Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-09
ALLIED FORCE NEEDED
TO MAKE TURKS OBEY
Sultan Impotent in Controlling Country,
Though He May Accept Peace
Terms.

ment. which has dispatched emissartes
to confer with the nationalist leader
instead of forcing his capitulation by
arms.
Sultan Has Little Power.
The sultan cannot force the nation
alists to obey his dictates. His armies
are weak, undermined by sedition and
sympathy for Mustapha Renal and
disinclined to fight the nationalists.
Furthermore. such agricultural re-
gions as have been counted upon to
feed Constantinople. and such regions
considered extremely vital to the per-
petuation of life, let alone war. are
in the hands of the nationalists. With
out allied backing the sultan cannot
suppress the revolt in his own coun-
try. This is more and more admitted.
Therefore. if anything Is done 1t be-
comes increasingly apparent that the
burden will fall upon those govern
ments which seek to divide Turkey.
And any such concerted attempt.
Kemal's power beng as great as 1t IS.
it is believed will be but a signal TOT
the declaration of a holy war against
European countries. the scope OF Whlch
cannot be forecast. But one thing
10 certain-the failure Of the Germans
in the great struggle to bring about q
holy war cannot be cited as proof
that a holy war is Impossible. ior un,
questionably Mohammedan PRIDE VIII
receive it's worst blow in the allleo
terms. Mohammedan fervor could be
aroused to untold pitch in war to
be waged along the lines outlined by
Mustapha Kemal, predicated as they are
upon preservation of all Moslem noly
places against deflement occasloneo
by foreign rule, likewise the untram-
meled perpetuation of Moslem ten
denotes and principles. of which Mo-
hammedans the world over nave
dreamed since the day OF the FOUNDER
of their religious belief.
While forced settlement OF the
Turkish problem becomes nearer an
other settlement upon which the
ern Europe depends is about to be
settled through the means of diplo-
macy, namely. the vexatious Adrlatlc
problem. Delegates OF the ltallan
and Jugoslav governments CONFER
during the present week. and al
though the Belgrade government has
refused to sanction the idea of max
ing Ffume a buffer state, one OF the
cardinal compromise desires or the
Italians, 1t is announced that premier
Nitti and the Serbians will probably
reach q. wholly satisfactory basis OF
adjustment in the Immediate future:
Owing to the animus aroused and
the maze of conflicting claims, 1t Is
almost impossible to forecast the
terms Of settlement or the direction
they may take, but II reached IL Will
be the greatest step toward recon
struction Of not only Italy but the
whole of the southeastern section OF
the continent.
Bolshevik Sun Dims.
Can Polish armies start the ball
rolling down the hillside to settled
order within Russia, which. Of course.
is entirely predicated upon the elimi-
nation Of bolshevist influences? This
is a question being asked in allied
capitals of Europe and not without
hope that Polish-Ukrainian military
successes are but forerunners of a
which will bring such dis
asters to the Lenin- Trotsky regime
as to bring counter revolutions with
in Russia itself. The bolshevist grip
is weakening everywhere in Russia.
according to advices. Lenin and
Trotsky have maintained their power
through the might of their armies
Now these are crumbIing. notwith-
standing the fact that the bolshevik
war minister has made herculean eff
forts to bolster up military strength
on the Polish front. 1t Is extremely
that though the Polish Of
fensive has not been recognized by
the allies not a step has been taken
to Illustrate 1t. In fact. the Polish
armies today owe great measure OF
their success to such assistance, ad-
visory and otherwise. that has been
given by allied leaders and govern
ments.
Whatever the final result. at the
moment an eclipse is passing before
the bolshevist sun.