The Powers and Turkey.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 October 1911, Page 4

The Powers and Turkey.

AXGI.O-GMiniAN ('O-OPKRA-TION ADVOCATED.

Amid the present troubles in the north-west oi Africa a little plainspeaking about tho .situation in South-eastern Europe is almost forced on one who values truth and fairness (writes Sir William Ivauis.iv, tho well-known authority on Turkish affairs, in the -Manchester Guardian). I. ,i,'ivo for yeans advocated the formation of an agreement l>otwene Germany and England in Turkey. 1 have seen no real difficulty in the way oi making .such an agreement so far .a.; those two Powers are concerned. i believe, and lam assured by cxvelicnt authoritk.s. tint Germany has long been ready and willing to make an agrccine'nt on terms that are perfectly fair in the situation ami amid the'real facts of the ca.se.

i''"rench policy is ruled by givat (inany rcapitioachmont. in any quarter between Germany and F.ngland, and Frfcnch policy is ruled by groat financial interests to a de-rn-e tar surpassing anything that exists in England or Germany, although such interests are powerful enough, and h-jn powerful, there.

At the present time French policy in Turkey is dominated by one <rreat linni'cial which after crushin-j; out a rival French financial Lcnuip. is bent on e!immating as much ,-is pov>:il»lo foroitiii competition, and its chief livals arc British and Ameri-

Cmu. it i.s worth nntino; in this ('oniieL'tinn ti'at the German railwavs in Turkey air mainly built Avirh Krench money. Tlu\ "rr.up rulosJ'Vench policy through the terror of an Anglo-Ge-rman .agreement, and thus it controls the situation to the constant danger of international peace. Rueb unscrupulous finmicial powers prefer to fish in troubled waters: they foresee the future better than the outside world can. and they make thoir arrangements to suit the impending storm' from whatever f|uarter it may eonie. _ England is determined in'its nation by the firm resolve to maintain the entente. France is determined in its course by the dread of any agreement between England and Germany on any subject whatsoever. The financial group pulls the strings relying on the"strength of these two powerful feelings, .and in Turkey the whole business is thus manipulated. Meanwhile Germany for a time made the mistake of courting too much the friendship of the present regime, and is likely to suffer when the chango occurs, though since January it Iras become apparent to everyone who thinks a.bout'tho liiiiWo-Gorinaii agreement that Germany recognises the ephemeral character'of tho present regime, and is preparing for the future. "We have made the mistake of being to patiently hostile to the present regime, and while this has procured for 'us some strong friends in tho future, yet T do not believe that these friends will be strong'enough to rule the .storm when ifc breaks.

Tho probability is that Turkey will go to piVre.s, and that Germany, Austria, and Kussia, will pick n'p many, of the fragments. Our concern is to keep the coast of the Persian Gulf safe and our people would ' pot stand any further intrusion into Turkey, for they havo'boon sick of Turkey and all things Turkish since the Bulgarian atrocities. Sueli is a. foresast of the Turkish* situnti'on, which' events may (and 1 hope will) r-omphtoly falsify. it k the i merit and use- of political phrophccies that they may help to .stultify their authors and falsify themselves.

To apply this to Agadir .and Morocco. Aro wo not miming mmc risk of being loci by hidden financiers who are pulling tli'p strings? Ts Micro anyone who believes that* if French influence wovo, dominant in Morocco there would be any fair opening loft For the spread of German trade? Ts there not something to be- said in defence of the German resolve to have some guarantee, of a fair opening for themselves in the future? These are que-stmns whirl) ought to be put. and considered, find answered in T'jnglantl. T find not a word al)oub them in any of the lnr:so talk in which everyone in Parliament indulges.