The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-05
CREEK FORCES
IN UTTER R0UT
FLEE FROM TURK
Three Divisions Annihilated by
Reinforced NatiOnaliSts.
Dead and Wounded Left Lying
on Field.
FOLLOWED GERMAN PLANS
Overwhelmed on Crescent
Shaped Sixty-MiIe Front.
Victors Pursue Fleeing Troops
With Bayonet and Scimitar.

Constantinople. April 5.-Greek
armies in Asia Minor have been shat
tered and routed by the Turks.
Dispatches brought by couriers
from Brussa and Songuldak today
showed the Greeks overwhelmed.
Three divisions were annihilated. Two
escaped in panic flight over the desert,
leaving a broad trail of dead and dy-
ing, smashed wagons. abandoned guns.
wrecked ambuIances, manned horses
and flaming ruins
Many Are Slain.
Prince Andrew. brother of King
Consta ntine, and many high officers.
including a divisional general, were
left among the slain Word of these
losses trucking down the lines had a
disastrous effect on the Greek morale.
Constantinople was wild with ioy.
From Stamboul to Bebek and from
Scutarf to Pera, Islamic banners and
devices fluttered over jubilant crowds.
Everywhere in some of the big foreign
colonies the population Joined in noisy
retpicing over the collapse of the
Greek invasion.
The bloodiest fighting occurred in
the northern sector where for a month
the Greeks had made steady advances
on Slxty-mlle front
The Turks, gradually acquiring am
munition and other supplies by way
| of the Black sea ports. meanwhile pre-
pared their counter offensive.
Followed German Plans.
to the German plan. After artillery
| had flattened the light Greek de-
| fenses, the Turks)swarmed out from
their trenches in great mass.
| Terrific losses were sustained as
| the Greeks opened on the advancing
! masses with rifle and Hight artillery,
Another wave succeeded the first and
the Turks streamed over the Greek
lines The Turks easily excelled in
the hand to hand fight. welding
and the traditional weapon of the
Turk, the scimitar, appeared.
| Greek lines wavered and broke.
Artillery horses were unleashed.
! riders, the animals galloped to the
| rear.
Retreat Became Rout.
/ The retreat became a rout. Along
a sixty mile front the crescent BAN
ners bobbed as the Turkish hosts pur-
sued the enemy. Greek wounded
were left on the field. The hospital
service was disorganized.
Dispatches found on Greek officers
| showed they were preparing to soften
| the news of the defeat. They stated
| that operations in the Brussa sector
I had ceased and that the armies would
| fall back on defensive positions.
/ They indicated also that heavy at
tack was feared in the far south on
/ the Afuin Kara Hissar sector.
/ Defeat Is Confirmed.
! Paris, April 5.-Dispatches received
in official circles in Paris confirm the
! reports of a complete check for the
.oIr- in fha n
:, Asia Minor. where the entire northern
! Greek army has been obliged to re-
treat.
/ Fresh mobilization is reported from
= Greece as not yielding the forces tnat
had been counted on.
/ Evacuation of the line there was
l"strategically imperative" according
to these hastily prepared communique.
The Turks did not extend the action
that far.
ConstantinopIe Celebrates.
In Constantinople. the victory vas
proclaimed by officials of the sublime
Porte. Volunteer criers rushed thru
quiet streets shouting the news. In
stantly the streets became crowded.
Banners were flung from windows.
Stamboul. itself the center OF the
Islamic population, was riot OF col
or Men in European clothing chat
tered in the bazaars. embraced each
other in the streets and swarmed into
coffee houses with resounded with
shouts of joy as the great victory was
discussed, the arrival of each courier
bringing added details of the rout.
Even the yeiled women crept from
! their shuttered apartments. mingling
as freely as they dared with the
! crowds. For once. the shrewdly bar
gaining masters of the shops forgot
their wares. The stores were closed
for the day and dealers rushed into
the crowds in the street.
All Mosques Filled.
The mosques, decorated with ban
ners. the crescent peeping from their
folds, were jarlmed with eager wor--
shippers.
4 with all the Joy, however, the wor-
e shippers were warned TO remember
t the fallen heroes who had driven the
Greeks back.
Foreigners mingled with the crowd.
=, not as celebrators but to enjoy the
e festivities Allied observers discount
ed the victory to some extent. believ-
e. ing that the Greeks can retain their
: tpresent lines and that the war will
] have to be decided by outsiders.
CITY ELECTION AT ROSsVILLE.