The War Between Turkey and Italy
By Editor
The war between Turkey and Italy still drags on. There are statesmen who consider that its prolongation is of grave danger to the peace of Europe. If military operations could be confined to Tripoli and its section, the struggle might go on almost indefinitely, and the world know little of it; but it is not in the nature of things that Italy should be content to forego her enormous maritime superiority, while finding herself foiled in every attempt to push forward in Europe. Every attempt of Italy to strike at the heart of Turkey is checked by the fact that action on her part would be detrimental to the interests of other powers. For instance, if Saloniki were bombarded, the Jewish warehouses, with their intimate connection with all the capitals of Europe, would probably be burned down; but the Turks have none to destroy. If the Dardanelles were blockaded, the Russian grain ships would suffer. One report is that a holy war has been called for. This is probably a rumor, but it is feared that one might be called, and all the Mohammedan hosts of Africa rise to its call. The powers are endeavoring to bring about peace, but Turkey can not accept any proposals unless they provide for the maintenance of the effective, integral, sovereign rights of Turkey and the evacuation of Tripoli by the Italian troops. But Italy will not evacuate Tripoli. One of her latest steps was to seize Rhodes. Nearly seven centuries ago it was in the hands of Italians, and they held it for more than two centuries. The seizure of Rhodes is a distinct blow at the integrity of the Turkish empire, even as an Asiatic power. What the end of the present struggle will be we do not know, nor can any one foresee. It may mean the wiping out of Turkey in Europe; it may mean the seizing of the Holy Land by Italy, and the conveyance of it to the pope, in fee simple, as was stated at the beginning of the war; and it may mean a dozen different things that no one can imagine.