CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1922, Page 3

CABLE NEWS.

THE NEAR EAST.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.SS. CARLE ASSOCIATION

STRUGGLE AT ANGORA. CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept 22. There is an intense political struggle at Angora between moderates supported by opposition wishing to avoid war, and the extremists supported by Army leaders, some of whose heads, having been turned by sucesses, are ready to risk a conflict. The Soviet’s envoy, Araloff, naturally supports the war party. The French Government, through 'its representatives, is doing its utmost to persuade thw Nationalists to adopt a. moderate policy, but it appears Belle, the French Envoy returned from Smyrna this morning and found them in an uncompromising mood.

MOVE FOR LEAGUE. LONDON. Sept 21. Sir ■), C’ook informed the Australian Press Association thnt the whole Empire delegation at Geneva, including Britain and India, were now joy hi lv co-operating as one unit in jointly ui-.rin«> oil Mr Lloyd Goorgo, a request lof intervention by the League of Nations;

INDIA NOT INVITED. DELHI, Sept. 21 It is understood no invitation to send a contingent to the Near East was received bv India. It'is considered it will accentuate the had feeling already existing; if troops are sent: JAPAN’S INTENTIONS. TOKIO, Sept. 21 Regarding the suggestion that Japan withdraw her forces from 8a lmlien, n prominent Foreign Office official declared there was not the least possibility of the withdrawal of a single bayonet, until Japan gained her point regarding Russian acknowledgment of guilt of the Nikolaievsk massacre, and a satisfactory indemnity being offered. ANGORA’S AIMS. CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 21. Hamid Bey, tlie Angora representative, interviewed, declared nothing would alter the Angora decision to occupy Thrace. The Angora Assembly by an overwhelming majority, had authorised Ivemal to continue the war' until the'achievement of the national aims. j URGENT HELP WANTED. I CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept 21 British, French, and Italian Consuls at Mitylene officially report two hundred thousand Christians are still lying on the shores of Smyrna, awaiting help, and insisting that urgent action is necessary, otherwise nobody will survive.

AT THE STRAITS. 'CONSTANTINOPLE. Sept 21. Tile flags of the French and Italian detachments 'were to-day removed from the Ismid and the Dardanelles neutral zones, on orders from their respective Governments. The neutral zone lines are now held exclusively by the British troops, sup ported by tlie combined British Atlantic and Mediterranean fleets, The Kenuilists’ vanguard is report ed to have reached the neutral zone of the Dardanelles. The next few hours, therefore, will show whether the Turks contemplate action.

It is hoped, however, that friendly outside counsels will deter Kemiil Par ha from committing an actual broach. Advices received at Adana, from Smyrna, state that the Kc'inalist .Ministers have arrived there, It is also reported, hut it is not confirmed thnt Smyrna, will lien ■■- forth be the Turk Nationalist’s nend- . quarters. Authoritative quarters in Adana express the view that the Turks will not J attack the Allied troops in the neutral ; zona, which Turkey does not intend at present to re-nccupy. I

TURK CROSSING FORBIDDEN. LONDON. Sept 21

The “Daily Express’s” Constantinople correspondent states:—Hio Turks have demanded the right to cross the Straits in pursuit of the Greeks.

General Harrington (Allied head at Constantinople) has replied that, an Anglo-Turkisli war would be inevitabl in consequence of such action. He appealed to Kenial Pasha’s emissary not to take any irremediable action, pending a conference/. FOCH’S OPINION FOR 810 ARMY. PARTS, Sept ‘2l.

Marshal Foeh has handed Premier Poincare a- statement that (.'hanak could not be held in the face, of a real enemy attack, without a force of one hundred thousand soldiers, and also a fleet to back them up. M. Poincare has handed Marshal Focb.’s opinion to Lord Curzon, who has forwarded it to Mr Lloyd George. PARIS NEGOTIATIONS. LONDON, Sept 21.

