The Washington herald., 1922-11-10
May Bring United States
Directly Into Crisis
s, Of Near East.
FEARS INCREASE
AS CABLE is CUT
Allies Speed Peace Con-
ference - November
2 20 Probable Date.

LONDON. Nov. e.---America may
yet become directly involved in the
Near East crisis.
The Kemalist Turks are demand
ing the return of Mosul, rich sec
tion of the Mesopotamian oil fields,
In which American capital Is inter-
ested. This territory embraces the
concession of the TurkishPetroleum
Company, in which the United
States demanded a share in the in
terest of American oil enterprises
4 Negotiations relative to American
participation in the company were
going forward with Great Britain
and France and were nearing a con-
elusion when the Turks demanded
control Of the whole district-which
is now under the protection Of Great
Britain.
Meanwhile dispatches from Glib
raltar report that the u. 5. battle
,ship Pittsburgh has left there for
Constantinople to protect American
interests.
War once Apprehensive.
Apprehension increased about the
war office as hours went by without
word from Cons:antinople, the Ca
BILE having been cut by the Turks at
Chanak-
At least one British soldier has
been Killed by the Turks. Whether
there were more has not been
learned. 1t is presumed that Gen.
Harrington. British commissioner. is
making vigorous representations.
The war office has been unable
to learn whether martial law has
&en declared in Constantinople.
last reports were that IL was i'm
iminent
speed Peace Conference.
Allied spokesmen are now trying
to hurry up the Lausanne Near East
peace conference in the hope IL will
avert the war menace at the Dar-
danelles-
The aggressive disposition of the
Turkish Nationalists, and their con-
tinual usurpation of allied author
ity in the Near East. make 1t ad-
visable in the opinion of allied rep
resentatives, to hold the conference
at the earliest possible moment This
view also appear to prevail in the
Europeans capitals. though there has
previously been an inclination to-
ward delay in British circles.
The outlook was darker than ever
today. There is no communication
except by the inadequate land wire.
The Kemalists. according to the last
direct word from the allied COM
missioners at Constantinoplt. are
extending their authority and TAX
ing over civil administration of the
capital in defiance OF allied warn
ings-
Lloyd George Urges Firmness.
All representatives at Constan-
tinople have been instructed by
their governments to take such
energetic measures" as the situa-
tioD may necessitate. Meanwhile
brisk interchanges are going on be-
tween London. Paris and Rome. II
Is probable the Lausanne confer
ence will be held not later than
November 30. Lord Curzon, British
foreign minister. intends to be
there Premier Poincare. it is un-
derstood. will not attend.
Former Premier Lloyd George. in
rapid-fire campaign tour of Wales.
is assailing the easy-going policy
of Premier Bonar Law and making
a desperate effort to arouse the
country to the support of more en-
energetic action in dealing Ti:h the
Near East crisis.
Il hope Bonar Law will be firm"
lloyd George said at Bridge Ind
The world is saved by firmness. not
by flabbiness.
At Cardiff he declared: The
Unionists promised that European
confidence would be restored be-
cause Bonar Law had replaced an
excessively energetic man. What
has happened is that European en-
changes have collapsed. France,
(Which is supposed to have been de-
Nighted at our downfall. finds the
franc has fallen unprecedentedly.
Germany has completely collapsed"