THE BROTHERHOOD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 308, 7 June 1915, Page 2

THE BROTHERHOOD.

WAR WITH TURKEY. j There was a large attendance at the usual weekly meeting of the New Plymouth Brotherhood at the Good Templar Flail yesterday afternoon. Mr. E. Dockrill presided. The address was delivered by Mr. A. 11. Johnstone, who took as his subject Turkey's part in the war. In opening, the speaker said the declaration of war with Turkey, which at another time would have, made the Empire star.d aghast, was completely overshadowed* by the momentous events taking place on the French, and Russian frontiers. In view of these same events the operations against Turkey had been taken but little notice of by English people. During the past few weeks, however, they in New Zealand had had their attention directed to these operations in a most painful manner. Their own fellowtownsmen had laid down their lives on the historic shores of th" Dardanelles, and there was much re i < n to fear that much more blood woi'i.i lie spilled before the gateway to Turkey was finally opened. There were not wanting those who believed that the forcing of the Dardanelles might prove quite as Important a factor in determining the result of the war as the operations in France and Russia. But how did it come about that Britain had to declare war on Turkey? Surely if ever a nation had cause to be grateful to another, Turkey had cause to bo grateful to Britain. It was not that the Empire's motives were alwavs disinterested, but there' remained the outstanding fact that throughout her long career of warfare Turkey had always a staunch friend in Britain.. It was not always easy to Britain to take up this stand, for the numerous Turkish atrocities were all used as reasons why Britain should withdraw her friendship. But no Power dared interfere on account of the inevitable scramble that would follow the breaking up of the Ottoman Empire, and the certainty of a resultant European war. Thus it became a principle of European politics that the integrity of the Ottoman Empire must be maintained. With the loss of Abdul Hainid's brilliant diplomacy and Winning intrigue the disintegration of the Empire commenced. Tiie speaker then referred to the troublous times Turkey had recently passed through, and to the preparations of that country and Greece again to colne to grips,which included the ordering of two Dreadnoughts from British yards. British naval missions were iu-

creasing the efficiency of the fleets of both countries, while Germans were reorganising the Turkish army. Long previous to this the Kaiser had realised the benefit of an alliance with Turkey to promote his plans in the middle east, and had done all possible to advance his popularity with the Moslems, For many years the Germans had been working assiduously in the country to attain their ends, so it was not surprising to learn at the outbreak of the present hostilities that Turkey's neutrality would bo -shortlived, and that she would declare in favor of Germany. Whatever chance there might at first have been of Turkey remaining neutral disappeared when Britain commandeered the two Dreadnoughts being built for Turkey. Mr. Johnstone then detailed the Goeben and Breslau incidents and the manner in which the German commander forced Turkey's hands. Envcr Pasha's suggestion to the Sultan to declare a Jedah, or holy war, proved-a failure, and one of the most convincing proofs of the right of Great Britain to maintain her position as a world Power was the unswerving loyalty which the millions of -Moslems had shown her in the present crisis. They knew from whom they had received thoir religious freedom. The holy war having failed, Turkey found herself in a position of considerable difficulty. She had a large seaboard and no navy. But in spite of all difficulties, they sst to work with great energy and no little courage and performed two remarkable, though unsuccessful feats of arms. One of these was the crossing with a large army of tho Sinai Peninsula, a desert, and the other and more important, tho larger operations they took in the icebound Caucasian ranges. These expeditions, however, exhibited a courage and pertinacity that were by no means to be despised. Mr. Johnstone then dealt with the position in the Persian Gulf, where the British troops had captured two important places, remarking that one pleasing feature of these operations was that it was more than probable that the Philomel had done her part in this important branch of the war. The operations at the Dardanelles were next referred to by the speaker, and after a resume of the occurrences there he said it seemed clear that the task of forcing the straights was a herculean one, and it was too early to express an opinion as to what had been accomplished. "Whether more men would be required for a task with such momentous issues remained, to be seen. This Australasians were there, fighting on the sii,;>s of mighty conflicts of the past. The Dardanelles history was crammed wltli stories of brave deeds br.avely done, but he believed that among 1 , all the heroic acts that had ever been done ill that battle-scarred region few, if anj-, would compare for courage and daring with the landing in the misty dawn of the men of their own flesh and blood on the beach

at Gaba Tepe.