The Allied Premiers, in the course of the past week,
completed their provisional settlement of the Near Eastern question. They gave a mandate to Great Britain for Mesopotamia and for Palestine, and confirmed Mr. Ba1four's declaration of November, 1917, in favour of the establishment of a Jewish National Home in Palestine, with due regard for the rights of the native popu- lation. The Allies gave France a mandate for Syria, subject to further discussion with the Emir Feisul. It is further stated that Thrace up to the Chatalja lines is to be allotted to Greece, inas- much as most of the inhabitants are Greek. Smyrna with the surrounding district is to be administered by Greece for five years under a nominal Turkish suzerainty, which is to be typified, as in the ease of Crete twenty years ago, by the flying of a single Turkish flag on one of the old forts. After five years the inhabi- tants are to determine their political future by a plebiscite. President Wilson will be invited to determine the future extent and administration of an independent Armenia. The Turkish Treaty is to be handed to the Turks next week. -
