New-York tribune., 1920-02-27
Decided
Policy of Allies
Toward Turkey
Peace ENJOYS Warned That
Removal of Sultan Would
Be Regarded as Breach
of Faith by Britain
Christians Safeguarded
Lloyd George Tells Com
mons Principal Peace Aim
Is Freedom of the Straits

AONDOANS Il CD' lO OCSioiVh AO"
to GUST Turkey from Constantinople
was reached by the Allied Supreme
Council only after long consideration
of the difficulties in the Turkish situa-
tion, Premier Lloyd George declared
toe day in the House Of Commons when
the question of the future Of Turkey
was brought up for debate. The de-
cision, said the Premier, was balance
of advantages and disadvantages, and
it was upon this balance, and after
weighing carefully all the arguments
pro and con, that the council concluded
that, on the whole, the better course
for achieving the common end was to
retain the Turk in the capital on the
Bosporus.
Referring to the agreement made
early in the war under which Russia
was to obtain Constantinople, Mr.. Lloyd
George said this agreement had ended,
so far as Russia was concerned by the
revolution Of 1917 and the peace of
Brest-Litovsk. He reiterated his pledge
that there would be "a different porter
at the gates" however. It would be
the height Of folloy again to trust the
guardianship of those gates to people
who had betrayed their trust, he de-
clared, and never again would those
gates be closed by the Turks in the.
face Of British ships.
Perfectly Deliberate Pledge"
The Premier referred to the 'per-
fectly deliberate pledge" given by the
British government in January, 1918,
in which it was asserted that Great
Britain was not fighting to deprive the
Turks Of Constantinople, subject to the
Straits being internationalized and
neutra]ized, and he remarked paren-
thetically that this was what would be
done with the Straits This pledge, he
explained, was not an offer to the
Turks or Germans, but was made to re-
assure the English people and the Ma
hometans Of India. He pointed out
that Great Britain was the greatest
Mahometan power in the world, and
that as result Of the governments
statement of its war aims there had
been an increase in recruiting in India
at time when Great Britain was max
ing special effort to raise additional
troops.
The influence which had decided the
peace conference to retain the Turks
ia Constantinople, the Premier con-
tinued had come from India. The two
peace delegates of India at Paris.
neither Of whom was Mahometan.
had declared that unless the Allies re-
tanned the Turks in Constantinople
their action would be regarded as
gross breach Of faith on the part of
the British Empire. the Premier in
formed the House. ~
Without the aid of India, Mr.. Lloyd
George pointed out, Turkey could not
be more damaging to British prestige
in Asia than The feeling that Great
Britain did not keep her word. He
promised. however. that when the peace
terms were disclosed they would be
found drastic enough to satisfy Tur-
keys bittcrest foe.
Let us examine our legitimate and
main peace aims in Turkey" the Pre-
,nier went on. "The first is the
freedom Of the straits. The second is
the freeing of all non-Turkish com
munities from the Ottoman army. The
third is the preservation for the Turks
of government in communities
which are mainly Turkish, subject to
two most important reservations.
The first of these reservations is
that there must be adequate safeguards
within our power of protecting minori-
ties that have been oppressed by the
Turk. The second is that the Turk
must be deprived of his power of
NSColilE tne ueVelOpmenC Oh the rlcn
lands under his rule which were once
the granaries of the Mediterranean.
These are the main objects Of the
peace"
Freedom of Straits Assured
Mr.. Lloyd George explained that the
freedom of the straits would be as
sured. because all Of Turkeys forts
would he dismantled, she would have
no troops within reach, and would not
be permitted to have q navy, while the
Allies would garrison the straits. The
only alternative, he said, was an in
ternational military government of Con-
stantinople and all the surrounding
territory, which would be very un-
satisfactory and costly to the Allies.
The Premier said he was afraid that
underneath the movement for expul-
sion of the Turks there was something
of the old feeling of Christendom
against the Crescent. If the Mahom-
etans believed that the terms were
dictated for the purpose of lowering
the prophets flag before that Of
Christendom, he declared, it would be
fatal to British government in the East
and it was unworthy that the purpose
be achieved by force.
Expressing regret that America had
not taken mandate, Mr.. Lloyd George