The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1914. TURKEY THROWS OFF THE MASK.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2296, 2 November 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1914. TURKEY THROWS OFF THE MASK.

Turkey's- intervention in the war On behalf of Germany will not come as a great surprise to anyone who has carefully followed the progress of events since '■ the outbreak of the present struggle and the trend of Turkish diplomacy during the. last few years. As soon , as tne fighting commenced tho attitude of Turkey began to attract attention. The .Allies have , been watching her actions very closely, for her" pro-Ger-man sympathies have been too thinly disguised. Her vacillating policy and devious methods have engendered doubts and suspicions which frequent professions of neutrality have not been able to dissipate. The insincerity .and duplicity of Turkish diplomacy has become a by-word.' In-modern times Turkey has only been able to maintain her precarious existence as a' European State by sowing, seeds of jealousy and discord among other 'nations', 1 and she has eagerly watched for every opportunity of, profiting by the quarrels of her. neighbours. But in spite of her wiliness. she was almost wiped off -the map of Europe as the result; of the recent Balkan war. Sho no doubt hopes to regain someof her'lost territory by her intervention in the present conflict; .but it is 'far more 'probable that by yielding to German threats and promises she has practically put an end to her own existence as a European , nation. Some time ago the Allies made it known that her independence and integrity, would be maintained; if slie kept strictly neutral, but her pretended purchase of the .German oruisers Goeben and Breslau, which took refuge at Constantinople when chased ny British and' French warships,, was far from satisfactory, and the demand of the Allies-that the German officers and crews should be removed was nover fully complied with. A few weeks ago it-was stated that large.quantities of German war material, were arriving at Constantinople, and that German officers installing guns in the forts of the Dardanelles and. Bosphorus. Everything of late hasbeen pointing ta the fact that the Porte was about to throw, off the mask of neutrality and take her stand on the side of Germany and Austria. Turkey is the only quarter to which tlje hard-pressed Germans have so far been able to look for assistance with any chance of success; not that the Turk has any love for the Teuton. He cares nothing about international morality, of the rights and wrongs of tho present war. He has simply gone into the fray for what he can get. though probably he, too, woultl like to do something for "Culture," as was indicated in an American cartoon depicting the Sultan grinding a scimitar. .The Kaiser no doubt hopes that Turkey's action in throwing in her lot with Austria and Germany will cause trouble to Britain in Egypt, and possibly in India also. But the princes and peoples of India have already demonstrated their loyalty, in a most unmistakable manner, and preparations have been made to meet, possible .trouble in Egypt. The attempt which is being made to draw Afghanistan into , the fray is not at all likely to succeed. The Ameer knows that he can no longer play Russia off against Britain, and he must be well aware that he has little to gain and much to lose by giving active assistance to the German cause. Turkey's attack on Russia will, however, probably set the Balkans ablaze once more. Seryia and Montenegro are already fighting oh, the side of the Triple Entente,. and Greece is now almost certain to join them. The attitude which will be taken up by Bulgaria and Rumania in view of the latest developments is by no means, certain., The Bulgarians have not forgotten their recent humiliation at the hands of the Servians, and it was recently stated'that they had given indirect aid to Austria in- her campaign against Seryia. ..On the other hand, filtorts are being made to form a new Balkan Alliance, which would, of course, include Bulgaria,--to prevent Turkey from regaining her lost influence and territory. The intentions of Rumania have not_ yet been definitely disclosed.- It is known that the late King of Rumania was inclined to support Germany, but that the sympathies of bis people ■ were in favour of the Entente. A recont. cablegram announced that Ru-

mania's liberty of movement in the event of war had been assured by an agreement with Bulgaria, "but. this information is not sufficiently definite to throw much light on the new situation created by the decision of the Porte to give.active support to Germany., Italy will have to reconsider her position. She has already occupied Valdna with the object of safeguarding--the neutrality of Albania, and she cannot be an indifferent spectator .of developments that may strengthen tho hands of Austria. It seems a.s if tho irresistible logic of events will compel her to_ draw the sword in spite of the desire of her Government to remain- neutral. German intrigue, acting on Turkish cupidity,;has succeeded in extending the area of conflict, but any advantage which our enemies hope to gain by 'the embroilment of Turkey will probably bo more than counterbalanced by the action of other Balkan. States! Even the Cologne/Gazette admits that Greece and Rumania must be considered foes rather than friends of Germany, and an Italian paper recently stated that Rumania, Bulgaria, and Greece had agreed on common action should Turkey respond to the Kaiser's call for help. Important developments .in the Balkans may now bo expected at any moment,-for if any one thing is more certain than another in the situation that has arisen it is that Turkey will not be the only, new Power drawn into the struggle. The members of the Triple Entente have had aniple warning of the 'development which has now taken place, and their plans to meet it have no doubt been fully made.