The Washington herald., 1922-09-22
BY FRANK H. SIMONDS.


While the Western world has its
attention concentrated upon the
smoking ruins OF Smyrna and
ghastly revelations of Turkish
methods, the political situation is
beginning to develop in a strik-
ingly disturbing fashion.
The Turk has vindicated his title
to Asia Minor. he has demonstrated
a strength which insures him oc-
cupancy IL not absolute mastery in
Constantinople. he Is expressing
claims to Adrianople and Eastern
Thrace which will not impossibly
have to be satisfied. But his real
achievement has been in firing the
enthusiasm and the fanaticism OF
Islam.
We have. thus. a speeifc and
definite problem to consider and
known solution. The warships of
France, Italy and Great Britain
can retain the Turkish army in
Asia. II they act together. Such
Greek troops as remain, with the
support Of allied troops can repres.
Osmanli uprisings in Constan-
tinople and in Thraoe. But what
will be the consequences in India,
in Egypt. in Mesopotamla and
Syria. in Tripoli. Algeria. Tunis
and even remoter Morocco?
Three Nations Menaced.
Kemal Pasha said the other day
that If the British undertook to
keep the Turks out of Constan-
tinople. the answer would be an
attack upon Mesopotamia. Syria is
equally invitingly open. II France
follows the British lead. As for
Italy. she has already had bitter
experience in dealing with the wild
Senussi in the hinterland of her
Tripolitan colony. Now the ques-
tion is whether either Italy or
France Is sufficiently interested in
the Straits question to risk rebel
lion and worse in colonies in Asia
and in Africa.
As far as the British are con-
cerned. they made their decision
many months ago: in fact when
Turkey entered the war on the
German side. To hold back Russia,
and maintain British supremacy at
the Golden Horn, British states
manship blocked the legitimate
peoples and more than once turned
Christian populations back to the
Turkish butcher, because the
shadow of Russia in the Near East
seemed a threat against the En-
pire. But when the Turks went
over to the German, the British
quit. they definitely abandoned the
Turk and. when Russia had col
lapsed, made the Greek the success
sor of the Turk as the British SOL
dier in the Near East.
AIienates French.
For the moment this play turned
over a strong army to the British
and insured their domination en-
the Near East. But it Immediately
alienated the French. who have a
blood debt incurred by Constantine
to settle, and have not the
smallest desire to see the British
supreme in the Near East. 1t also
enraged the Italians, who see in
greater Greece the end of all their
own hopes. But even more disas-
trous was the ultimate resentment
British policy reused among the
many millions of Mohammedans
within the Empire.
Now, despite British support of
the Greeks. the Turks have won
the game has turned out just as
did the Russian, where British
policy and allied policy generally
backed Denikine, Yudenitch and
wrangel. Kemal has repeated the
success of Lenin. But whereas in
the Russian case it was the British
who desired to recognize the facts
and the French who remained un-
reconciled, now it is the French
who want to recognize Kemal and
the British who remain determined
to check Turkish refrigeration.
Action Almost impossible.
The average American will look
at the situation in amazement and
demand that action be taken at
once to end the terrible tragedy
now taking place. But the brutal
fact is that action Is almost i'm
possible. the situation has again
escaped the statesmen who, when
they could have controlled 1t, were
unable to act together. The idea
that either France or Italy will in
vite Turkish reprisals in Syria or
Tripoli, in order to keep Adrianople
for Constantine or to preserve
British supremacy in Constantine