Russia and Turkey by W. W. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 4, 1912

Russia and Turkey

By W. W. P.

THE war between Italy and Turkey has dragged along without creating any very general interest until possible complications with other powers began to appear. It now seems that what has been treated as a local quarrel of no very great importance, may develop into an international affair with most serious consequences. This illustrates the fact that the relations of the great powers are so carefully balanced that a very slight change in any quarter of the world may entail results little thought of at the breaking out of any disturbance.

The whole situation is treated of at some length in despatches from Paris and London, published in the New York Times of March 24, 1912. We quote first from the Paris despatch:—

The international situation is regarded here as of extraordinary significance for the future of Europe. Indeed, “international crisis” is the term used by the most serious papers to describe the present position on this continent.

The movement of Russia in favor of Italy, with its probable result in a rapprochement between Russia, Italy, and Austria, is considered to make a situation of peculiar delicacy, and Russia’s motives in this step and the grave consequences which it may have are receiving the fullest discussion. It is pointed out that since the beginning of Italy’s war in Tripoli, Russia’s attitude has been extremely curious. She is the only nation in the European concert that regarded the Tripoli expedition with marked sympathy. This is interpreted here as evidence that Russia means entirely to pursue her Eastern policy, and also as a sure indication that she has not given up that age-long dream and objective of her religion and politics, and that it is with a view to supremacy over Turkey and the occupation of Constantinople, the Mecca of the Orthodox Church, that she may take the risk of abandoning her position of neutrality and siding with Italy.

The despatch from London opens with this sentence, “ ‘Europe in a fit of nerves’ is the picturesque description applied to the curious wave of apprehension of international trouble which passed over Europe this week.” Following this, the views of Lucien Wolf, “a well-known student of international politics,” are given at some length. We reproduce two paragraphs:—

If it were only a question of pushing forward intervention at Constantinople on behalf of peace, due account being taken of existing alliances and ententes, Europe would not worry, but the whole tendency of the Isvolsky-Tittoni scheme seems to be to attain its end by a combination of its own from which two thirds of the triple entente is virtually excluded. While Germany and Austria are apparently in the secret, France and Great Britain are held at arm’s length.

In St. Petersburg there has been a sort of press campaign against the English entente, while between Rome and Paris the newspapers have been exchanging criticisms and reproaches of a most acrid kind. Add to all this rumors of a secret treaty concluded at Desio, the sensational stories of mobilization in the Black Sea and of an army in the Caucasus, and the usual crop of spring portents from the Balkans, and assuredly the prevailing nervousness is not only explained but justified.

Every development which looks toward the expulsion of the Turk from Europe is watched with keenest interest by the student of prophecy who is waiting for the fulfilment of those predictions which indicate the nearness of the second advent. From all indications we seem warranted in concluding that the Turk will lose his territory in Europe as soon as the great powers can agree among themselves as to its division. W. W. P.