Evening star., 1922-12-10
SEES TURKS BACK
|NPRE-WAR STATUS
Lausanne Regarded Mere
Episode in Near-East
:, Chess Contest.
FRENCH MISTAKES CITED
British Liberal Editor Says Allies
Have Sacrificed Priceless Chance
to Extinguish Volcano.
BY A. G. GARDINER,
Britnin's Greatest Liberal Editor.

Britnin's Greatest Ltberni EoAtOr.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
LONDON. December 9.-The process
of strengthening out the near east
mess proceeds very slowly AT
Lausanne Backed by Russia. whose
aim is no permanent settlement, the
Turks are sticking obstinately TO
their demands. They won their argu-
ments for eastern Thrace and Con-
stantinople and now insist on
dominating the Dardanelles. Loro
CurZon's offer that the straits be left
in possession of the Turks. subject to
freedom of usage by all nations. con-
stitutes a practical surrender by the
British government probably no
other course was possible after the
concession of Constantinople. because
under modern military measures ne
who holds ConStantInOple holds the
key To the IardanelieS.
With this proposal. however, the
Turks practically re-eStablish their
pre-war status. Back in Europe. back
in Constantinople, back in the
Dardanelles. could there be any
clearer evidence of the complete
catastrophe Of peace? The cause is
plain enough. The allies. disloyal to
Europe, diSloyal to each other, sac
rificed a priceless opportunity to ex-
tinsuish the near east volcano for
ever by internationaliZing ConStan-
tinopIe and the straits. The chance
will not come again in this genera
tion. The Turk again is In the posi-
ton to resume his historic role as
a mischief maker IN Europe, with
irreconcilable Russia as alder and
:abettor.
Holds French Responsible.
The main responsibility for this
rests with France. who armed her
late enemy against the Greeks and
hoped to use the Turks as an in
>trument to assist French policy in
Europe. The French impression was
that the kemalistic movement was
the beginning of a great 1slamic re-
vival and il was hoped that France
could become the head of that re-
vival as n military insurance against
. possible German revival. Now
France finds the movement not
1slamic at all. but purely national
and under the thumb of Frances
greatest enemy. soviet Russia.
Now France wants to have little to
do with the Turk hut the latter has
Won the rubber at Lausanne. 1t
generally is agreed that Lausanne is
only an episode in the near east chess
contest. and that the sole hope of
peace in the Balkans rests in the
nations and thus bringing her under
cooperate European control. Will
she accepto Her condition is so near
ly bankrupt that she probably will
if Russia will let her
All Eyes on London.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on London,
where the conference of premiers is
critical because. unless the allies can
agree on a policy which will insure
q sound program. the result must he
grave. The early French proposals
We're far from promising. They in
dicated practically no moderation of
the policy against Germany, which
has resulted in economic confusion.
The prospect for the proposed Brus
sells conferensa. therefore is none too
bright
II the allias fail to agree it is ex-
pected here in London that Poincare
will he forced from the premiership.
His prestige has been very much
weakened by recent events. Louch-
eur's more reasonable attitude toward
reparations and all other European
problems has been steadily gaining
ground For tAr first time French
statesmen of the first rank are advo-
eating that Ge~~lany he allowed to
live in peace.
Whether France is ripe for a COM
plete reversal of her foreign policy
is hard to say. 1t must come soon.
# at all. and IL >nytthing in Europe
is to be saved.
The one glorIC-, ,s light here in Eng
land Is that Ireland is now free
nation. Timoths Healy now reigns
as governor general in Phoenix Park.
The appointment seems almost to be-
long to the realm of romance For
forty years Tiger Tim" has been the
most formidable guerrilla chieftain
m British politics Famous for his
eloQuence. his quarrels and his wit,
his appointment has been received
with supreme satisfaction. He is most
lovabIe. despite his bitter tongue. a
humorous. sad man of rare and ver-
sattile gifts. With Dillon and O'Brien
he is the last survivor of that great
group of IriShmen who, under Parnell,
made the cause of modern home rule
powerful. Now in the hour of victory
he wears a crown. May he wear it
long and proSperouSly.