El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-03-06
WILSON To GET
IN TURK ROW?

The spring. il became necessary to
settle the question. France took the
ground that, since America would not
occupy Constantinople, the wisest and
simplest solution was 70 leave the
Turk. taking due precautions against
the fortificatiOn OF the Straits. The
French were moved by three circum-
stances They held the larger part
Of the Turkish debt. they were. as q
alohammedan state opposed to risk
inE religious disturbances IN their
colonies. incident 10 the removal Of
the sultan, and finally they regarded
any other solution as likely to amount
to 9 British control OF the straits
British Oppose Mandate.
The British on their part were OF
posed TO a French mandate and not
a few of those familiar with the Mo-
hammedan question. as it affected In
dia, MesOpotamia and Egypt, agreed
with the French that II would be
wiser 70 leave the Turk in the city
carefully restricting his real powers.
To make the town an international
city appealed 10 neither the British
nor the French, because this merely
meant TO create another center OF in
ternatlonai friction. such as Tagisr
had been before the war.
But now a few Englishmen felt
Ht once that the retention Of the
TURK was compromising an ancient
ency and the demanI has steadily
increased that the Turk be forced
TO quit Europe ~bag and bag
SAGE"
This Is relatively simple, but who
is TO be placed in his stead? OBJ
viously not the Frenchman. the ltal-
ian or the Engllshman2 The Ameri-
can mas declined An International
city means new and even more acute
eastern question.
There is left the Greek. his claim
Is obvious Except for the Turk the
Greek element is largest in the city
ana the TURK would 70 with his sui
tan Constantinople, as the capital Of
the Byzantine empire was Hellenic fOr
centuries. the population on bocn
shores OF the straits and the sea Of
Marmora IS Greek But TO give Con-
stantinople 10 Greece would be 70
pave the way for a Greek renaissance
OF Lrst rate magnitude Asia Minor
vas once Greek 10 the Armenian
boundary, at least 1000. 000 Greeks
now live IN the country and Il Is by
no means unlikely that in another
half century. Greece. would be able 10
Tx her civilization upon her old BY
zantine provinces and become a great
power again
shaffer italian Aspirations.
such a development would rudeiy
snatter Italian aspirations in the
aegean ana IN the Gulf Of Adalia.
more than Il would mean the rise Of
Greek state, which could challenge
italian aspirations in the east q end
o. the Aedlterranean, Greek and Ital-
an aspirations conflict in Albania. IN
the aegean Islands, in Asia Minor and
N al three regions Italian policy is
BASED upon a desire 10 prevent the
creeks from acquiring that territory
lFnleh should 80 70 them alike By
Iaclal ana historical considerations. III
Greece acquired Coustantinopie. then
ne italian hopes would 80 glimmer-
ing
Il is doubtful II the British or the
/ rench have any real hostility 70
creek aspirations, but both have 10
reckon with italy and are eager TO
make any concessions in Asia, which
VII persuade Italy 70 give way in the
Aorlatle question and the French have
- think OF the vast sums owed BY
ne 4urk, which VIII be lost. II the
turkish empire Is liquidated. All ia
az french and British policies agree
IN any compromise which viii be ac-
eented by Italy.
But viii president Wilson accent
the proposed solutiou1 Il lies within
MS power 70 veto 90. He has shown
himself hostile 70 Italian claims On
the eastern shore OF the Adriafic
which have far more JUSTIFICATION
man Italian claims IN the aegean and
On The Gulf Of Adalia- He has mani ]
Lest@d Impotence with French claims
p syria and the whole problem OF
5rltish expansion in Mesopotamia or 1
lers him an admirable opportunity 10
-aAs direct Issue with the British. as