New-York tribune., 1922-09-23

officials to arrange for possible troop
movements. 1t is understood that the
British liner Empress of India has
been taken over by the government to
convey the Grenadier Guards to the
Near East. The War Office announces
that q large number OF former officers
were volunteering for service. The
Colonial Office to-day received dis
patch from the Governor General of
New Zealand saying that although no
call for volunteers had been made,
more than 10000 former officers and
men had rendered their services
The question of peace or war in the
Near East seems to turn tonight, first,
upon whether the question of the fu-
ture status of Thrace can be kept sep
arate and distinct from the question of
the neutrality and freedom of the Dar-
danelles, and, second, whether the guns
will begin to speak before the negotia-
tions between the Allied representa-
sives in Paris have ended.
While there is not the slightest
diminutton in the announced deter
mination Of the British government TO
uphold the neutrality of the Straits Of
the DardGneAes, very significant
semi official statement issued this eve
ming seems to indicate some modifica-
ton Of the British policy and it's atti-
tude toward Greece in Thrace, which it
may be assumed is the outcome of the
Paris negotiations, in which Lord Cur
zon, the British Foreign Secretary, par
ticipated,
This statement declared Great Brit
ain was seeking nothing for herself,
but that she would insist on neutraii-
cation Of the Dardanelles and free pas
sage Of the waterway under the
League Of Nations or some other in
ternatlonal organization. All other
questions were secondary.
One of the strongest charges made
against Premier Lloyd Georges Near
Eastern policy, especially by the
Labor party, has been it's pro- Greek
character. The Labor party announced
that 1t was unwilling to engage the
nation in war for the fulfillment OF
Greek ambitions. 1t has been CON-
mented on as strange that after the
Premier's conference with the Labor
leaders OH Wednesday no report OF
the speeches made we're published by
either side to the conference.
4hls silence, especially on the part OF
the Laborites, was considered in some
quarters to indicate that some explana-
tion or concession TO the viewpoint of
labor was made by the Premier. A
possible explanation of the silence ia
thought by some tonight to be found
IN the authoritative statement made
public during the evening, clearly in
timating that tho question of Thrace
may be regarded as secondary matter
ana susceptible of arrangement by
negotiations
Premier Lloyd George remained at
constant telephone communication xyith
his Office in Downing Street and with
members Of the Cabinet, who were hold
ing themselves in readiness for action
IN case the news from Paris or the Near
| East made necessary a conference to.
night. W"
Many fears were expressed locally
to-day that Great Britain was driftine
into a new war which would iniure +he
| middle classes Of the population. whose
income taxes lately had dropped from
SIX shllllngs in the pound to five shill-
ihgs, and which another war probably
would raise again. Labor leaders
pointed out that with one of the black
est winters IN many years facing the
country 1t was no time to unsettle husi-
ness, especially when the Registered
unemployment figures already agcrc-
gated l.250,0o0.
The I'd Battalion OF the Grenadier
GUARDS vii! embark on board the British
steamship Empress of India at GLASGOW
tomorrow for the Near East, The
steamship will call at Belfast for othar
military units.
The 3D. battalion of the Coldstream
Guards will leave Aldershot Tuesdav