A semi-official account of the P 1 feedings at the Foreign Ministers' Conference in Paris yesterday says:— l ord Curzon expressed great astern ishment at the fact that, while the British had decided to rein force their troops at Chanak, France and. 1 tnl had resolved to withdraw their con tingents from the south side of the Sea of Marmora -Lord Curzon considered his decision hardly conformed to the agreement of 1015 and 1018. which ( had provided tor a- partial intei-Al-lied ociipation of Turkish territory. I M .Poincare regarded these agreements as at present inapplicable, as no conflict was feared when the aUn cation of troops was provided for. He added that the French opinion would not permit French troops to act with the Greek. He argued that, if t han nk wer held, the whole southern shore, of the Sea of. Marmora ought to be equally Iwcupiod. M Point-arc further pointed out that the military objection of the Allies fighting w'ltn their hacks to the sea, and the undesirable uffet it would have upon the Islamic, world if Britain adopted nr. uncoinpromisiig or bellicose attitude. Simior Aforza (Italy), agreeing with M Poincare, said that he believed eho kemalists would entertain peace dismissions on an acceptable basis. It is pointed out that Russia is not invited, as she was not directly interested. The Soviet-Angora treaty, it i> abated, specifically excludes the Russians from any decisions affecting th sovereignty of Turkey and the euritv of Constantinople. The semi-official statement also declares that the problem cannot he referred to the League of Nations, as urged bv Dr Nansen and by the Lomfeion representatives, as it ,s a governmental matter Virr , vt , LLOYD GEORGE’S MEMS. LONDON, Sept. 22. Mr Lloyd George told a Labour Deputation that he expects a peaceful solution of the An official communique states: A deputation from the General Council of SK Trades Unions met Mr TAffd George, Mr Horne, and Sir L. Woithington Evans. Mr Lloyd George said ho believed that a settlement would he geepret}.

PALESTINE FOR JEWS. WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 President Harding has signed a point Congressional resolution, stating that tht> United States favours the establishment of Palestine as the national home of the Jewish people, it being understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of the Christians and of all other non-Jewisli communities in Palestine, and that the Holy Places, religious buildings, and sites shall be adequately protected.

FRENCH CRUISERS SENT. LONDON, September 21

Tee “Daily Express's” Paris correspondent reports that, after a conference between Lord Beatty and Admiral Grasset, the French Admiralty ordered several cruisers to proceed and forthwith to reinforce the Straits.

ALLIED WARNING. CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 21. The Allied Coinmntider-iii-Chief here has issued a proclamation, declaring that the Dardanelles will be held by the Allies, and that the responsibility for any violation would fall on the authors of it.

GENERAL’S VIEWS. NEW YORK, Sept. 22

General George Hurries, who was the commanding officer at the Port of Brest during the war, in the course of a speech at Atlantic City, called the armistice “the second big blunder .of the war,” the first being Germany’s declaration of war. “We could have in five days more, captured the Gorman Army and had a military victory. We went as far as the politicians allowed us. and the armistice is responsible for the massacre of .Smyrna.”

DIPLOMATIC OPINION. (Received this day at 8 n.m.) LONDON, September 22. Opinion in diplomatic circles of England and France is that the Near Eastern situation continues ns satisfactory as possible. Until England, and France are anxious for peace, and arc agreed upon the main points of policy. but while the French desires diplomacy without a display of military force, the British Government believes that diplomacy unsu-ipoi ted by evidence of military and naval power will lie v liioloss. Neither considers the- need for military action has yet arisen.

The Commaiider-in-Gliief of the A!

lies in Constantinople continues to receive reinforcements. British activities also include the difficult problem of safeguarding housing and lectling the re-

fugees. | French opinion is disappointed at the j announcement that Britain will not evacuat" Chanak and some surprise is expressed -*t v. s I'nderstded 111 it am was open to argument, on this matter but Lord Curz-n’s instructions arc apparently definite. Messages from Constantinople indicate that Paris hopes and fonts do not deter the Allies in in making a satisfed "vy disposition t o 1 defence of theii agreed attitude. Entrenched British troops are defending Chanak the entrance to the Bosphorous whence Frenen and Italians have withdrawn recently, in order to strengthen the Gallipoli garrison, and British destroyers are I\ing off Constantinople. Tlie General commanding declares tbe British line can hold any attack Kemal could make.. The use of the railway is the mid-peninsula for a direct drive to the capital, therefore British infantry and an Air Force supported by the ; .\ilicd fleet are holding a strong line on the peninsula. Allied troops are i with ours here, which has a better moral effect thnu the new disposition at the Dardanelles.

fu Constantinople itself, risings and distui bailees were suppressed hv machine guns which no undisciplined Turkish mob can withstand for long. Reinforcements have already arrived mul more infantry, cavalry, tanks, aircraft, submarines and cruisers from the Atlantic fleet are enroute.

