New-York tribune., 1922-09-24

having war spread in Europe. The
same motives are inspiring our Sc
tions to-day.
II in suggested that we arc provck-
ing conflict by staying at Chanak.
1t is essential. in the opinion Of our
military advisers, to hold Charak in
order 10 secure the freedom OF the
Straits for pnarmed vessels. Armed
ships could pass and repass, what
ever huppeaed in Chanak. Peaceabis
merchantmen could not pass, and,
therefore, in the opinion Of our fnili-
tary advisers, ii is essential that
Chanak be held in order to secure
the real freedom of the Straits for
the purpose OF peaceable intercourse
between the Mediterranean and the
Black seas.
For Rumania, a distinguished Ru-
manian told me the other day that
the Straits were q matter of life and
death to his country That IS ex-
actly true for Russia also. In the in
terests Of the commerce Of the would
it Is fundamental that the Straits
should be free from the possibility
Of such interference. with their free
dom as produced the disastrous re-
suits in 1914 and in subsequent
years.
Quotes General Maurice
There is n correspondent at Con-
stantnople who, for reasons which
are not material to investigate at
the present moment, is not WIT
ness particularly friendly to myself.
but whom ! would quote on the I'M
portance OF preventing the kemalist
army from crossing into Europe un-
til neace has been established.
mean General Maurice. lie said a
couple of days ago:
"The nervousness among the Chris
tian population, already considerable,
has been much increased, md their
exodus Is taking place. | cannot too
strongly represent, than IN the pres
ent, the temper Of the Mahometans'
The evacuation Of lsmid or ChanhH
ut this juncture might have a Sc.
qucnce which would make the IRE OF
Smyrna pale"
That is one reason why we think
that it would be peril OF the dark
est kind, if we permitted the army
which has left Smyrna heap OF
blackened ruins, TO cross over irto
Europe until permanent peace has
been established and until the con
ditions of that peace are clearly de-
fined.
We do not go back on anything we
have said about Constantinople re-
naming Turkish. We arc not putting
up any fight about the sovereignty OF
eastern Thrace, but peace must iirst
OF all be stabilized and it's conditions
must be known.
Agreed Policy OF Allies
May ! just say in conclusion that
we are not departing in anything we
are doing from the agreed policy OF
the Allies. This policy, which enun-
ciated to you about the Straits, WAS
agreed TO in 1918. There was good
deal more that was agreed to. which
circumstances render it now impo9-
sible for us, or conceivably for the
whole of the Allies, to carry out to
the limit which would be desired. in
1918 the Allies took into account the
condition of the minorities in Asia
Minor who, in the early days of the
war, had been subjected to outrages
of a very terrible character.
The massacres in Asia Minor in
1914 and 1915 were responsible for
the death of something like one and
one-half millions of the Christian
population. This is generally ac-
cepted. There was no provocation
there was no insurrection; there was
no uprising against Turkish rule. 1t
was purely wanton and -blooded.
and the Allies, considering the posi-
tion in 1919, felt they were under
the obligation to say that there
should be no recurrence of these ter
rors.
The original idea was that Amer
ica should undertake the mandate for
Armenia; that France should under