Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-26
IN THE NEAR EAST.

1T WAS touch and go the other
L day at the Dardanelles. The
Turkish cavalry advanced into the
neutral zone that guards the mar
row seas on their road to Thrace,
and the British troops notified
Renal Pasha that unless immedi-
ately withdrawn they would fire on
them. The Turkish general with
drew his troops under a white flag,
and no gun was fired. 1t was a
narrow escape, for once guns be-
| gan firing in that region OF the
world there is no telling when they
may stop or how far the conflagra-
ton they would light might reach.
While Great Britain has in some
measure saved her face through ne
gotiations with France and Italy IN
the last four days, as a matter OF
fact she has practically yielded to
the demand of the Turks and of
! France and Italy. The position OF
Great Britain was that the freedom
under international control OF the
narrow seas between the Black sea
and the Mediterranean must be as
sured. and that the Turks must not
set foot in the neutral zones which
] guard the straits. Under such re-
strictions Great Britain agreed to
enter into a conference with the
other allies and the Turks to re-
wise the treaty of Sevres, and to
/ discuss the demands of the Turks
! for the return of Thrace and Adri-
anople now, held by the Greeks, and
also of Constantinople, now held
by the allied troops. Great Brit
ain refused to give any pledges
prior to the conference as to her
action there. France and Italy
were willing to grant the Turkish
demands. The Turkish demands
were backed by an ultimatum which
expired last Friday, at which time
the Turkish cavalry invaded the
neutral zone, only to retreat under
a white flag by order of the Turk
ish general after an interview with
the British commander. The Turks
insisted on their right to cross the
neutral zone on their way to
Tbrace with the victorious Turk
ish army, and declared that ii they
were opposed they would fight the
British forces. They also demand
ed that they receive assurances that
they would be given Thrace and
Constantinople as a condition prec-
edent to their entering a peace on
ference. 1t is said thai this assur
ance has also been given them by
Great Britain, France and Italy,
and that for this reason Renal Pa
sha was willing to call back his
troops after they had invaded the
neutral zone last Friday. The
Turks have also demanded that
Russia and all the Black sea pow,
ers participate in the peace confer
ence. That will be a bitter pill tot
the French to swallow. No deci'
sion on this point has yet beer
made by the allies.
AS a matter of fact, all the allied
powers are war weary, and indis'
posed to fight even a weak power
like Turkey. They are also afraid
of a Mohammedan revolt in Asia
and Africa where most of then
have valuable colonies or posses
sions. The Turk has taken full ad.
vantage of the situation and as.
sumed the role of dictator, with the
allies, and particularly Great Brit.
ain, trying hard to avert war, anc
save their face.
1t is now apparent that Turkey
after being expelled from Europe
by the unanimous voice of the vic.
torious allies in the late war is now
going back into Europe with all its
pre-war territory in Europe re
stored to it. Even Adrianople
which Turkey gave to Bulgaria as