Evening star., 1922-03-26
RUSS MENACE LOOMS BACK
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES CE
Should Allies Fail i'm Present Effort Az.
gressive Action of Slavs and Turks
Must Be Expected.

and thereby places them 'aiongslde
their old ally. Bulgaria: Premier
over peasant government. has done
much to restore order and alleviate
suspicion of Bulgaria in the minds
of other Balkan countries, but there
still prevails the notion that the
peasant premier will not last longer
than that period necessary to gain
the best possible terms from 'he al
lies With the return of the old
order in Bulgaria. with large sec
tion of the peonle' pro-Turk, anti
would abound. Particularly will this
be true should it be definitely es-
tablished that the Angora govern
ment. soviet dominated. is trying to
dictate Bulgarian policies along lines
of aggression.
Bulgaria has not yet won the con-
fidence of other Balkan peoples and
will have far to go before the doubts
and suspicious created by virtue OF
her conduct in the war are elimt-
mated. There have been attempts at
unity between Bulgaria and the
part of the Serbs and. in fact. on the
part of the greater portion of the
Bulgarian people has precluded sue
cess so far.
The allies. even with an armistice be-
tween the Greeks and Turks, are con-
fronted with serious problems in set
Ting those religious and territorial is
sues close to the heart of the Turks The
fear of a general Mohammedan up
,eaval as the result of the increasing
world has spread to other countries. and
recent advices indicate that this fear
is not without warrant.
BOLsHEvIKs ARE STRIVING
TO UNITE OPPOSITION.
Recently there have been disclosed
very definite attempts on the part
of the soviet regime in Moscow to CO.
ordinate all opposition in Asia against
European policies. 1t is believed that
the firm policy of Nlustapha kemal in
Angora has been largely due to the fact
that he mas been subject to dictation on
the part Of the soviet regime in Mos
COW. 1t is not to be expected that Lenin
and Trotsky could forego opportunities
to advance their cause in Asia, particu-
larry as they have it within their power
to make Asiatic peoples a wedge in
their drive against the spread of Eu-
ropean influences.
European statesmen are not lulled
into any false ideas as to the truth OF
the repeated statements of Lenin and
Trotsky that Russia has no aggressive
intentions Tney do credit this as
half truth. The red leaders may not
be aggressive If they can gain what
they want through negotiation and gain
restoration of trade and diplomatic rec
ognition.
But should European countries. at
Genoa or elsewhere. impose conditions
upon the soviet which are not to their
liking. then Trotsky yet will find pre-
text for unleashing ais Slavic hordes.
He has threatened to do this during
fl,n he ryr,1n Cio'0 q
mands and Russia's interests are ad-
vanced through international political
and economic dealing. He threatens to
reach out and take what statesmen of
Europe may deny. AS a result Of this.
closely co-ordinated policies as between
Angora and Russia naturally would
prove extremely embarrassing to Eu-
ropean powers in their desire to settle
the whole eastern question. if, indeed,
they did not prove highly dangerous.
BEST BARGAIN MAY SWAY
MUSTAPHA KEMAL.
: If peace can be brought to the near
east and the allies can meet the Turks
more than half way in settlements in
accord with Mustapha' Kemals ideas of
restoration of Turkish nationalism, and
the allies in turn can pledge to Turkey
L
of Asia Minor now held by European
peoples under the guise Of mandates.
there yet may be some hope of saving
the situation. But the allies realize
nothing can come of any negotiations
that are not predicated first of all upon
withdrawal of Grecian armies from
Smyrna and Anatolia.
If Mustapha Kemal believes he can
gain more from European powers than
1, nf Ceio
may try to swap horses In the middle
Of the stream. but if there is any at
tempt seriously to curtail Turkish aspi-
rations the threat Of Trotsky and Kemal
may yet become living thing and the
whole scheme of restoration in the near
east become bubble.
Desirable as peace between the
Greeks and Turks may be, essential as
restoration OF the old order in Turkey
may be, allied statesmen have many
hurdle to leap before any armistice
between the Moslems and the Greeks
can eventuate in things desired.