San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-15

mat the disturbances were c
of the Jebel Druz-that ever
there the instruction had nc
deeper purpose than to pro
test against the indiscretions
OF a subordinate French Off
Ger quartcred in that area.
1t was thought that the removal
OF the peccant soldier and the substi
tuition of wiser commandant would
remove the cause of the trouble and
calm down the Infatuated Druz.
i: is now realized that the mischief
i more decp-scatcd and more wide
spread. Bandits from the Lebanon
Lave crossed and rc-cr0sscd the ALBANIA
and Phnrpa rivers of Damascus. They
Lave entered the very gates of tn,
ancient city, although it was the seat
CT the French "Haut Commissariat'
and the headquarters of its army.
BANDITS THRONG CITY
They were so formidable in mum
bars and in equipment and leadership
that General Sarrail did not venture
10 attempt an operation of clearing
the streets with the bayopct without
a preliminary bombardmeht, in tn,
course Of which the palace he once
occupied was irretricvably damaged.
Now the Syrian correspondent OF
lie Temps" in dispatch from Bel
rut. wires:
"T'hc general situation in Syria
and in fhc Lebanon is grave. Individ-
uals with whom | have been able t.
discuss matters are less perturbcd
about the number of seats of rebel.
lion which are being revealed almost
everywhere, and which actually are
clearing an increased tendency to ex.
tend northward than by the fact that
all these manifestations, all these Mt.
tempts, seem to be the consequence OF
a thought-out plan, methodically car
ried into effect"
DEEP PLAN FEARED.
Certain officers who are very vel
acquainted with Syria. having tray
eled all over it in every direction
and having been in personal contact
with nil its chiefs have assured m,
that We are no longer faced witt
movements which are spontaneous oil
due only to the initiative of local ant
ambitious chiefs. In their opinion, tn,
Incidents Of Damascus. of the anti
Lebonon and OF the Jebel Sheikh mt
Iiermonl appear to have been organ
lied BY some outside influence which
has impclled all these elements of diff
terent races and delieions to unite fol
the same end at the same moment.
When one thinks it over. one can
not indeed fail to 'recognize TINT tn,
rebels have during the past tw,
months. maneuveyed in a rema rkabl,
way to isolate completely the. region
OF Damascus.
The French commissariat have sus
ccedcd in welding all the mixed and
conflicting races and religions tina;
dwell in Syria into one national move
ment for the expulsion Of the French
A bombnrded Damascus is still in
French hands and over towns with
French garrisons the tri-color stii
waves. but the rest Of Syria is in re-
volt.
NATIVE TROOPS UNRELIABLE
The native Syrian levies hav,
proved themselves unreliable, and
they arrive. Syria is lost. When ;heJ
do arrive. Syria has to be reconquered
from the great desert 10, the sea. That
ian be accomplished by Fren,h arms
but what thcn?. How ha- this safe
Of things been bought about?
The French we're supposed to be
popular in the Lebanon. They were
It's traditional guardians AMI protect
prs against the expressions and exac
,ions Of the Turk. Now mountain
plain, valley AMI desert are all III con-
Lpiracy to drive them ou;. What is
responsible. or vho is responsible, fol
this change!
The process Of ascertaining the
truth is complicated by tie elusive
and provocative peas )nality OF Gen
etnl Sarrail.
As "A British war minister, l had
indirectly q great deal to do with Gen
rral Sarrail in the days when be com
handed the allied forces Mt Salonica.
Although | made as close a study al
the man and his record as opportunity
would offer, | have never been
able TO make M my mind whether he
is n genius or charlatan, or n dan
gerous combination of both. All
know is that he is a man Of undoubted
personal charm.
DID WELL IN 1914.
But this is not conclusive as TO his
being n good general. He was hated
by French Catholics in and out Of the
army because of his aggressive free
thinking and republican views. Bat
TINT does not necessarily mean thai
he is n bad general. That hostility
however, recommends him to French
radicals, who have sound historical
reasons for being suspicious of gen
erals holding conservative and reac
tionary views. France is not the only
wooDMEN OF THE WORLD.
Sam Houston Camp No