The Washington herald., 1922-09-14

lished government in Angora and
prepared to resist the treaties.
The French, eager to avoid trou-
Bile with the Turks in Syria, made
a separate treaty with Kemal which
assured the Turkish leader Of
French support against the Greeks.
Meantime the British openly backed
the Greeks. Constantine was forced
to make a supreme effort to main
tain Greek possession in territories
acquired by Venizelos and a large
army was sent to Asia last year,
where, after a victorious advance
to the very gates of Angora, 1t was
forced to retreat.
British Policy Resented.
For Britain. however. the situa-
tion was complicated by the fact
that the vast Mohammedan popula-
tions of the empire sympathiZed
with the Turk and resented British
policy. Both in India and in Egypt
the Greek policy of the British
aroused resentment and provoked
trouble. Meantime. too. French
support of the Turks. which was
open. and Italian, which was a
little more concealed. enabled Ke-
NAL to equip his armies and pre-
pare for a new campaign.
Last March an effort was made at
Paris to arrange a truce. but the
Turks insisted that they must have
Adrianople as we'll as Thrace and the
Greeks were unwilling to evacuate
either. Finally a few weeks ago a
conference was arranged to meet IN
Y T.,
ern question. Hard on this came a
Greek threat to seize Constantipuple
and a proclamation Of Greek rule in
Smyrna.
Greek Army Loses Hope.
The present Turkish offensive is
the response to this Greek declara-
tion and the Turks obviously aim al
having possession of Smyrna when
the conference assemblies in Venice.
The collapse of the Greek army is due
in the first place TO the long strain. as
Greece has been at war practically
without interruption since 1912 and
her armies have been mobilized con-
stantly. Constantine was welcomed
home because ii was believed he would
bring peace but instead. he has con-
tinued the struggle. Now the army
has evidently abandoned hope and
also refused TO fight further.
At the moment the Greeks are con-
centrating their hopes upon the re-
tention of Adrianople. recognizing
that their Asiatic dreams have gone
glimmering. but there is small pros
pect that the victorious Turks will
consent to the permanent loss Of this
holy city. Meantime terrible massa-
cres are certain to follow the Turkish
advance and at least half a million
Greeks are at the mercy of Turkish
ferocity.
Turks VIII Get ConstantinopIe.
Only few days ago Lloyd George
made speech in Parliament strongly
championing the Greeks, but British
support of the defeated can hardly
be pushed much further. given the
attitude Of, the Mohammedau popula-
tions of the Empire. The whole affair.
therefore. promises to turn out a very
costly disaster for Britain and a Sc
we're diplomatic defeat for LLOYD
George. The Turks are coming back
to Constantinople and they are bound
to have little but bitterness for the
British allies of the Greek foe.
Thus two dreams. the Greek dream
of restoring the Byzantine Empire.
and the British aspiration to restore
British prestige at the Golden Horn BY
substituting the Greek for the Turk
have gone down together. France
and Italy will both rejoice at the
Turkish victory. the French because
1t Injuries. British prestige, the Italians
because it postpones. IL ii does not
permanently wreck. Greek prospects
in the Near East.
What remains now to be decided is
whether Venizelos viii be recalled to
save his country again and whether
his return will lead to a second exile
for Constantine, whose rule has cost
his country So much.
Copyright, Is2a.)