THE NEW BALKAN CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 82, 7 April 1915, Page 4

THE NEW BALKAN CRISIS.

Assuming that the cabled abstract of the issued by M. Venizelos at Athens is authentic and accurate, we may conclude that there fir no immediate probability of Bulgaria joining the Allies. It; seems that Greece wae anxious to help Servia, and that Rumania wae ready to come in on the same side if only Bulgaria could be induced to join the new Balkan League. But Germany had already bribed Bulgaria by the offer of a much-needed loan, and Czar Ferdinand, with characteristic duplicity, has been playing faat and loose' with both sides in succeseion. Apparently M. Venizelos does not expect Bulgaria to join hands with. Greece; and we may reasonably assume that the rivalry between these two states in Macedonia has quite as much to do with this decision as German intrigue or German gold. But the Rumanian Government hesitates to commit iteelf so long as there is a danger of a sudden onslaught from Bulgaria from the rear, and Greece would hardly hope to hold her own against Bulgaria now that Servia, in 'spite of her splendid achievements, is exhausted by three successive ware. It is evident that the Allies are anxious to secure the co-operation of the Greeks, and ih'e're is no doubt that the Greek 4rmy'could"create a very seasonable .diversion just now toy attacking Turkey (.and strengthening Servia against the threatened renewal of an Austrian invasion. But the Allies apparently could offer .'jto" VJmore than two divisions '"' of French and British troops to assist the Greeks; and 35,000 or 40,000 men would be of little use ngainst Bulgaria, which can put at least 300,000 well-armed troops into the field. Greece seems discreetly to have declined this not very 'attractive offer, and the crux of the whole situation is still Bulgaria. We have still to see, however, if the rapid advance of the Russian armies across the Carpathians, and the collapse of Austria's powers of resistance, may not induce Czar Ferdinand to reconsider his position. There is little doubt that if lie is once convinced that the defeat of Germany and Austria is inevitable he will decline to sacrifice himself in a losing cause; and for this reason we may yet find the Bulgarians fighting on the side of the Allies.