The prediction we ventured to make on September 29 last that the Kemalists would repudiate all #he debts and undertakings of previous, Turkish administrations as soon as they possibly could promises to be fulfilled even sooner than might have been expected. As regards the Ottoman Debt the fact of repudiation is thinly covered up in a scheme for transferring the liability to Greece as a war indemnity to Turkey. But the result is the same, for Greece could not possibly pay, even if the Powers acquiesced in so monstrous a proposal, which it is sincerely to be hoped they will not. They have treated Greece quite badly enough already without allowing Turkey to impose indemnities, in addition to handing back to the Kemalists all the territory which, by the Treaty of Sévres, the Greeks erroneously supposed had been given to them selves. Meanwhile it is' to be observed that the Turkish National Assembly disavows all debts con tracted at Constantinople since the Armistice and "has decided to wipe out all commercial concessions and contracts from which foreigners in future will be rigidly excluded." The fact that this patriotic and honourable conduct will greatly 1 convenience a large number of Turkish citizens does not bother the Assembly, nor does this alone con cern other people. But one im agines that the news will cause a good deal of heart-searching and dismay in France, where it may he realized, when too late, that the Turkish official is not the high-toned, whole-souled ornament of civilization that the French press and politicians have been trying to prove him. Especially when he is alliance with Moscow.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.