One for All, All for None

One evening last week German Ambassador Franz von Papen turned up at an official ball in Ankara, just as President Ismet Inoenue arrived. While the band played the national anthem, Istiklal Ma-schi, and all the guests stood at attention, Ambassador von Papen tactlessly marched into the ballroom at the head of his delegation. Next morning he rushed off to Berlin, and Ankara buzzed with talk of German pressure on Turkey.

A few days later Pressureman Papen, much happier than he was a year ago when Turkey jilted Germany for the Allies, was reported on a shooting party with Germany's Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop and Italy's Count Galeazzo Ciano. (This was denied in Berlin.) Whatever plans the Axis had for Turkey in the future, the threat of German action through Bulgaria, if Turkey should help Greece, was enough to keep Turkey precariously neutral last week. President Inoenue made a firm speech saying that his country would "continue faithful to our friendships and alliances" (Turkey is not committed to help Greece), devoted three paragraphs to the value of friendship with Russia.

When France fell, the sun set with quiet, dark finality on the Turkish Republic's brief day of greatness. Having oriented herself both economically and strategically toward the Allies, Turkey is now isolated from the one remaining, embattled Ally, while Germany seeks to devour her economically. Her only protector is Russia, to whom she appealed last week.

Since Russia showed no indication of encouraging Turkey to pitch into the war on Greece's behalf, there was no help for Europe's latest invaded country on that side. Since Yugoslavia would not dare to move without Turkey, there was no help on that side either. With what little help Great Britain could give, Greece could do little but put up a good fight and go down.

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