MESOPOTAMIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 October 1917, Page 5

MESOPOTAMIA.

COMING ENEMY OFFENSIVE.

ftt&ENHAYN IN COMMAND.

The Mowing estimate of the political, . miljt«ry»,ind economic situation in Turkey ean be absolutely relied upon as coming from authentic sources, wrote Mr. G. • Stevens from Athens to the (Daily Telegraph early in August. Let me first announce tie most important fact, of all, and one which interests us most. A great offensive Is in preparation againafc our Army in Mesopotamia. Preparations are being actively pushed on so as to enable the offensive to be-

gin in September. Marshal von FalkenJ»yn is to be in command. Two divi«i«» froin Galicia and two from the (Doirudjji have been withdrawn and sent ' down to, Aleppo, at which place all concentration* are made. Troops are also *etag'm«v*d from Thrace to the same •direction, and, farther, a large proportion oi the Austrian heavy artillery in Turkey ig now in transportation for* the wune destination. ' Falkenhayn insists on having included in his command the army of Palestine, . fcut DJenoU, ite chief, opposes it. The iditpttte Vrhkh arose over this question .... *was still .unsettled eighteen days ago. It nay prove a difficult one for Enver to settle, for Djemal, at the head of an torrav which he keeps well in hand, has shown signs of impatience against the Soke erereißed by Enver. In fact, the iter has good reasons to fear him, and dares not openly flout him. Djemal is iadly disposed towards German domination, and constitutes one of the latter's idangera The Turkish army in the Caucasus has been greatly neglected. It has reached a state of demoralisation. Over three hundred thousand desertions from its ranks have been registered since ■ things on that front became slack dhroagh the protracted inactivity of the Russians. , CHAOS IN TURKEY. * , ' Generally Asia Minor, with the ex- ■ ceptions of the war zones of Syria and , . (Mesopotamia, is in a state of chaos and • perpetual ferment. Constant revolts ocv tar, widen each time, are suppressed With ever-increasing difficulty. The principal cauites for this are the dearness of •11 the ntteeMriea of life, including . foodstuffs, which, besides, are scarce and difficult to obtain, and the great depreciation of the currency. Paper money, the issues of which are guaranteed by , bonds on the German Treasury, is re- , fused absolutely in most districts of Asia Minor. In certain banks and by the money-changers it is sometimes, but not ■lways, accepted at the rate of fourteen founds in paper for one in gold. So widespread is the distrust of this fiduSlary currency that the Government, to avoid revolts and risings, especially in the war zones, is forced to pay in gold, (gainst its own decree, which prohibited throughout the Empire payments in • Specie. The political situation is dominated by Talaat, and now, since his recent inclusion in the Cabinet as Finance Minister, by Djemal. Enver is sold over to the Germans, and his very existence depends >n their domination; bis leaving then?, is ant of tie question. His main hold on 'ie Empire is in the army, especially usee he dismissed 2400 officers and appointed in their stead creatures of his own. Talaat, however, has a following also in the army, and has besides many (supporters among the civil population. &n the surface these two appear as working in harmony, but—a rogue, clever and cunning—Talaat has not given himself over entirely to the Germans, by Whom he is little liked and trusted less. He is holding an expectant attitude, like |be weathercock, waiting to see what .Wind will blow.

Djavid, who threw up his portfolio Mid protested When Turkey entered the -war, enjoys considerable influence in Asia Minor, and his re-inclusion in the Miniatry was to prevent the unrest there from developing into open revolution. DJftVld renin ins unreconciled to the Ger- ' mans, and ft on bad terms with Enver. . Djemai, with his Syrian army, may prove the deciding factor in an upheaval against the Germans and Enver, and ■IJRfs of the likelihood of such an uph«ftval a»c., not wanting. ~ ,£A fivr •<}«?» after this .was written ton Ffll'itcnhajn was reported to have ytkchri Gaza, in Palestine.]