Refugee Russians declare their conviction that Kernel is plotting with the Russians for military support. Local Turks addressed the Sultan and Sheik ul Islam, demanding the annulment of the capital sentence passed on Kcmal two and a half years ago. which is declared necessary to preserve the prestige of Sheik f I Islamnte m Moslem world.

A highly placed Paris political personage states the I reneh ( abinet aic reaily to respond to the. British Cabinet's appeal, and will do their utmost to influence Kemal Pasha to satisfy the British, hut the only hope of sueli a success is to assure the Angora Government that its claims will he largely satisli'd. Military circles declare the British Cabinet is aware that if the Turks wish to seize the Dardanelles, the twelve to fifteen thousand British at Chanak could not prevent them, nor prevent the Turks moving against Rjgloi. ft is also declared that the British -fleet would not dare remain in the Straits or Black Sea for fear el lieii": bottled up. The Turks possess mobile artillery, which could cans' much trouble to the British Hoot.

A GREEK VIEW. (Received this dnv at 8 a.m.) ATHENS. Sept. 21. Political leaders stress the fact that if the Powers induce Venezelos to abandon opposition to the National Government and forbid his wealthy supporters further to undermine Greek stahilitv, lie could immediately resume his place in the cadre ol I lunation. Had Britain thus persuaded Vciiizelos months ago, the debacle of I hi- last 11,!-<■<■ weeks would never liiivv happened.

TURKISH GENERAL'S VIEWS, (Received this day at 8 a.inA

LONDON, Sept 22

“Turkey’s victory is complete and ! Constantinople will again he Turkish. ■ Neither Europe nor England will venture to conflict with Kemal Pasha, wlio has behind him the entire Moslem world,” declared Liman von Sanders to the ‘.‘Daily Telegraph” corrcs|wiiIdent. “I cannot see why England makes such a fuss about the straits. Hon Lloyd George said Gallipoli was sacred ground, because it contains more than twenty thousand British craves; it also holds sixty thousand graves of Turks who fell in delenee of their own country. I cannot nuclei.stand why England resists the Jjust claim of T urkey to I brace. Purely Turkish territory must he returned to Turkey, because it is impossible for Moslem World, to he on the frontier of a, defenceless state. England must vield to Kemal on this point.”

LONDON, Sept 22

The “Daily Express” says the .secrecy of the Labourites interview with Hon Lloyd George does not signify that the Near Eastern situation is so grave that he fears to excite the public by removing thp veil.

KEMALTST THREATS. (Received this (lav at 8 n.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept 22. Ivemnlists threaten to advance unless satisfactory gnnfran'tees aboutThrace are received within forty-eigfit. hours.

LABOURITES ATTITUDE. Received this tlav at 8 a.m.) LONDON, ‘Sept 22.

After the Labourites bad considered Mr Lloyd George’s reply they returned to Downing Street and informed him that they had passed no resolution, meaning that they refused to take the responsibility of opposing the British policy.

FRENCH INSPIRED STATEMENT. (Received this day at 8.20 n.m.) PARTS, September 21.

An inspired statement says the British resolve to keep troops on the Asiatic zone lias unfavourably impressed Franco-Italian circles, which understand that Angora will refrain at least for some days from" an imprudent move. The French Government has reason to believe Angora will not participate in a peace conference unless formally assured of a recognition of the claim to Maritza frontier, and restoration of Adrianopie. The communique concludes with the suggestion of an Allied Conference oil this basis. FOOD FOR SMYRNA (R-eeived this day at 8.20 n.m.‘> WASHINGTON, September 21. Congress has appropriated forty thousand sterling for Smyrna. Mr Hoover announced fifteen hundred carloads of food destined for Russia, would he tlivnv+nfl fit