Turkish feeling on the Cretan question is growing stronger and
more indignant., although we cannot discover that it is justified by any new or sinister turn of events. The Powers have sent a Note to the Cretan Government in which it is stated that the expelled Moslem Deputies must be restored to the Assembly, and the Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs has stated that the Powers have informed the Porte that the oath of allegiance to the King of Greece will not be tolerated. All this shows that Turkey has no reason to fear the loss, against her will, of her suzerainty in Crete. But affairs at Constantinople prove that there is a regular attempt to mislead public opinion. The statements of some German and Austrian newspapers that Great Britain is resisting Turkish rights in order to improve the position of the King of Greece are repeated and enlarged upon by the Chauvinistic newspapers. We need hardly say that such statements are without the least founda- tion. Much less is it true that the King intervened to stay Sir Edward Grey's hand. It is a serious matter, however, that such extraordinary stories should be believed. The feeling against Greece in Turkey is expressing itself in a boycott which is rapidly spreading. We can only hope that while the Powers are arriving at a settlement the Turkish hot-heads will not get beyond the control of the Government.
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