New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-11

Tue Meoieefranean Is older than n
British. Despite all propagand. !
the contrary, the French are M !.
dulging in an imperialism wb;sl
peculiarly reprehensible. Or 4
contrary, they are vindicatino =.
every whit as good as the Brss
But, after all, France has in ~
and West Africa an empire ~
will require her best emereene;s, i
develop, and when developed q
insure her continuance as = on
power. And beside this empirs .
Syrian holding will always i. 4
significant.
Moreover, since France has ~.
than 25,000,00O Mahometans !.
North and West Africa and ma
millions Of Arabs, a war with !.
Turks and Arabs will have -.
grave echoes in Africa. But ab.l
all, when everything Is said !,
done, French territorial Interest.
the Near East are hardly vors
quarrel with the British, whose en-,
port will remain necessary !,
France in Europe for a lone IN
in the future. In truth, the costs
an Asiatic venture seem 4,
France out of all proportion TO !,
profits, immediate or eventual
British Supremacy in Peril t
For the British, on the contr,nI
everything which happens betRs
the Golden Horn and the fronHs
Of Egypt and India is matte, i
grave concern. The war has rain
new problems for British statesnsH
ship none of which are more serim
than those which center in the NsI
East. British supremacy betn,.
Cairo and Calcutta can only i
maintained by new and colossalt
fort.
But why the French should ON
for any considerable responsible
in this region, the center of troull
for many years to come, must n
main a puzzle not alone for forsr. |
ers but for not a few Frenchmk
whose voices are being heard N
AS have said, on the side Of III
there is nothing to choose betxm
British and French claims. AS
matter Of right the French are d +
titled to follow imperialistic snE
tons quite as much as the Brida|
and Italian rights are equally inca
testable. But in supporting d
Turk now, in quarreling with u
British, above all in opposing d
Greeks, it seems to me Frea:
craftsmanship is laundering quite
much, although in the opposite 4
rection, as it did in Egypt a gene
alton ago.
Frances Fatal Mistake
The first war of consequence
Europe after Waterloo was u
Crlmean, in which French trof
fought beside British against i
Car, with fatal consequences
France two decades later, when Rp
STA, with the memory of Sebastur
IN mind, lifted not a finger to 8
France against Germany. Betwes
France and Great Britain, and in !
measure between Italy and Gr'
Britain, the new phase of the Ess1
ern Question is giving rise to D.
feeling which may have grave q
sequences for the future.
Within the limits of the Leag'Hs
Nations idea there is no solution
this Eastern Question, because th'
IS no fashion in which the prinelps
behind the league can be apple
There is no sound ethnic diyisaj
The Greeks have large rights, D
Armenians have claims upon syu
pathy as well as support. But unls
all the great powers were ready,
United States among them, to D
men and money to prosecute ca
paign against the Turk, and, hsvu
conquered the Turk, to join IN
international administration Of
whole region Of the Turkish Emp'
which would mean more men y
more money, without any hope
return and without following
selfish and nationalistic ambition,
arrangements would necessarily y
as all have hitherto.
You can create a Poland. Czeep
Slovakia, a greater Rumania'
cause there is the solid basis o.
tionality to build upon. But you
create no state capable of carru
on Immediately or eventually IN
Near East, because you have "
only confusion of races, inu'o
hostile oy,I 10 cL;vor tho rpefllfces =