13 JANUARY 1923, Page 2

It is hard for us, brought up on the ideas

of progress and " the blessings of civilization," to understand the point of view of an Oriental people to whom such things are wholly evil and whose one sincere wish is to be rid of the West and all its ways. The Times may be quite right in calling the Angora Government mere puppets worked by the military caste of officers who must conquer new lands or starve, but it must also be remembered that the Nationalist movement as a whole is only a part of the great renaissance of Islam which is going on in Asia and in Africa. This, of course, is all the more reason why bract can never be brought to what we call reason. If he were brought, he would be immediately denounced, and possibly shot, by Angora. A perfect example of how the Turkish delegates have to keep their eye on what we used to call " the home front " was provided by Riza Nur suddenly creating a scene in the Minorities Sub-Commission when it was suggested that all the Armenians might be allowed to live together. Riza Nur was once an anti-Nationalist, hence this especial mark of grace which he thought it necessary to display. It is extremely difficult to believe that any solution will be arrived at along the present lines of discussion. It seems to behove the Allies to consider just what stipula- tions they are prepared to fight for and to let all the rest go.