, 1923-01-07
BRITAIN BEATS
TURKISH PLANS
By Refusing Demands on Mo-
sui Oil Fields, Arabs
Are Favored.
BY J. W. T. MASON
MrItten for the unlted Pressl

w AANACA " NAo 49, -
BY refusing to consider Turkeys
cemand for the return of the Mosul
oil cid Great Britain has sided with
the Arabs against the Turks and is
crushing the Turkish Nationalist
financially. without the Mosul prob
erty as a future source of revenue,
the KemHlists must continue in o
etary difficulties and Turkeys future
financial Independence VIII be impos-
sible.
The Mosul area Is IN northeastern
Mesopot mia and contains what are
probably the richest virgin petroleum
fields nos. known. The Turks arc
trying TO a-ove hat Mosul is not a
part Of Nc apotamia, but belongs 70.
Turkey proper. No such claim. how
ever. would be admitted under inter:
national Iaw. Mosul racially n geo
graphically belongs to Mesopotamla.
The Turks have fifty thousand troops
within marching distance of Mosul
and they are credited with having
planned to send the soldiers into the
oil fields following the final failure Of
diplomatic negotiations to win back
the petroleum wells.
Ready to Fight.
But. such n move would be fatal TO
Turkish nationalist pretensions. Great
Brita'n's new conservative govern.
ment wants to be friendly with the
ottomans. but not at the $ OF giving
up Mosul. Rather than that. Great
Britain will fight Turkey. If war
comes. the British feet will capture
constantinople. as the first move in
the conflict. This can be done with
out serious difficulty. since British
troops continue to occupy the north.
ern shore OF the DardaneIles.
Once the union jack flies over the
levantine capital. It may never come
down and C-onstantinople will then be
the Gibraltar Of the east, giving Great
Britain absolute control of the Medi.
te-ranean. Such an would
elevate the British Empire to unprece,
dented power in Europe.
The French, government is gravelv
disturbed lest the Turkish crisis de.
veiop into just such n victory for
Great Britain. The French who sup
ported the Turks against the Greeks
and brought about. the postwar resen.
eraion OF Turkey. are now being
forced to take the other side.
If France were to encourage Tur-
key to resist Great Britain over the
Mosul issue. Mustaphn Kemal Pasha
woul undoubtedly believe he could
count on French help in n war against
Great Britain. and would challenge
the Brit 'sh TO fight.
France Can Not Help.
But. France could not give Turkey
any aid against n western power for
the world would be against her.
Franco knows this. and France
knows Great Britain IS resolved 10
fight rather than abandon NIosul.
The French government. therefore.
has been forced TO side with the Brit.
ish against the Turks, thus over
throwing Frances recent pro-Turk'sh
policy. es the most probable way OF
compelling the Turks to back down.
II the Turks permanently acquiesce
IN British control Of Mosul, France
will be relieved of the fear Of Con
Btantinop'e becoming n British GibraI.
tar. But. at the same time, the
Turks will realize that France has
been unable to take further sides with
Mustapha Kemal Pasha. French in
fluence will thereby decline md Bril-.
fish authority, which has recently
fallen so low IN the Near East. will
be restored.
If the Turks prefer war L retiring
from Mosul. they will have the whole
strength of the British Empire against
them. and they will be defeated. In
that event. too. there will be a British
recovery in the Levant. Turkey thus
has been checkmated. and the Lau.
Same conference la not given Mus
fa2ha Kemal the success he antiol.
pated. through dissensions Of the al.
LES.