The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1922. THE CROSS AND THE CRESCENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1922, Page 4

The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1922. THE CROSS AND THE CRESCENT.

Events in the Near East continue to progress from bad to worse, and there are indications that, unless a miracle happens, the smouldering hatred that exists on the part of the devotees of the Crescent will suddenly break into a flame, with results too horrible to forecast. According to the Constantinople correspondent of the Morning Post, it is evident that Angora has decided to rid Turkey of all Christian elements. Turkish methods of effecting such a riddance are too well known to need any description, so that the rush of refugees which, is taking place is not at all surprising, nor is the detention by the Turks of male refugees (both Greek and Armenian) other than what might be expected under the circumstances, there being no doubt these hostages are to become a pawn in the bargaining with the Allies. Several alterations have occurred in the position of affairs, but all in the wrong direction. The extremists appear to be in command of the situation, and evidently consider the ball is at their feet. Constantinople is described as being on the edge of a volcano; complete confusion is said to exist between Britain and France over the postponement of the Lausanne Conference, accompanied by the inevitable strained relations, while France still adheres to her .partiality for the Turks, and minimises their hostile acts. On? the other hand, the Turks appear to have changed their attitude towards the French, as evidenced by the desecration of graves at Smyrna, the destruction of French soap works in Asia Minor, and renewal of their demands regarding the Syrian frontier, which must affect France very closely. In the light of the expressed determination of the Turks to rid Turkey of all Christians, it. is obvious that the French are included in the exodus, and a drastic policy of this kind ought to alienate the last grain of sympathy on the part of Italy. There is certainly method in this latest phase of Turkish madness, for it removes hostilities from the political to the religious zone, thereby menacing Egypt, India, Palestine and Mesopotamia. The wonder to most people who calmly study this intensely grave position is that a fanatical outbreak has not yet occurred, for it is clear the explosive elements are all too ready for the fatal spark. Proof has been prompt in establishing the utter folly of the British Conservatives in selecting a time of such immense gravity and danger for upsetting a Government that had this Turkish menace well in hand, and resolute in its intention to deal with the trouble in the only possible way —by force, if necessary—even if the Empire had to stand alone. Now that the mischief has been done, and the Turks encouraged to proceed to extreme lengths, the new Government in Britain, because of its concentrating on electioneering, has calmly postponed, the Lausanne Conference, caused relations with France to be strained, and given the Turks time to fan the flame of religious fervor and anti-Christian hatred. That Constantinople is not already in process of becoming a shambles can only be due to the presence of British and other warships in the vicinity of the city, and it is sigInificant that the French, so far, have not taken any steps to reinforce their troops there. Tsmet Pasha accurately summed up the danger of postponing the Lausanne Conference when he said the postponement was a serious mistake, as the Turkish army and people could not be kept in a state of anxiety and intense strain without the gravest danger of incidents producing a conflict between the Turks and the Allies. It is far worse than a serious mistake, and comes danger- | ously near to courting a disaster. What Marshal Foch thinks of the | situation may be gathered from the fact that he has submitted a jplan for the Allied defence of Constantinople in the event of Turkish attacks and uprisings. Meanwhile the Turkish extremists are daily making increased 'demands which may now be generalised as a single demand for the exodus of all Christians from

Turkey, and what that means is clear from the records of history.