SITUATION EXPLAINED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2483, 21 September 1922, Page 4

SITUATION EXPLAINED.

REVOLT OF THE KEMALISTS. The present situation in Turkey is the culmination of a revolt by a section of the Turkish nation, led by Mustapha Kemal Pasha, against the dismemberment of Turkey by the Treaty of Sevres in August, 1920. By this treaty, Turkey in Europe was reduced to Constantinople (which was oooupied by a military mission in the meantime), and small adjacent territory. The Dardanelles zone was placed under the Interallied Commission with wide powers to control the Sea of Marmora and the Bosporus, and to maintain freedom of navigation in peace and war. Greece gained the Dodecanese Islands, except Rhodes, which, with one other island, went to Italy. Turkish Thraco, including Adrianople, went to Greece. In Asia, mandates over Mesopotamia and Palestine were given to Britain, the independence of the Kingdom of Hedjaz was recognised by Turkey, and France obtained a mandate over Syria. Smyrna was nominally Turkish, but the Greeks exercise right of sovereignty. The independence of Armenia was recognised by Turkey, but. it was in that territory that the Turkish Nationalists, led by Kernal, established themselves. KEMAL’S ANTI-TREATY POLICY. Kemal had been opposed to Enver Pasha and the alliance with Germany. lie had been a leading spirit in the Committee of Union and Progress, striving to save Turkey from the ellects of Abdul Hamid’s polioy which lost the friendship of England. He proved his ability as a soldier in the World War, and, indeed, is said to have boon responsible for checking the British advance on Gallipoli at Anafarta; but his political enmity with Enver Pasha prevented, his reaching a position of influence. He saw what would be the effects of Turkish policy, and he endeavoured to restrict his nation’s activity to defence. His position in Turkey was strengthened when in May, 1919, the Greeks occupied Smyrna. Kemal tore up the armistice and commenced to organise to resist Ihe Greek occupation of the hinterland of Smyrna. He broke definitely with Datnad Ferid Pasha, who. n.s Grand Vizier of Turkey, accepted the Sevres Treaty. THE NATIONALISTS AT ANGORA. Meanwhile the Nationalists had ceased to attempt to exercise their influence at Constantinople, and had convened a mov Parliament at Angora, under the title of the Grand National Assembly. Its policy was to execute what was known as the National Parliament, formulated at Angora in January, 1920. This pact gave up the Arab lands of the old Turkish Empire, but insisted on the Turkish right to Turkish territory, on the necessity of a secure Constantinople as the capital of Turkey and the seat of the balipnate. and on the necessity of Allied recognition' of Turkey’s abrogation of the Capitulations. The Greek push gradually died after the troops took Brusa and reached the main Anatolian railway. Kemal’s forces were intact, and his organisation was growing in strength. . France also had been having trouble, with the Turkish Nationalists. The French endeavoured to conciliate the Nationalists, but failed, and finally France agreed, in March, 1921. to concede Cilicia to the Turkish Nationalists. This agreement caused a considerable outcry at the time .as it was agreed that France had departed from the Tripartite agreement in negotiating without the knowledge of Italy and Britain. The position of the Kemalsts was greatly strengthened, for by allowing France to make herself secure in Syria, they had obtained recognition of their right to speak for Turkey. Another Greek offensive began in July, 1921, to enforce the decision of the Allies upon the Turkish and Greek claims. At first the advance was faultless, and Angora was almost captured; but in September they suffered a reverse in the region of the Zakaria river, and were compelled to retreat before the Turks. The campaign ended in a deadlock. The Allies, in March, 1922, held the Near East conference in Paris, and proposed an armistice. Greece was prepared to accept this, but the Kemalitcs demanded the evacuation of Smyrna, and also sought to include provision for the return of Thrace and Adrianople. They also protested most strongly against Greece being permitted to hold Gallipoli and control the Straits. In the end the armistice proposal proved abortive. Fighting was renewed towards the end of August, when Kemal defeated the Greeks at Kara-Hissar railhead, and divided the Greek forces. Kemal followed up this success with great rnuidily. and the Greeks retreated in disorder. Their resistance ended with the evacuation of Smyrna last week. Though on the surface the Kemahst resistance has aimed at the restoration of Turkish nationality, the position is complicated by the Pan-Islainic ideals of its leaders, which have been more than hinted at following the success against the Greeks.