Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-07-15

fPFSbC DS UOH
install themselves on the shores of both
| straits.
The second bone of contention be-
tween Russia and Turkey-and, indi-
rectly, Britain-is the Moscow demand
for the return of the vitality important
strategic areas of Ardahan and Kars,
which are the key to the control of
Iraq and the vital Mosul oilfields. Ac-
cording to reports which have not yet
been officially confirmed, the Moscow
! foreign commisSariat has indicated that
! If the Turks agree to such a concession
| it will see that Turkey will be compen-
stated with the Syrian vilayet Of Aleppo.
In other words, Russia is offering its
| neighbor deal similar to that given
| Poland. In exchange for the loss of the
territories in Eastern Poland the War
saw government was given ample COM
| pensation from the Reich. The differ
| ence, of course. is that while Germany
| was defeated country at the mercy of
| her victor, Syria is still an independent
| republic, member of the United Nations
and signatory of the San Francisco
SiIdi LC1 oO ID IL 10 1ldIu w
conceive by what process such COM
pensation" could be arranged even if
the Turkish government were willing, in
order to avoid trouble, to accept such an
offer.
The League of Arab Nations is far
from being homogeneous group. But
it is determined to act together on two
aF
creation of Jewish national home in
Palestine and the territorial integrity of
the present independent Arab states.
Moscow Penetration Fails.
Moscow's penetration attempts have
| failed so far. The Arabs are too unde-
veloped economically and too individu-
| alistic to appreciate the advantages of
| the Russian political and economic
philosophy. Their leaders and particu-
! larly King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia
| feel that by maintaining a close rela-
tionship with the United States and
! Great Britain their seminomad subjects
| could have better chance of survival.
Should Britain attempt to indorse the
| transaction which the u S. S. R. is said
to be trying to close with Turkey and
| use its influence at Ankara to induce
! the Turks to accept, there is little doubt
| that Britain would ALLEVIATE the Arab
| world
! The Russian request that the Turkish
Bulgarian boundaries in Thrace be
established along the western bank of
| the Martha River is another headache
facing President Truman and Prime
Minister Churchill at the Potsdam Con-
| ference. In some diplomatic quarters it
is believed that this request-which is
intended to give Bulgarians an outlet to
the Aegean Seals closely connected
with the unexpected outbursts on the
Greek-Yugoslav border. With the ex-
ception. of Greece, the entire Balkan area
is under Russiais direct control, with
Marshal Tito as the spokesman for Mos
COW.
1t is Tito who was instrumental in the
creation of the new Macedonian republic
whose boundaries are still extremely
elastic. Theoretically, this new-repub-
lie, which has not yet taken a definite
shape, should extend as far as Salonika.
an Sea would require territorial conces-
sions not only from Turkey but from
Greece as well.
Big Three Hardly Can Act.
1t is noteworthy that the alleged
! Greek massacres and the wholesale de-
! struction of Macedonian territories have
been brought to the fore only within a
| few days after the Soviet government
asked frontier ratification on behalf of
Bulgaria
1t is hardly conceivable that these
must" matters will be settled by mere
agreement among the Big Three as was
the case at Teheren and Yalta, where
the fate of nations was decided by a
! give-and-take accord without any of
the smaller nations involved having
anything to say. For some reason or
| other the Turks feel that they can OPP
| pose the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of their coun-
try and avoid the imposition of Russia's
will. What is behind this belief is diff
ficult to say. 1t may be that they pre-
| fer a suicidal resistance in which they
| feel that some of their MoSlem neigh
bors might assist. 1t may be that they
! have been given to understand that
with the end Of the war in Europe the
! era of appeasement of the U. S. S. R is
| over.
| From what transpired before Presi-
dent Truman left Washington, it APP
pears that he is going to meet his COLI
leagues with an open mind and with a
| strong desire to avoid crisis. Mr. Tru-
man is confident, on the basis of Harry
Hopkins reports, that Russia really de-
sires a period of peace during which
she can proceed with the reconstruction
of her war-ravaged country. Such an
operation may have to be long delayed
unless the United States offers liberal
support in consumer goods and machine
tools on long term credits.
U. S. Has an Interest.
This seems to be the consensus Of
| many American observers who have re-
| turned recently from Russia. But there
| are others who believe that Premier Sta
| Inns first thought revolves around the
| expansion of his empire, as was the dream
| of his predecessors, Peter the Great and
Catherine the Great. Should this be
the case, the bait" of unlimited eco
nomic and financial assistance from
| America will have no effect and such
arguments by the American delegation
may fall on politely deaf ears.
The Balkans, the Near and Middle
T. - ..F-a~ e