Evening star., 1925-09-23
TURKS AND BRITISH
ON BRINK Of WAR
Hostile Act May Cause HostiI-
tiles Along Upper Tigris
at Any Time.
BY PAUL SCOTT NIOWRER.
By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily New

BY Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News,
GENEVA, September 23.-The is
sue Of peace or war between Turkey
and Great Britain in the mountains
and valleys of the upper Tigris now
hang in the balance.
The Turks have massed 10000 men
along the provisional frontier north
of Mosul and are massacring and
driving out pro oBritish, Assyro-Chai-
dean Christians in this region after
the only recent sanguinary Turkish re-
volt. The British are strengthening
their feeble Mesopotamian contin-
gents, are arming Assyro- -Chaldean
Christians on their side of the from
tier and are trying to organize the
Kurds.
Grave Trouble Possible.
Under these circumstances, grave
frontier incidents are always possible
and these may lead to incalculable
consequences.
The Lausanne treaty left final set
tiement of the Mosul dispute to arbi-
tratlon by the league council. In
the debate just concluded here, the
Turks contended that arbitration APP
plies not to the whole Mosul region
but only to the frontier, that In any
case the councils decision must be
unanimous and that, whatever the
decision. the grand assembly of An
CORA has the right to reject it if it
pleaseS.
The British agree to accept the
leagues arbitral award. but add that
unless Turkey reiterates similar ac-
ceptance they will resume their own
liberty of action. The league council,
faced by grave dilemma, has sought
to gain time and enlightment by re-
ferring to the International Court
the questions whether, under the
Lausanne treatey the councils arbi-
tration is final and whether the coun-
ctl's vote in the matter must be
unanimous.
The Turks say they will pay no
attention TO the courts verdicts and
Will not surrender what they consider
as their rights. Three months will
doubtless elapse before the court S
decision will enable the league coun-
Gil to resume :ts arbitral duties. With
In this period. 1t is generally con-
ceded. anything may happen.
Motiv~ of British.
The British motives are:
l. Strateeical. The Mosu1 region
forms a natural bastion protecting
MeSopotamta and the route to India
from Turkish invasion. Without
Mosul the problem Of defending Mes
opotamia becomes extremely diff
cult.
2. Irrigation. Water reservoirs
necessary for irrigation of Mesopota-
mian plains lie in the Mosul noun
tains- If the Turks controlled the
reservoirs they could prevent irriga-
ton.
8. Oil. The main Anglo Persian
pipe line can only be defended from
flank attack landward by holding
Mesopotamia. which in turn depends
on holding Mosul.
4. Colonial prestige. This perhaps
Is the most important motive of ALL
The British have occupied the dis
puted region ever since the war. Their
prestige was weakened by the Turkish
victory over the Greeks. If they were
now obliged for any reason to with
draw from MosuI this would be inter-
preted throughout the Mohammedan
Asiatic world as new sign of weak
ness and would encourage rebellious
elements in various parts of the Brit
ish Empire.
Motives of Turkey.
The Turkish motives are:
l. Strategical. The Turks consider
Mosul bastian against a possible
British or Arab invasion.
z. OIL. Possession Of the Mosul oil
fields would insure considerable sums
of cash to the Turkish government.
8. Political. There are a million
and a half, more or less, rebellious
Kurds in Turkey and half a million in
the &oaul region. The Turks fear the
Bri'ise may organize a Kurdish ma
tionaIat movement directed against
Turkey.
I. National prestige. With the
Turks also thI is perhaps the most
important motive.
The general and growing revolt of
Mohammedans and Asiatics against
European rule also favors Turkey.
India, Egypt and Palestine, though
momentarilS- quiet, are restless China
is In a ferment. France has grave
wars on her hands. both in Morocco
and Syria. Mahabi nomads from the
desert are invading the pro-British
Arab kingdom of Hedjaz. They have
taken Mecca and now threaten Me-
dina.
Soviet Russia is doing everything in
It's power to support and extend all
these revolts. Finally, in Great Brit
ain itself there is pacifist war
WEAKNESS which makes it almost i'm
possible for the British government to
conduct a vigorous colonial campaign
at the present time. To Asiatics this
lassitude signifies the slipping of Great
Brita!n'S hold and gives the greatest
possible encouragement.
Copyright 1895, by Chicago Daily News.)
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