Evening star., 1941-11-18
Spotlight on Turkey

Turkey is coming rapidly into the
limelight of world interest once more.
series of diplomatic and propa-
ganda maneuvers by the German
government makes this clear, though
precisely what Berlin has in mind
has not yet been disclosed. But the
evidence tends to show that the pro-
jected move is of prime Importance.
Last week Franz Won Papen, the
archintriguer who holds the key post
of Reich Ambassador at Ankara, the
Turkish capital, gave an exclusive
interview to the local correspondent
of leading Spanish newspaper. In
that interview, Won Papen predicted
that Germany would make a strong
bid for peace with Britain, with
Turkey as mediator, when the de
ciSive phase Of the campaign in
Russia had been concluded. He
went on to say that Germany con-
templates no aggression against Tur-
key, which Berlin regards as an
essential "baStion of peace in the
Near East
The curious part of this episode is
that, when other foreign correspond
ents got wind of the interview and
referred to it in their dispatches, the
Spanish Embassy in Ankara ex-
pressed concern at the leak" and
forbade the interviewer to cable
his story home for publication until
he received permission from the
Franco government at Madrid. That
is most unusual procedure, which
may mean one of several things, but
indicates some important motive.
The plot thickens further with
long dispatch from Berlin sent by
the leading resident staff writer Of
the Associated Press, Louis P. Loch-
ner, recognized as being an excep-
tionally able and Well-informed
commentator on German affairs.
The frankness of this dispatch, and
the degree of political speculation
pSl lili1eoSo anu PdooSu Wy lllC NCl lhdAl
censorship add to the significance
Of its contents.
Mr.. Lochner points out in detail
the elaborate propaganda "build-up'
of Turkey in Germany which has
been going on for some time. This
ranges all the way from press and
moving picture featuring of Turkish
news and events to special articles
by noted writer's and commentators
He notes especially a recent edi-
torial by Karl Megerle, known to be
the mouthpiece of the Berlin foreign
office, in which the fundamental
identity of Turkish and German in
terests are placed on 'geopolitical"
basis.
From all this, Mr. Lochner deduces
three possible explanations. 1t may
mean either that Turkey has already
decided to throw in her lot with Ger
many, or that the NaZis are trying
to induce Turkey to become benevo-
lently neutral, or that Berlin hopes
to counteract British and American
pressure on Turkey to veer away
from strict neutrality toward the
anti-Axis camp. That, indeed, is
boxing the compass of diplomatic
possibilities, and Mr.. Lochner pru-
IDENTIFY refrainS from indicating
which reason he considers most
probable.
However, he does give one bit of
information which, on the surface,
does not jibe with the emphasis on
close Turko-German relations, but
which, nevertheless, the German
censorship let through. This relates
to conversations he has had with SOL
diers on furlough, who have gen.
orally voiced the impression that
they would soon be sent to the Turk
ish border.
These puzzling dispatches from
Ankara, Berlin and other sources
emphasize once more the complex
ity of the present politico-s strategic
situation, and the intense diplomatic
activity that is going on under the
surface. Alongside the titanic Russo
German struggle, other moves are in
preparation which soon may give
rise to momentouS events.