ana un
der American impulsion France has
been persuaded to abandon this part
of her claims. True, Armenia. solid
block of hinterland about the head
waters of the Euphrates and between
Anatolia and the old Russian frontier.
has all along been indicated as the
site of the Armenian state. but in a
very large part of this area. as a
result of massarres. Armenians are
in a minority On the other hand. the
collapse of Russia has made posslpie
y union with Turkish Armenia of
Russian Armenia. districts which are
in far better condition both as to pop
uIation and economic circumstances.
But 1t must be recognized that IL
there is great opportunity in Armenia
tbere is q stupendous task, increased
by the rivalries Of the surrounding
races. If Russia ever regains her
full strength, as is likely. she is