THE THEME OF THE HOUR

The address at the Union tonight by Mr. Henry Morgenthau, Ex-American Ambassador to Turkey, promises to be one of the most important discussions of the year. Formerly Vice-Chairman of the Near-East Relief Commission, and director of the Allied relations at Constantinople during the past war, he comes with the most intimate knowledge of the Balkan problems. His topic, "The Near Eastern Question", is one on which he is thus eminently qualified to speak; it is of immediate interest because of the present conflict between Greece and Turkey.

According to the latest modifications of the Near Eastern settlement, the Allied Governments have decided to deprive Greece of Smyrna, Thrace, and her other Asia Minor possessions. In resentment of this decree, Greece has launched against Turkey an offensive which has two objectives. In the first place, she is pushing toward the junction of the Bagdad Railroad and a branch line that leads to Angora. The second offensive is against Aflun-Kara Hissar, another railroad terminal. Here the operations are most important, because, if successful, the Greeks will cut off the Turks from Cilicia in their attempt to join their main army. Some 120,000 men are at present on the Smyrna and Brusa front and the Greeks with superior forces have the initial advantage.

Constantine and his supporters represent a nation which has suffered from Asiatic oppression for over 3000 years. Because the Turks desired the Treaty of serves dissolved and because the Greeks repudiated their former leader, Venizelos, the Allied Council seems to have taken advantage of Greece's position by encouraging the rise of Turkish power in Asia Minor. Such an event points to further subjection of the Greeks; so in defence of their liberties guaranteed by the League of Nations, they have entered into a war single-handed with the vain hope of solving their own problems.