Italy and Turkey

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 28, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 47.

THERE are some things which indicate that the trouble between Italy and Turkey was not unexpected in Turkish quarters. According to Current Literature for November, quoting from the London Telegraph, the Arab sheiks representing the tribes of North Africa are always well received at the palace of the sultan, and lately they have certainly wanted something done regarding Tripoli. Some have thought that Turkey's aid has been sought to secure a coalition of the Arab tribes to use pan-Islamism as a force to foment discord among the European powers interested in North Africa. But these, in fact, are only guesses. At any rate, the bonds between the Arabs and the sultan seem to be so strong that we are told the importance which the Young Turks attach to Tripoli is so great that "they would spend the last cartridge which they possess to retain it," and therefore their strong fighting to recover it from the Italians. The Turkish army, it is said, will be placed on a war footing of not less than 1,500,000 combatants. The Turkish soldiers at the present time number about 300,000 men; but these, it is said, are well equipped with uniforms, rifles, and guns, and amply supplied with ammunition.

Current Literature remarks that the Turks love fighting, and therefore Turkey maintains her army in a high state of efficiency; but they have no affection for the sea.

The French are looking on with considerable indifference, not objecting at all to Italy's seizing Tripoli, and not particularly anxious to have the sultan conqueror. Germany seems to be the most interested in this holy war, because of her interests in Turkey. At any rate, Italy has met an opposition that she did not expect when she undertook to seize the slice that she had marked off from African territory, and the war may be indeed a long one. In the meantime, the Hague Tribunal seems to be utterly powerless.