New-York tribune., 1922-10-02
Cla11lOr for i. S.
w ar ON Turkey
AnazesHarding

open a highly organized drive to put
this country in arms at Britain's side.
Every church and every Sunday
lars and it's pennies to foreign missions
will, it has already been demonstrated,
take the lead in urging that it is the
Christian duty of this country to save
the Armenians and the Greeks from the
unspeakable Turk.
For the present most of the petitions
and resoll tions pouring in are urging
that this government organize the
Christian governments of Europe
against the Turk. 1t is realized, how
ever, that if Britain alone of the late
Allies goes to war with Turkey this
demand will at once change to one
that this country join Britain.
Few if any of the petitions have
made arguments as to the merits Of
the case. 1t is not the righteousness
Of the Greek cause as against the
Turks which has brought about this
clamor. IL is not the soundnesa of
the position taken by the British that
4 a
zone which has won the support Of
this tremer dous section Of public opin-
ion. 1t is purely and simply a ques-
tion that the people joining in this
propaganda are convinced that Chris
tians are being massacred by that arch
villain, the unspeakable Turk.
See U. S. Participation Certain
This element of the situation is
viewed with the more apprehension by
the Administration because there is q
very real appreciation here Of just how
insistent it would be-. There are high
officials in the Administration who be-
Heve that if the Turks and British
start fighting it will be impossible to
prevent this country entering the war.
If the present trouble should be
smoothed over without war between
Great Britain and Turkey it is re-
garded as very probable that this coun-
try will now be willing to join in
guarant teeing the freedom of the Straits
Of the Dardanelles.
This action, which few months ago
would have been regarded as Just as
unlikely as that President Harding
would urge this country to enter the
League of Nations, is now made more
likely by the demonstration of public
opinion during the present crisis. 1t is
the religious angle of the controversy
which has built the bridge to participa-
tion in European affairs.
When Congress reaBsembles it is
confidently predicted by officials Of the
Administration who have been under
going this deluge of resolutions and ap-
peals that each individual will have
heard heard from the churches in his district.
Even if he was an irreconcilable on
participation in the Reparations Com
mission, Or any other phase of taking
part in European affairs, before he left
for home, it is asserted, he will come
back confident that something ought to
be done to hold the Turks forever in
check.
Debt Question Involved
Aside from the possibility Of Amer
ican entry into any war which might
start against the Turks, it is admit
ted here as virtually certain that If
Britain got into war there would be
no payment, either Of principal or in
terest, of her debt to this country for
decades, if ever.
While there has been little real hope
that any other country would pay its
debt to the United States, there has
been such lively expectancy that
Britain would pay, and soon, that many
Of the advocates of the soldier bonus
insisted that payments from Britain
should be utilized to pay the bonus.
But if Britain gets into another fair
sized war there is no one here who
believes she would pay her debt to
America for more than a score of years.
if ever.
In view of the deficit in the Federal
Treasury, the interest on some four
billions of dollars is quite an item.
But while this might be of the high
est Importance, it is so far over
shadowed by the belief that this coun-
try also will be involved If the war
starts that it is for the present being
brushed aside.