The return of the French government from Bordeaux to Paris was
determined upon from two points of view: safety and political
necessity. The French people were angered that Paris should have been
deserted, but notwithstanding the political reasons, which were more
forceful than the public will be permitted to know, the return would
not have been undertaken had not the military authorities considered
the move a safe one. How safe will be evidenced by this--that at both
Bordeaux and Paris this problem was before the authorities: "Events
have now progressed so far that it is time for the Allies to consider
what will be their terms of peace. These terms must be divided into
many classes, ranging from those in which only one of the Allies has an
interest to those in which all have an interest. Of course, the latter
will be the most complex, and it is time now to begin with the
complexities of the most far-reaching situation. This is Mesopotamia
and the Bagdad railroad."

Now who in Washington knows anything about Mesopotamia or the Bagdad
railroad? Yet here is the key of the most far-reaching problem in any
peace proposals. It is because this matter can now be settled that the
plunging of Turkey into the war by Enver Bey has made all Europe
rejoice. The Germans think Turkey is another 16 1/2-inch howitzer or
"Jack Johnson" putting black smoke over the British empire. The rest
of Europe now knows the whole of Turkey is on the table, and the
carving, it is believed, will be had with no plates extended from
either Austria or Germany. For the first time the Turkish problem can
be really settled instead of patched.

Some years ago I was astonished to learn in Europe that American
banking interests, and American contracting and engineering firms in
alliance therewith, had their eyes upon Asia Minor and the possibility