The Daily News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1922. THE NEAR EAST.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1922, Page 4

The Daily News FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1922. THE NEAR EAST.

When speaking in the North on Monday, Mr. Massey, ill the course of a discreet review of the action taken by him in •conpeetion with offering a contingent to the Imperial Government lor protecting the Empire 's interests at Gallipoli, stated that “the courage and firmness of the British Government, and the tact of General Harington, had averted the danger of war against Turkey for the time being, ’’ though he could not say whether or not it had been averted definitely. This doubt, in the light of more recent news from the Near East, is thoroughly justified, and once more the position is such as to cause grave concern. The overthrow of the Coalition Government at Home happened at a most inopportune moment, though it was the position of affairs in Turkey that was one of the main causes of the success of the Conservative coup. The new Premier (Mr. Bonar Law) has made one of his foremost planks a foreign policy that will eschew all embroilments and international entanglements. In effect, it is a peace-at-any-price policy, and the wily Turks have promptly construed this change of Government as meaning that no serious opposition will be made to Turkish demands. It is quite possible that Kemal is not responsible for the arrogant attitude now adopted by the Angora Government, and that it is the pashas behind him who are forcing the pace so as to make hay while the sun shines, and to deliberately disregard the terms of the armistice agreement arrived at as the result of the Mudania Conference. The latest demands by the Kemalists include the immediate closing of the Dardanelles to all “foreign” warships. That means allowing tha Turks to become once more masters of Constantinople, and the elimination of all possible intervention by Britain or any other Power in Near East affairs —in other words, the domination of Turkey and the opportunity of vengeance on minorities and nonMoslems. Already an exodus of Greeks and Armenians is taking place for fear that the withdrawal of the Allies’ troops will be followed by atrocities for which the Turks hav? obtained an unenviable notoriety. The Angora Government has given the Allied Commissioners notice to quit Constantinople. That they refused to obey this order is what might be expected, but unless British warships command the city, the Turks are quite capable of enforcing their demand, for the troops of the Allies in Constantinople are far too small in number to resist the Turks, and it is, only the warships that save the situation, if they are allowed by the British Government to remain in the Dardanelles. The veteran and reliable war correspondent, Mr. Martin Donohue, has graphically described the present situation at Constantinople. He has also reminded the British authorities that the Turk is the same yesterday, to-day and ever—venal, corrupt and time-serving—and regards treaties as mere scraps of paper. Significantly he adds: “Britain must answer in the next few days whether she is a beaten nation, incapable or unwilling to defend menaced nationals, and the honor and lives of British subjects in Turkey. Perhaps, blood will have to be shed to teach the arrogant. Kemalists if they push too far.” The Constantinople cor. respondent of the New York Her-, aid says it is evident the Turks 1 balieve the British are paralysed

by the political situation, and are incapable of offering military resistance. That conclusion is supported by Mr. Lloyd George in his recent Newcastle speech, wherein he paid a tribute to General Harington, adding: “We stood without France or Italy, and we accepted responsibility. Now the Turk said: ‘We have got rid of that fellow (Mr. Lloyd George) ; let us look at the new Ministry,’ and he came to the conclusion the time was ripe for another try on. . . - The only way to deal with the Oriental is to stand

up to him. . . The new Government must wake up now. Sleepers are ail right on the railways, but not in foreign politics.” The matter is not merely one that concerns Britain, but the whole Empire. It is hardly to be expected that the present Government in Britain will “wake up” in the middle of an election the like of which has never been experienced, mores especially as the Near East question is the immediate cause of the political upheaval at Home. The honor of the Empire is at stake, as well as British prestige. Admitting the necessity for avoiding another war, yet the Union Jack cannot be allowed to be trampled in the dust by the Turks or any other people, and the Empire should impress this fact on the Imperial authorities if the emergency arises.