Evening star., 1939-10-29

tUC DTOUUs
Consequently, he said. why offer such an
obstacle to Russia's suggestion about
guarding the Dardanelles when your
late President was willing at one time to
give the whole thing up? He reminded
the Turkish diplomat that without the
help of the Soviets in 1920 and 1921
there would have been no independent
Turkey at the present time, either in
Europe or in Asia. The whole country
would have been under the mandate Of
Italy, Britain and France.
Loan Is Treaty Lure.
Ankara was in the meantime in close
touch with London and Paris. The Turk
ish government was urged to resist the
Russian demands and was offered upon
the signature of definite pact with the
two western powers loan of $500 900 900,
divided into two installments, for the
purchase of arms and ammunition, and
also the unequivocal naval support of
the British and French fleets in the
Mediterranean in the event of Russian
aggression.
Saracoglu was ordered back to An
kara and the pact with Britain and
France was signed before he reached the
capital of the Turkish Republic.
All reports from Ankara and Istanbul
indicate that the Turks realize fully the
chances they are taking by signing Q
treaty with the powers involved in war
with Germany. They also realize that
whatever efforts the allies may make to
keep Russia out of the present conflict
would be difficult if the present warfare
settles into long war. But having to
choose between surrendering European
Turkey with Istanbul or fighting for it,
they preferred the latter solution.
At the present time the situation in
Eastern and Southern Europe is still a
diplomatic and not military one. The
Turks have confidence that gold still has
talking power and that the Bulgars. who
hold at the present time the key to the
Balkan problems, VIII be drawn into the
orbit of the allies. If King Boris decides
to side with Russia the position will be-
come difficult. If the Bulgarian ruler
decides to go with the allies there is but
a small chance that Russia will endeavor
to invade Turkey.
Asian Front Favorable.
The military position of the Turks is
favorable in Asia. There is a common
border between them and the Soviet Re-
publics. 1t extends from the Black Sea
to the Iranian border In the last war
the Czarist armies entered Asiatic Tur-
key from Georgia and Armenia, but
could not advance far. Eastern Turkey,
on the Russian border. is mostly waste
land sparsely populated, and the Taurus
Mountains, together with Lake Van,
form a natural barrier which protects
Central Turkey and Ankara from the
Russians. The Turkish Army is one of
the best in Asia. 1t numbers some 15OO,-
900 men including reserves, and is we'll
trained by German instructors. Its
equipment is new and, while not ade-
quate for the second line units. it allows
Turkey to put up stiff resistance.
In the meantime Turkey expects to
be able to purchase in the United States
tanks, airplanes and heavy artillery
which she needs to complete her military
equipment. Half of the $500 900
promised by Great Britain may be spent
in this country on war materials The
Russian fleet is not likely to perform any
important operations against Istanbul
The Russian navy is superior to that of
the Turks but the Franch and the
British, as long as Italy remains neutral
can spare all the necessary forces to
operate against Russia should that coun-
try try to crack down on the Turks.
In Europe, Turkey is safe as long as
the Bulgars remain neutral or enter into
a neutral bloc under the aegis of the
allies. But should Bulgaria decide to
join the aXis-because of her designs on
Rumania-the situation of the Turks
would become dangerous. Russian
armies could join the Bulgars by going
through Rumania and march together
on Constantinople. The Turkish forces
in Europe don't exceed six divisions
10000 mem and the Tchatalja fortifca-
tions are antiquated and could not re-
slst for three days the fire of modern
artillery. And once the Russians were
settled in Constantinople, the combined
British-French naval forces could not
them.
Sofia Is Diplomatic Center.
1t is for this reason that at the present
time Sofia has become the center of Eu-
ropean diplomacy. The Russians and
the Germans are working hard on King
victor Emanuels son-in-law Boris. They
are trying to persuade the Bulgarian
ruler that the old dream of the Bulgars.
an outlet to the Aegean Sea and the re-
covery Of the Dobruja, can be fulfilled
without trouble if he will decide to Join
the powers of the axis in their war
against the Western European states.
On the other hand, French and British
diplomats are reminding King Boris that
his father King Ferdinand almost lost
the whole country by backing the wrong
horse in 1915. That had it not been for
the kindly feelings of the British people.
Bulgaria would have been partitioned at
the end of the World War. 1t is up to
nim not to repeat his fathers mistake.
Ihey cannot hold out to him any terri
torlal expansion of Bulgaria in the event
'ne remains neutral or even if she joins
the allies. But they can offer her Sc
,urlty and substantial amount of
money to put Bulgaria's national econ.
omy on more solid basis.
The Turks are now joining the efforts
u the British and the French diplomats