The Turkish treaty will be out on the 10th of May. It is stated to
provide for the internationalisation of the Straits, the occupation of
Gallipoli by the Allies, the maintenance of Allied contingents in
Constantinople and the appointment of a Commission of Control over
Turkish finances. The San Remo Conference has entrusted Britain with
Mandates for Mesopotamia and Palestine and France with the Mandate for
Syria. As regards Smyrna the accounts so far received inform that
Turkish suzerainty over Smyrna will be indicated by the fact that the
population will not be entitled to send delegates to the Greek
Parliament but at the end of five years local Smyrna Parliament will
have the right of voting in favour of union with Greece and in such an
event Turkish suzerainty will cease. Turkish suzerainty will be confined
to the area within the Chatalja lines. With regard to Emir Foisul's
position there is no news except that the Mandates of Britain and France
transform his military title into a civil title.
* * * * *
We have given above the terms of the Turkish treaty as indicated in
Router's messages. These reports are incomplete and all of them are not
equally authenticated. But if these terms are true, they are a challenge
to the Muslim demands. Turkish Sovereignty is confined to the Chatalja
lines. This means that the Big Three of the Supreme Council have cut off
Thrace from Turkish dominions. This is a distinct breach of the pledge
given by one of these Three, _viz._, the Premier of the British Empire.
To remain within the Chatalja lines and, we are afraid, as a dependent
of the Allies, is for the Sultan a humiliating position inconsistent
with the Koranic injunctions. Such a restricted position of the Turks is
virtually a success of the bag and baggage school.
It is not yet known how the Supreme Council disposed of the rich and
renowned lands of Asia Minor. If Mr. Lloyd George's views recently
expressed in this respect have received the Allies' sanction--it is
probable--nothing less than a common control is expected. The decision
in the case of Smyrna will be satisfying to none, though the Allies seem
to have made by their arrangement a skillful attempt to please all the
parties concerned. Mr. Lloyd George, in his reply to the Khilafat
Deputation, had talked about the careful investigations by an impartial
committee and had added; "The great majority of the population
undoubtedly prefer Greek rule to Turkish rule, so I understand" But the
decision postpones to carry out his understanding till a period of
five years.
* * * * *
When we come to the question of mandates, the Allied Powers' motives
come out more distinctly. The Arabs' claim of independence was used as a
difficulty against keeping Turkish Sovereignty. This was defended in the
of self-determination and by pointing out parallels of Transylvania and
other provinces. When the final moment came, the Allies have ventured to
divide the spoils amongst themselves. Britain is given the mandate over
Mesopotamia and Palestine and France has the mandate over Syria. The
Arab delegation complains in their note lately issued expressing their
disappointment at the Supreme Council's decision with regard to the
Arab liberated countries, which, it declares, is contrary to the
principle of self-determination.
* * * * *
So what little news has arrived about the Turkish treaty, is uniformly
disquieting. The Moslems have found sufficient ground to honour Russia,
more than the Allies. Russia has recognised the freedom of Khiva and
Bokhara. The Moslem world, as H. M. the Amir of Afghanistan said in his
speech, will feel grateful towards Russia in spite of all the rumours
abroad about its anarchy and disorder, whereas the whole Moslem world
will resent the action of the other European nations who have allied
with each other to carry out a joint coercion and extinction of Turkey
in the name of self-determination and partly in the guise of the
interest of civilization.
* * * * *
The terms of the Turkish treaty are not only a breach of the Premier's
pledge, not only a sin against the principle of self-determination, but
they also show a reckless indifference of the Allied Powers towards the
Koranic injunctions. The terms point out that Mr. Lloyd George's
misinformed ideas of Khilafat have prevailed in the Council. Like Mr.
Lloyd George other statesmen also at San Remo have compared Caliphate
with Popedom and ignored the Koronic idea of associating spiritual
power with temporal power. These misguided statesmen were too much
possessed by haughtiness and so they refused to receive any
enlightenment on the question of Khilafat from the Deputation. They
could have corrected themselves had they heard Mr. Mahomed Ali on this
point. Speaking at the Essex Hall meeting Mr. Mahomed Ali distinguished
between Popedom and Caliphate and clearly explained what Caliphate
means. He said:
"Islam is supernational and not national, the basis of Islamic
sympathy is a common outlook on life and common culture.... And it
has two centres. The personal centre is the island of Arabia. The
Khalifa is the Commander of the Faithful and his orders must be
obeyed by all Muslims so long and so long only, as they are not at
variance with the Commandments of God and the Traditions of the
Prophet. But since there is no lacerating distinction between things
temporal and things spiritual, the Khalifa is something more than a
Pope and cannot be "Vaticanised." But he is also less than a Pope for
he is not infallible. If he persists in un-Islamic conduct we can
depose him. And we have deposed him more than once. But so long as he
orders only that which Islam demands we must support him. He and no
other ruler is the Defender of _our_ faith."
These few words could have removed the mis-undertakings rooted in the
minds of those that at San Remo, if they were in earnest for a just
solution. But Mr. Mahomed Ali's deputation was not given any hearing by
the Peace Conference. They were told that the Peace Conference had
already heard the official delegation of India on this question. But the
wrong notions the Allies still entertain about Caliphate are a
sufficient indication of the effects of the work of this official
delegation. The result of these wrong notions is the present settlement
and this unjust settlement will unsettle the world. They know not
what they do.