Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-12
spirit OF TURKEY
| broken BY EVENTS
Emir Feisu|'s Defeat Was
the Last Heavy Blow to
Nationalist.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright 1920.
CONSTANTINOPLE. September IL
!! Turks have a queer psychology. Even
while telling you with tears in their
eyes about the misfortunes Of their
country they will suddenly change the
conversation to the most frivolous sub
tects. They will crate for half an hour
and then suddenly say: Here's how for
the Greek mandate over Constantine
pie" They all see it coming and all will
tell you quite openly that despite the
treaty, Constantinopie is bound to go to
the Greeks.
Official Turkey Is trying to save itself
by asking for British protectorate, ana
active conversations are engaged in be-
tween Damad Ferid Pasha. the Turkish
grand vizier, and the British high COM
missioner. Admiral de Robek Unoffl-
cial Turkey hopes that the bolsheviki
will soon be strong enough to come ana
Kick out the Greeks and take possession
of the town. I asked a Turkish high
official why he preferred an official pro-
| tectorate Of Great Britain to the ap-
parent independence they have under
| the treaty. He replied:
we much prefer to be swallowed by
| lion than to be chewed by a donkey"
Late Events Have Broken Turk.
| iLdSC CSCiitS nave OIOhcH The
entirely. Emir Feisurs defeat was the
last heavy blow to the nationalists.
Feisul was credited with much popu-
larity among the Arabs and was sup
posed to have an army of about 100000
men. which. together with the remnants
OF Mustapha Kemafs forces, should have
| been able to raise the flag Of rebellion
against the intruders. The population
of Arabia was VIGOROUSLY against
French rule and Feisurs resistance to
the French dot 70
represent the real views of the Arabs.
Now that the French guns have dis
persed Feisurs riflemen and French SOL
diers have taken possession of the re-
gion given to France by the treaty. the
tionalists have vanished.
1T is no good fighting" they say.
Might is right! No matter how much
.gainst the principles of right all these
occupations may be. as long as we are
weak We can't help ourselves"
Twelve Years of War.
These ideas are common not only
among the nationalist leaders in Con-
fstant.nopie. but seem to be shared by
Mustapha Renal as well. The Ana
tolian peasant is tired after twelve
years of continual war and. what is
worse. continual defeats. His morale
Is low. The last reverses have broken
the lighting spirit of the peasant SOL
der. It's fate!" the Turks say, land
1t can't be helped"
Mutfnt les are reported in the ma
tionalist armies, and in many cases
more than so per cent have deserted.
the men returning to their fields for
the harvest. Under. such conditions,
abandoned by most Of his men, hav-
ing few resources and knowing that
the Emir Feisul has been defeated,
nothing is left to Mustapha Kemal
but to come to an understanding at
the best possible terms with the sui
tan's government. The allies seem
inclined to favor a reconciliation with
Kemal, which would save the ex-
pense Of an expedition into Anatolia.
and cut the wing of the newborn
Indian movement.
Peace Easily Obtainable.
Peace in Anatolia is easily obtain
able today. Once do away with the
agitators in the regions which remain
under the sultan's rule and the peas
ant will have a grudge against no.
body, provided he is let alone and al
lowed to attend to his labor.
1t is far more difficult to convince
the Arab nomad of the advantages Of
French civilization. For the Arab
fighting is a habit. almost as much
as golf or tennis or base ball to the
American. They fought the Turks as
long as they were under the Turkish
rule: they fought the British some
times and when they haven't any,
body else to fight they fight among
themselves Now the French are
coming into their country and the
supplemented Arabs don't under
stand why.