The Washington herald., 1921-09-18


Near East. French opposition to Greek purposes,
whi;h have British backing would disappear over
night provided British opposition to Polish rights,
which have French Endorsement, eliminated.
But as lorg as Britain vetoes Polish claims in Upper
Slesia one must expect French opposition to Greek
claims at the Straits and in Asia Minor
Americans may find reason TO reflect upon the
fact that Paris Constantinople was assigned to the
United States and President Wilson prepared, at
least for the moment to advocate the adoption of
this city under mandate from the league of nations.
Everyone with the possible exception of Italy,
willing that we should take on. Even Italy was
less concerned with Constantinople than with Smyrna
and would have welcomed us to the former had
agreed to her presence in the latter. We were to,
hold Armenia well and much of the disorder and
confusion which has developed in the Near East
grows out of the fact that solution postponed
by Europe during ali the long debate in this country
over our course in the matter of the league.
81 Certainly no great power will be permitted by
its rivals to take Copstantinople for itself On the
whole all these states have recognized this fact but
France and Britain have psoteges, Italy shares the
French willingness that the Turk should keep his
old lands, because as long as he keeps them the
Greek will be halted and Italian opportunity to share
largely in eventual division will be preserved The
treaty of Sevres was the death sentence to Italian
aspirations, hence Italy stands with France in advo-
eating its revision downward. But the partnership
between the two nations is fragile basis for
Italy knows France is ready sell her vote
in the Near East for free hand in Upper Slesia.
A S it stands decision must be made before
"A very long, The Greeks seem to have won
war. They have driven the Turkish troops almost
from the field They hold the important railway lines
and the ports. 1t is preposterous thing that in the
very heart of the territory conquered by Greece
held by Greece the basis of title recognized by
all the world, there should be fingered Turkish
Sultan and maintained by allied fleets and bayonets.
1t is geographical and political absurdty that Greece
holding all the landward approaches to CONSTANT
nople, should be deprived of possession OF the city
which is the natural capital of the new Greece as it
was the capital of the old Byzantine Empire, which
was wholly Hellenic. Even the mutual jealousies
and antipathies of the great powers, however much
they may delay, cannot permanently postpone settle
rhent and Greek possession is the one conceivable
solution
In theory il has been possible and still is to
make international city of Constantinople,
rather sort Of international principality, including
the shores of the Straits and Of the Sea of Marmora.
But in practice this is almost unworkable as the
present method, which combines Turkish sovereign
ty with allied supervision. The costs of the inter-
national city would be great, the benefit to any
nation disproporonatc to the expense and the opera
ton of mutual jealouses and rvalres would be para
lying Once there was dream that Constantinopie
was to be the scat Of the league of nations, which
was to have actual sway IN this area, something as
the Popes had temporal sovereignty in Rome in the
centuries preceding the uhiheation Of Italy. f'rt