New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
Greece Rushed to Defeat and
Allies Are Left to Patch
Up Peace

but continued to hold all the western
section Of Asia Minor, up to the Es-
ki-Shehr-Afiun Karahissar line. He
would have been glad co negotiate for
peace this fall. But Kemal preferred to
drive him into the sea. He had ssaked
all Greece's gains under the Sovres
treaty on his own competency as a sol-
dier and had seen them swept oil the
board.
After Constantine set up for himself
France and Italy made their agree
rnents with Angora. France withdrew
from Cilicis and rectifed the northern
border Of Syria. Italy retired poiiti-
cally from Adalia. Here were two
more thrusts into the body of the
treaty. Soviet Russia had taken uu
Ken,als cause because hit, too, was an
enemy Of the western European pow
ers. Lenine wanted to use the Turks
for his own purposes. Possibly he
dreamed of communizing the Nation
alists. But he found Kemal hard
man to hoodwink. Russia, in fact, gave
Angora little except verbal support.
But when the Nationalists oyerrau
the Caucasus districts and occupied
Hatum, Lenine offered them a serious
politica! alliance and territorial con-
cussions. Tbs Treaty Of Kars, signed
October 1S, 1924, gave tho districts
OF kars, Ardahar and Artvin to Turkey.
1t also brought the Angora government
into territorial contact with the Ma
hometan republic to Azerbaiian.
through the small intermediate repub-
lie OF Nakitchovar, which had been
created and put under the protection
OF Azerbaijan by the Treaty Of Mos
COW. Angora thus obtained an open
door to Russian Moslem territory. Pre-
vlously intercourse with it had been
lndirect-throught northwestern Per-
sia.
After Constantine's war Of CONQUEST
started Frances attitude toward the
unexecuted Sevres treaty changed from
somewhat Indifferent support to sharp
hostility. She became pro-Turkish and
an advocate Of drastic revision. The
pressure Of her African Mahometan
population for recognition Of the Sui
tan's dignity and independent status
as Caliph Of Islam opened her eyes to
the impolicy Of the Sevres clauses deal
ing with Constantinople.
Great Britain, although strongly
committed for many reasons to the
de-ottomanization of Constantinople.
also took alarm at similar discontent
IN India. Gandhi, the Hindu ureacher
of "non-vioient non CO operation. .
Joined hands with the powerful Ma
hometan Caliphat Congress-. LLOYD
George may have thought that he had
locked tho Turk out Of Europe. But
Gandht and the Ali brothers stoie the
key. India was SO united in demanding
a fulfllment of the Lloyd George
pledges Of 1918 that this Indian rov-
ernment and the Secretary Of State for
India began to urge restoration of full
Turkish sovereignty over CONSTANT
nople-what the Caliphate agitation
particularly aimed at-as a matter Of
imperial expediency.
The storm broke with the Cabinet
row last spring between Mr.. Montaeu
and Lord Curzon. Mr.. Montagu was
forced to resign because he published
the Indian governments strong remon-
strances against the Prime Minister'S
Keep the Turk out of Europe policy.
But shortly afterward Lord Curzon
went to Paris and signed there on
March 26, 1922, second projected re-
vision of the Sevres treaty, which
yielded to the Indian demands and re-
stored the Sultan to unquestioned SOW
ereignty over the seat Of the Caliphate.
Why had Lloyd George held on SO
long for solution SO entagonistic to
Turkey and so unpalatable to the mil
lions of Moslem British subjects? Why
had he kept on playing Greece to win
in Asia Minor and to isolate Turkish
power there? Was he actuated chiefly
by animosity to the Turk based on
religious prejudice and on the formers
record as prosecutor Of the Near
Eastern Christian races?
It is hard to say. Lloyd Georges
policy dug far below the surface. His
chagrin at Greek defeat was immense,
even though at Paris last March he
allowed Lord Curzon to discount openly
the political consequences Of that
defeat.
In an article in "L'Europe Nouvellen
OF September 16 last, M. Charles vellay
INDUCED in some interesting reflections
on Lloyd Georges purposes. He said:
1There is another thing. When on
the eve Of the negotiations Of last
March Lloyd George asked the British
Admiralty to present its views the lat
ter. after insisting on the necessity Of
holding fast to Constantinople and the
Straits, suggested the construction Of 8
double line of defense, intended to
close the Dardanelles from the south.
The first Of tl6Dse lines was that which
had been examined and discussed in
the Balkan negotiations Of 1918. 1t
was the line Of Tenedos, Imbros, Lem
nos and Samothrace. But what was
new In the British Admiralty's report
was the idea of q second line Of de-
fenss beyond those islands, the two
n. 4 Y ~ x