Evening star., 1942-11-02
Turkish President
Raises Possibility Of
Nazi Attack Soon
Inonu's Warning Of Grove
Danger Is One Of Most
Pessimistic From Ankuru
BY FRANCIS w. CARPENTER.


A frank acknowledgment yester-
day by President Ismet Inonu Of
Turkey that his nation is in the
gravest danger OF attack raised the
very strong possibility that Adolf
Hitler might be on the verge Of
marching against the Turks.
Inonu's remark was one Of the
most pessimistic yet to emanate
from responsible quarter In
Ankara, where for the more than
three years of this war the Turks
have remained on speaking terms
with all belligerents.
Somewhat in the manner of the
lad who whistles to scare the
COLLINS away as he walks past a
cemetery at night, Inonu told the
first session of a special meeting
of the Turkish Parliament that
Turkey is closer to war today than
at any time since the present world
conflict started" but he said she
will maintain her policy of neu-
trality and will take every pre-
caution not to be drawn into some
intanglement against any country"
Warns of Possible Attack.
Parliament, he went on, must
consider the possibility that Turkey
might be attacked despite her neu-
trality.
From what quarter the attack
would come the President did not
say, but Turkey literally is "closer
to war" than ever. She is hemmed
in on all sides.
In the north are the Germans
and Russians; in the east are the
British and Russians In Iran; on
the south are the British in Iraq
and Syria.
To the question whether 1nonu
meant Germany, there is the an
swer that the Nazis have infinitely
more to gain than the Allies.
Turkey is a -pelligerent ally
of the British and a recipient of
lease-lend aid from the United
States. The British would gain little
by stirring up hornets nest with
a direct assault on that country,
particularly when reports in recent
months have indicated the Turks
are favoring an Allied victory.
So it would appear the main
threat would come from the Ger
mans.
Nazis Wooing Turkey.
Germany has been wooing the
Turks with some imports of goods
under trade agreement, but these
were only part of the Nazi effort
to soften up" the country.
One principal advantage to Ger
many of an assault on Turkey would
be to throw her troops in the Cau-
casus and in Bulgaria toward Egypt
in an attempt to relieve British
pressure on Marshal Erwin Rommel,
effect a junction with him, subdue
the Middle East and turn in force
toward India and a junction some
where in Asia with the Japanese.
If successful in conquering Tur-
key, which has announced resist
ance to the end against any at
tack, the Germans would dominate
the Dardanelles and add Turkish
raw materials, particularly chrome,
to their dwindling supplies.
But there are many bitches to
that grandiose project. The Rus
slams are resisting stubbornly and
with good effect in the Caucasus.
They show no signs, with winter
coming to their aid, of giving Hitler
access to Turkey by that route.
Further, the Turks have strongly
fortified the Dardanelles, which
they held against the best and
mightiest efforts of the Allies In
the World War.
President Inonu said he saw only
greater and crueller battles" In the
coming year. He could see no in
clination on the part of any of the
warning nations to quit.
Despite that dark outlook, he
said Turkey would remain loyal to
her alliances while strengthening
her national security.