The New York herald., 1922-09-30
The War Cloud Over the Straits.

lnC 6IdNltf VI thC oituatAoh III shc
Near East increases as the Turks
press closer upon Constantinople and
the British positions on the Darda-
nelles. KEMAL has not receded from
his demands but has grown more in
sistent upon their fukillment as he
sees a possibility of the Greek occu-
patton of Thrace with change Of
government at Athens and the return
to Greece of the defeated but still de-
fiant Greek army. His demands are
the terms of conqueror, the occupa-
tion of all controvertcd territory, be-
fore he will even consider peace. BY
accepting them Great Britain would
let the Turk back in Europe, reseat
him at Constantinople, give into his
keeping the keys Of the straits and
Place again in his hands the lives
of millions of Christians and non
Moslem peoples. These are severe
terms for the mighty British Empire
to accept, for its responsibility as
lone guardian Of the straits is re-
sponsibility to Western civilization
as well as to itself.
The chief elements in the military
situation in the Near East are the
utter disregard by KEMAL of the neu-
trail zone along the Dardanelles and
the concentration Of his troops at
Ismid, one of the strategic points in
the Asiatic defense of Constantine
pie. FERID Bey, the Nationalist rep
resentative at Paris, attempts to JUS
tify KEMAL's course in this regard
by declaring that there is no neutral
zone and that the Turks are merely
advancing into their own territory.
KEMAI, however, has not officially de-
clared himself upon this policy, but
has acted upon it by practically sur
rounding the British position at Cha
max except on the water side. But
whether or not this movement COW
ers ruse to advance his artillery
under the screen OF his cavalry is not
yet clear.
From the description of the de-
fenses az Chanak by Sir FREDERICK
B. MAURICE, who has inspected the
British preparations around Constan-
tinople, it would seem that the Brit
ish forces there are in a better po-
sition than was at first supposed.
He says that Chanak is protected by
barbed wire and trenches and that
ut is easy to support the defensesy by
gunfire from the fleet and by the
heavy artillery which has been
brought from Malta and landed on
the EUROPEAN side of the straits"
From this it is evident that the Brit
ish fleet already in Turkish waters
is to be reinforced from the Malta
station. The barrier which will thus
be raised against any attempt OF
KEMAL to cross the Dardanelles into
Thrace--the plan which he undoubt-
edly has in mind-explains the rest
lessness of his troops and their con-
centration at this point.
KEMAL's way for the control OF
Constantinople, so far as the Turks
are concerned, is somewhat cleared
by the abdication of MoHAMMED vi.
He incurred the enmity OF KEMAL
by accepting the Sevres treaty
and remaining at Constantinople
when that city came under the con-
troll of the Allied Commission. The
Angora Government at one time set
ur a Sheik ul Islam, or religious
head, OF its own, who replied to the
naledictions launched against An
cora by declaring that the Sultan
should be deposed and proposing a
holy war against his Government.
This was considered high radical
ism in Islam. But 1t had prece-
dents in the cases Of two preced-
ing Sultans. ABDUL HAMID was de-
posed by the revolutionaries Of 1908
and banished to Saloniki. His sue
oessor, MoHAMMED w., became a
mere figurehead under the regime OF
ENvER Pasha. KEMAL's controversy
with the Sultan was forgotten as he
advanced in power, and the opposi-
tion to him shown by conservative
Moslems has entirely disappeared.
There is no doubt of the nature
of KEMAL's reception by the Mo-
hammedans of Constantinople. The
danger lies in uprisings in his
favor in the city should he at
tempt to cross from Asia Minor
and also in repetition of the Turk
ish excesses at Smyrna should the
Nationalists occupy Constantinople.
Should he succeed In crossing into
Thrace he would no doubt attempt
an advance upon the capital by way
CT Chatalja, where he would have
more assistance from the Moslem
population Of Constantinople and at
the same time be further removed
from the fire Of the warships.
There remain besides these two
chief factors In this tense situation
the Balkan States and Russia. The
danger of involving these and spread
ing the war further afield In Europe
must be faced. Bulgaria and Jugo-