NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15870, 9 April 1917, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE PARTITION OF ISLAM. "We do not hear much of what .a going ou in Turkey in those days. The only news is bad news, from Turkey s point of view, and that kind of news rarely gets past the German censor. We occasionally receive cabled reports from Athens or elsewhere, usually based on the stories of refugees, telling of tho tragic plight of Constantinople, but littlo direct information readies Allied countries. A writer in "The Forum," who has been in Syria sinco the outbreak of the war. and claims to bo constantly in touch with refugees, has an interesting story to tell. "Tho peoples throughout all Turkey are starving," says this writer; "in Syria alone 80,000 have died from starvation within tho year. Men and "women may be seen out on the hills trying, like animals, to exist on the grasses arid shrubs. Belgium and ,P°~ land are lands of plenty in comparison with Syria. And Syria is only ono of tho parts of Turkey; the same conditions are everywhere. Revolution is smouldering and needs only a puff to bring it into flame; when tho flamo bursts forth it will be all consuming— and bloody beyond record. _ The situation throughout tho Turkish Empire, tho control of tho Young Turks, tho refusal of the Sheik to declaro a Holy War. tho revolt of tho Arabs, and tho various other factors which enter into tho situation aro involved and complicated by racial and religious antagonism. Politics in Turkey fairly whirr. Now what would happen in a case of German victory? The Turks and tho Germans have tho militaristic viewpoint in common, and doubtless an association with Germany will give tho .Turks some efficiency. They are now using two means to try to keep the Turkish Empire togethor. The first is tho callows, which has devoured many of tho Arab leaders; tho second is Enver Pasha himself, who is just as fatal as the gallows and whose eventual method of persuasion is a threat of death, followed by death. I understand Enver Pasha Las personally shot nearly one hundred men, who from timo to time opposed him in policy. Take the other side —an Allied victory. Undoubtedly Turkey will be partitioned among the Powers. The Russians havo occupied Armenia, and they will never go out. The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles will bo denationalised. The Mesopotamian Valley will fall to the English-, while Syria and Palestine will be occupied by 'the French. This division will be satisfactory to the peoples of this country, tho majority of whom are anti-Turkish and many or whom are pro-Ally. For instance, Franco is the favourite Eufopoan Power of the Syrian, and among the better classes French is the language of general conversation. If Turkey should bo victorious, her life would be short and troublous. But if she should lose, she would soon be only a name in history. Win or lose, tho shadow of Islam has been removed from Egypt and India. Onco more Germany has failed to understand a nation. GERMAN PRISONERS' RATIONS. There is so fax- no indication of tho direction which Britain's reprisals for the sinking of tho hospital ship Asturias will take. If tho treatment of German prisoners has anything to do with it there appears to bo ample scope for some modification of 'the present scale of living provided. The London "Daily Telegraph" recently published an interesting table comparing the suggested dieting,of tho British public with the scalo for Germans who aro prisoners of wa r in the United Kingdom. The proposals of Lord Devonport, Food Controller for a week's rationing, compared with the allowance to prisoners is as follows-— German British Prisoners in Public. England. Bread ... ... 41b lO^lb Meat 2Jlb 3Jlb Sugar ... ••• 120v5 14oz These quantities for prisoners are given in the official reports on visits of inspection to internment camps made on behalf of the United States, and it must be remembered that, in addition to the Government rations, extra food is provided from tho prisoners' canteen fund at some camps, and from the proceeds of tho sale of bones, etc., from the kitchens. At ono camp "these funds," states tho report, "purchased 2001b of potatoes daily, 661b flour, 1621b oatmeal, " 3301b macaroni, 3361b rice, 561b currants, and 561b onions." Presumably all tho quantities, except potatoes, are for a month. "The kitchens wore found very neat and clean, and the food was examined and found excellent." adds the report. The "Telegraph" adds the brief but suggestive comment: "No information wag to be obtained in official quarters as to whether the menu suggested to the British public had been recommended to German prisoners."