The Washington herald., 1921-07-10
Irish Peace Hangs by Thread,
Declares Sir Philip Gibbs
Near East Problems Still Cause For Anxiety
Turkish Advance Menace to British
Control of Dardanelles.

ENGLAND Tor military and naval Sc
curity.
I am told by intimate friends of
Mr.. de Valera that he would be sat
isned with such terms. / have never
wavered in my opinion. expressed
many times In America, that that
Is the only possible solution
AS preliminary to peace must
be the Withdrawal of the Black and
Tans and auxiliary troops to con-
centrated areas on the coast with
an absolute guarantee from Sim
Fein leaders that all acts of war
will cease under that condition
1 have no certain faith that the
present negotiations will succeed,
but they are a step forward towards
the light which shine beyond this
present darkness of abominabIe
strife.
World Peace Gains Ground.
Turning from ireland to other
world problems, II is certain that
progress is being made along the
lines of peace. although many evil
and corrupt forces and old stupidI-
ties are still exerting their pres
sure.
The British foreign Office is main
ly occupied at the present moment
with two dominant anxieties. First,
the situation in Constantinople, and
second, the French policy in Ger
many.
Regarding Constantinople. It can
not be said that all 10 well. The
recent setback to the Greek army
and the Turkish advance on Ishmid
Is much more serious than a local
episode. II challenges the whole
allied policy. or lack Of policy, in
the Near East.
III the Turks were to secure this
strip of Asiatic coast overlooking
the Dardanelles, the position Of the
british fleet in the Bosphorus and
the Black Sea would be untenable,
and the allied troops almost certain
ly would be compelled to evacuate
Constantinople.
Greek Rights Involved.
The British and French forces
must either be strengthened and
the Greek army REINFORCED with
allied assistance or the Turkish Ma
tionalists must be satisfied by a
complete revision of the treaty of
peace which would result in our
abandonment OF Greek rights which
we solemnly guarantee.
France and Italy are both pro-
Turk and anti-Greek. They are
pro-Turk because they want TO es-
tablish trading rights in Asia
Minor. and anti-Greek because they
bitterly resent the rise Of Greek
power on the Mediterranean Sea a nd
the return OF King Constantine.
Public sentiment in England is
also rather anti-Greek. despite his
torical sentiment, mainly because
there is resolute opposition to any
financial or military support for a
Greek war. But certain British
statesmen are strongly Influenced
by Levantine trading interests
which are pulling political wires
and. apart altogether from that. Il
is impossible to disregard the posi-
hility OF Turko-Russisn alliance
which would menace Constantinople
and set firA to the Balkans again.
All that is verv difficult and dan
gerous. but I believe il will be set
tied by compromise.
German ReysIIsts Active.
Turning now to Germany, whose
problem will continue TO domina tc
European conditions. certain thing.
are hPnpening behind the scenes thai
are not reassurinE. have trust
worthy information that there is a
verv powerful movement afoot 70
restore a monarchy In Bavaria un-
der Prince Rupprecht. This is ia
20 L. Il
lied diplomats both in England and
France. who do not believe in the
permsnencv Of the German republic
and would not be dissatisfied to see
the power ~ Prussia weakened nv
strong Catholic kingdom in South
Germany.
After the armistice the French
we're favorable to the idea OF a
German adventurer named Doctor
Droten. whom met and who
wished to establish a separate
Rhineland republic under the cry:
Free from Prussia"
The scheme failAd utterly. owing
to the sentiment for German unity
among the Rhineland people. but
French officials are now erdeavor-
ing to Fain by economic means wha'
thew failed to arrange by political
methods. Owing to the tariff wall
they hsv" ont up between Germany
and the Hhinelsnd thev have sew.
cred the Rhinelanders from the res,
OF Germany In commercial wav
and have comr~lled them 20 laok
westwards to France for supplies
Of raw materisls.
Comnlsis ot French Aruv.
Financial pressure also ohlieeN
them 70 exchange their own prod
ucts for French lururies lill1 wine.
and perfumes. leading inevitably tc
German unemployment This policy
is causing renewed bitterness ir
Rerlin where there are also loud
comnlaints AGAINST the continued
oc"unation Of towns beyond the
Rhine End against the increasinR
cost of the French army of occupa-
tion which the Germans have to
nav, although these sanctions. a,
thew have been called. are no longer
justified. according to the German
Viewpoint. now that they are full
Alline ALL their pledges.
British experts. to my own knowl-
elge. are inclined to sympsthize
with GERMANY on that score which
does not make for cordiality with
their French colleagues.