Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-29
GREEK ARMY CUT
IN TWO BY TURKS
Constantine's Forces Defeated,
Retire Without the
Right Wing
DRIVEN OVER SAKARIA RIVER
BY the Associated Press

Paris. Aug. 20.-The right wing Of
the Greek army, which was attacking
the Turks along the Sakaria River, in
Asia Minor. has met with disaster and
been completely severed from the main
body of the Greek troops, according to
dispatch from the correspondent Of
/ Information. at Constantinople.
The dispatch adds that the entire
Greek army is thus placed in most
difficult strategical position. The Turks
are attacking and seem to have plenty
OF ammunition.
Constantinople, Aug. 20.--Aftcr three
days of fighting the Turks have forced
! the Greeks to retire across the Sakaria
River, in Asia Minor. The Greeks lost
many prisoners, much material and
cannon and Transport wagons.
The entire plan of campaign for
mulated by the Greeks has been TEN :
porarily held up.
The Greeks are said really to have
been defeated by the salt desert, lack
Of water and many men stricken with
malaria.
Athens. Aug. 29.-The Greek detach-
mcnts which are marching south of the
! says hI T., OC .
cupied last Monday the Turkish advance
posts south of the Gheuk and Knthrandi
| Rivers. The Greek right wing broke
through the Turkish line Friday night,
crossed the Gheuk and occupied posi-
tions north of the river. The Turks
launched counter attack, which the
statement says was easily repulsed.
The statement asserts that the Turk
fish positions south of the Kathrandi
| l.. i'll a Z.
battle and that the Turks retreatcd
! toward their main positions north OF
the river.
Aidin. Asia Minor, Aug. 20.-One of
| the saddest and most tragic war memo =
rials in the Near East is the ruined city
of Aidin. sixty miles southeast OF
Smyrna, in the great fig growing dis
trict of Asia Minor. 1t is literally a
dreds of innocent Greek and Armenian
women, children and priests lie in
nameleSs graves, victims of massacre
by the Turks In the summer of 1919.
The broken columns of n thousand
shattered homes are the mute witnesses
of the martyrdom of the population
Although two years have passed since
they were sacrificed. 10 tombstone, nc
cross, no wreath marks the place wher,
thcy fell. Their whitening bones form
n part of the crumbling masonry and
earth. The silence of the place is op.
prCsSive.
The town presents an appalling
spectacle of dcsolation and destruction
which has its counterpart only in th'
J ruined cities of France. But the seen,
is even more terrible than in French
villages. for in France the population,
at least had a chance to escape. II
Aidin they were vouchsafed no sucf
mercy. They were brutally slain by
the Turks when the Greek army hat
withdrawn. Not only that. many o
the victims were burned to death.
: In the little Church of the Metro
pOitan there are still to be seen on tn
floor grim reminders Of the unfortunat
priests who were killed and incincruter
before the altar. Their blood lies II
: great CONCEALED patches in the nisles.
. 4 few among the moro hopeful an,
| turned to the dcsolatcd city and ar
> living in the ruins Of their formc
| homes. Through the dark and debris
strewn alleys somber women and girl
in mourning move like Spcctcrs. AL
| have lost relatives in the fearful mas
sacrp. Their faces tell story u
poignant suffering and anguish. Som
of them have lost thcir reason. Dur
ing his stay in the town. the CORE
sopndcnt lived at the home Of an age,
widow whose three daughters had bee
slain by the Turks.
A group of Greek Government official
from Athens recently visited Adm
1--WE must try TO forget the past" sal
the Turkish hodja (prcst who cam
, to greet the investigators. eve mus
be friends. We cannot be enemies
Our religions may be different, but on
hearts are the same. We must ioi
hands and hearts and think only Of tn
FUTURE