Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-06
NO HEROES IN SIGHT

7 THE Near East is an unhealthy region for
l. the cultivation ot theories of govern
mrnt or II philosophy Of history.
The Treaty of SrvrcS was unmistakably Il
craay quilt. Its maps were incredible.
some of the territories were defined no less
fancifully than the boulcvards of Il boom
suburb. AMI yet in spite Of these cx-
travnganccS. faint indications of an effort to
apply certain principles li'iN that of self
determination and of protection of racial and
religious minoritcs were diSrernibc in the
attempted settlement.
1t was suggested. moreover. that the
centuries odd contest for con>tantinopc
might he settled ut last by american admin
iStrntion of the ancient scat uf s"m re and
that the United States should also accept
the mandate for Armenia
These projects. proposed at time when
american rcvusion against participation in
foreign affairs ut its height, proved
purely abortivc. No sooner was it demon
>tratcd that We would not intcrf"rS\ in the
dcstnies of Turkey. country with which
We had not even been nt war. than the
scramble for suzorainty. economic control or
combination of the two over various Sec-
tions of the diSinembcrcd empire began.
1t is easy TO a>p"rsc the cyn!c;Sm and
S"lfshness directing the policies Of tho Pow
"rS Of Western Europ" in this struggle.
Britain asserted herself conspirUously Mt
conStantinoplc. although technically she
was partner with France and Italy in
the international administration of the city.
France. although under League of. Nations
mandate. grnpplcl with the prirky prob
lem of repression and military rule in
Syria. Italy was comfortably established
at Rhodes. England had n second helping
in what amounted to Il protrrtoratc under
League sanction in Palest inc. and Greece
was rcviving the old mp,rialst dream.
originating in Byzantine memories. Of ac-
quiring the western projection of Asia. in
Guiding regions overwhelmingly Turkish in
population.
As Il whole, tho exhibit was not in>pir-
ing. Respect for the much discussed prin-
"ip!e Qt self DIFFERENTIATION was imp"rcppti-
Bile. Among other causes 10 which the en-
plosion in the Lrvant has been ascrihsl is
Il breakdown of mora! standards in the
governmental policies of the so-callcd
Christian nations of Europe.
notwithstanding his uns;.vory reputation
Is an administrator tn" Turk has been
praised for his candOr and for his rcSolu-
tion to unite Ottoman peoples under a single
government.
This at least looks something like self.
determination.
But once again theory i at embarrassing
variance with facts. III" Turk j. now
eager to possess lands prcdominantly Greek.
1t is clear that what virtually amounts
to his dictati"n to the Allies. intimidatrd by
the war menace. will result in the return
Of Thrncc to the Ottoman Power. \ dis
tnctiv"y Turkish city, Adrianoplc, will in
deed b" recovered. but at the same time
many communities in which the IIrllcncs
ar" in the numerical asr"ndancy will be
turned over to their ancient opprc>>or.
There are, in fact, no heroes in the
I.cvantinc drama. The shades of moral
"bliQuity vary in intensity, but there are no
actors on this confused. tVmultuou4 stage
who's" motives cannot be to some extent i'm.
pUgned.
History records few instances of any
OtE"r brand Of national conduct in these
vastly important and cn>unguinpd terri
tories. One civilization after another has
been SupcrimpoSed on the ruins of its pr,ar-
r"sSor. The outcome IS hop""Ssly bewildnr.
ing.
Persian rcrsecutcd Greek in Asia Minor
and vice versa. Rom" SUhj"ctrd her" I,cu-
pies of alien race. Constantine i'm
planted Roman civilization upon Ilnllrnir
N Byznntium and even changed its name ~
pcrpctuatn his own memory.
The unparalleled sweep Of TSlnm in tl.
seventh and eighth centuries cxt!ngui>l~l
lI"llenistic culture in Western Asia
S"liukan Turk successfully challrngod
Arab supremacy and was in turn huublr,,
by the Osmanl Turks from Central Asia,
who commanded n vast empire from Com
stantnople in 1853. Til" Crusaders con.
rribut"d to the cthnic medley and incl
dontally, en- route 10 tho Holy Scpulchrc.
seized ConstNntinopc in 1204,
In the midst OF all III" wcltcr of races
religious, cultural or barbnrous standards,
habits Of living and national ambitions. il
IS impossible to contend that the urospnr-
tive settlement among the Allies. Greece
and Turkey is either good or bnd II Is
probably another temporary accommoIo-
ton in tn" land whore cxpedirnry fouri>Los.
The profrr"n"" Of the United States To- re-.
main officially outside this international
whirlpool IS grounded in the most rudi-
mcntary common sense.