The New York herald., 1922-12-30
The British Gesture.

Oriental bargaining has reached
its inevitable crisis at Lausanne and
the British have informed the Turks
that they will not even discuss the
surrender of Mosul IsMEr Pasha,
who generally has shown himself
amenable to reason, has taken stub
born attitude under instructions from
Angora. British warships are re-
turning to Constantinople and the
Old World is again back to the crisis
which led to LLOYD GEORGES fall and
to a realization that the policy OF
firmness he then advocated In deal
ing with the Turk is right, even
though his alarmist and aggressive
statement of it was the biggest tao
tical mistake for his own political
fortunes he ever made.
Britain has had much experience
in dealing with the Oriental mind
and has probably rightly come to the
conclusion that there is more per-
suasive' eloquence in the mute men
ace of the guns of his Majesty's ship
Iron Duke off Constantinople than
in all the rotund, minatory phrases
of his Majesty's principal Secretary
oof State for Foreign Affairs at Lau-
same. Forensic discussion to be
effective must be forceful, and in
negotiating with the Turk strength
and the ability to use it have ever
been the clinching argument
British military forces in Con-
stantinople would require naval back
ing in the event of breakdown at
Lausanne leading to any outburst Of
fanaticism, but the presence of Brit
ish fighting ships in strength will
also serve to remind Angora that in
the long run Turkeys future in Eu-
rope is dependent upon British sea
power. In reflective moments even
Angora must realize how impossible
il would be for the i'll equipped and
exhausted Nationalist forces to seek
to satisfy any ambitions which are
not approved by western Europe.
The Turks are so elated at having
defeated the Greeks that. according to
reports from Lausanne, they are con-
templating almost with cheerfulness
the prospect of unchaining war again
not only In Asia Minor but also
throughout the Balkans. Despite all
the jingoism Of Angora and the prop
aganda of the Turkish spokesmen at
Lausanne we must await acts before
believing that such an attitude Is
seriously meant.
1t would be mistake to suppose
that the break at Lausanne, il break
there be, will be due to the oil Of
Mosul or to the possession OF the
district. Mosul is withoutsdoubt rich
in oil bearing lands. but it is also
fertile as is no other region in the
district; it is. in fact, the granary
for the whole OF the vast country of
Mesopotamia, which Great Britain
administers under mandate from the
League Of Nations. It's inhabitants
are overwhelmingly non-Turkish and
have a British pledge that they shall
not be placed under Turkish rule
again. Mosuli is therefore undeniably
important, but to make the question
of war dependent upon Its possession
would be the height Of folly.
Mosul is rather the last straw that
may break the Lausanne camePs
back. The Turkish delegates, with
the threat OF the scaffold to welcome
them back to Angora, have failed to
come to final agreement upon any
point. Even the settlement OF the
status of the straits is dependent
upon agreement on protection for
minorities, capitulations and debts.
On all these points the Turks remain
intractable. They would seem to
adopt the attitude of a nation that
is debating terms of peace to the
defeated Allies instead Of obtaining
a revision of the treaty Of Sevres.
The prestige of the Western Powers
has suffered too much already for
them to be able to afford further
appearance of scuttle.