THE NEAR EAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1922, Page 2

THE NEAR EAST.

REUTER’S TELEGRAMS. VIEW OF TURK’S DEMANDS. LONDON, Nov 8. Colonel Hughes regards the Turkish demands as a national move in internal tiv.ltics. He declares the first rains have come. The conscripted army of peasants having achieved their objectives are becoming impatient, and unless kept moving wflL dissolve, leaving Kemal powerless. If the Turks start a war they- realise they will create a’ most serious position. Eveiy uieelt ’refugee would volunteer, in addition to three army corps already on Maritime za, of an entirely different mettle those which fled in Smyrna.

A GRAVE SITUATION. LONDON, November 9. Disquiet is felt owing to the complete absence of any news from Constantinople since a 'message announcing that the Turks had reiterated their demands. Messages are now by indirect routes. They show the silence is due to the Turks.cutting the cable from Chan a k to Rokale. Martial law has not yet been proclaimed. Two British soldiers were murdered at Kissim Pasha. PARIS, November 9. France views the situation as most grave. An immediate meeting of the Lausanne Convention is regarded ns essential as the situation is steadily getting beyond control. The naval forces and Allied troops at Constantinople are computed at 30,000 British and 5,000 French.

PANIC AT CONSTANTINOPLE. CONSTANTINOPLE, November 8. The Bourse was panicked. The Turkish pound has fallen to one thousand per pound sterling. The British Embassy is crowded with anti-Kemalist Turks, pleading for passports to enable them to leave before they are taken to Jsmid for courtmartial.

FRENCH ORDER. PARIS, November 8. Twenty thousand French troops on the Gallipoli coast are ordered to stand fast. BRITISH POLITICIANS. LONDON, November 8. Mr J. H. Thomas, Labour M.P., speaking at Derby, said the Kemalist leaders would make a profound mistake if they attempted to take advantake of Britain’s occupation in the election. . Labour, lie said, stood definitely for peace. It stood for leaving the House of Commons to decide on the question of committing the country to war. Mr Asquith, at Paisley, said the issues involved in a very serious situation in the Near East; were far too grave to be subordinated to party distinction. It w-as the considered judgment of the Liberal Party that it was of the utmost importance that unity of purpose, of policy, of action, and of front should be maintained between the great Powers. We faced a dangerous and l difficult problem. Any want of tact or any blunder of judgment might ,precipitate a catastrophe. FRENCH ANXIETY. PARIS, November 8. . The French Press is . now almost unanimous that the Allies must use force if necessarv, to make the Turks respect them. There is a general demand for sending reinforcements. The French cruiser Waldeck-Rous-sea.u has gone to Constantinople. “Le Temps” says:—“We are confronted with the possibility of a war between the Turks and the Allies. The former are relying on the Soviets, which have now become the arbiter between Asia and Europe. ALLIED REPORT. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 8. Isinet Pasha, held a conference with the Allied High Commissioners, and then left for Angora, where lie will report to his Government on the crisis. The Bourse is closed. Tiukish exchange is depreciating hourly. Merchants are cancelling orders. The new Customs tariff has disorganised trade. The new G„veinmeut is in a deplorable state financially, and cannot pay the officials regularly. TURKS WILL OUST GREEKS. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 8. Nansen lias asked Angora to negotiate for an exchange of Turkish Na-. tionals with Greece, but Kemalists expect the negotiations will prove aliortive. This owing to Greek opposition to the evacuation of Constantinople by 400,000 Greeks, who collectively possess enormous wealth. If the Greeks go, other foreigners must follow, which would ruin the city’s commerce. c The Grand Vizier lias sent a final appeal, for a reconciliation between the Porte and Angora. The greatest tension prevails in the city. A clash) seems inevitable if the British force guarding the Galata bridge continue to prevent- Turks traversing Grandrue. Concealed machine-guns are posted -at the end of the bridge and in the houses overlooking it. The guard has been also strengthened by motor-cars armed with machine-guns.