THE BALKAN WAR

Evening Star, Issue 15072, 2 January 1913, Page 6

THE BALKAN WAR

THE QUESTION OF PEACE. RUMORS OF DISSENSIONS. ALLIES' PEREMPTORY DEMAND. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 1. Reuter states that private conversations between the Turkish delegate Reshid Pasha and M. Daneff (Bulgaria) resulted in a frank exposition of the whole situation. M. Daneff advanced important arguments in favor of a direct settlement. Bulgarian a-eports assert that the civil population in Adrianople are attempting to compel the military authorities to surrender, and that threats have been made to shoot the commander. The armistice opportunely saved the town from the horrors of an internal upheaval. The ' Daily Telegraph's ' Vienna correspondent advises that competent critics are hopeful of peace, because Turkey is financially exhausted and ther Bulgarian army is "exhausted, coupled with serious differnees between the Allies. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria is alleged to be ill, suffering from the effects of excitement alternating with fits of melancholy. Besides her difficulties with Greece, Bulgaria's relations with Servia are visibly worse. The Servian newspaper, the ' Sraga ' says the dissension between Servia. and Bulgaria, is widening over the division of territory. A FINAL ANSWER WANTED. TURKS GIVEN TILL WEDNESDAY. LONDON. January 1. The Balkan delegates strongly 'resent Turkey's suggestion to refer most of the questions to the Powers. They point out thai the armistice was concluded to enable Turkey to negotiate with the Allies. When the Conference reassembled the Turks announced that they had not completed the deciphering of'their coded instructions. Reshid Bey suggested tji.it the question of the Snnjaks of Macedonia and Crete should be referred to the Powers for settlement, but it was eventually decided to formulate a Turkish reply to all the Allies' demands. At a meeting of the Allies' delegates it was resolved not to permit further procrastinatioi, and if positive and clear pro posals W6V9 not submitted by Wednesday to declare their mission ended. Meanwhile there are vague suggestions of possible intervention by the but no overt action has yet been taken. It is understood that Bulgaria, is prepared to invest the mosques and "public memorials in Adrianople with extra-territorial rights and make them the Sultan's property. CONSTANTINOPLE, December 31. The majority of the Ambassadors have advised the Porte to arrange with the Balkan League. CHARGES AGAINST SERVIA. ACCUSED OF~SYSTEMATIC MASSACRE. THOUSANDS OF MEN. WOMEN, AND CHILDREN SLAUGHTERED. LONDON, December 31. The Budapest correspondent of (he 'Daily Telegraph,' aftej; seeing reports obtained by Austrian, English. Italian, and Norwegian war correspondents, declares that all the cruel persecutions related in the history of the world iave been flagrantly repeated by . General Janovitch's army, who deliberately exterminated old and young .->f totii sexes. Some 3,000 peo'ple between Kuma-novo and Uskub and 5,000 A.—juts at Frishtina were unjustifiably m>n\i«:re.l. and many villages were set on «re. while I'.ie uteiug inhabitants were shot like rats.

Helpless women were forced to v-ateh their children being literally carved to pieces with bayonets, and' executions formed the daily diversions o£ the hervians.

The Premier of Servia's (M. Pasics) former secretary slated that the w.iy.-ide from Prizre-i:l to Ipek \v ,s liue<l with gallows on -which Albanians were handed. When the regiment entered Prizfend Colonel Ostoitch. shouted "Kill them,"

and the soldiers -rushed into the hovses and murdered evervo.ie.

The deeds perpetrated at PriJep and Kossovo exceed everything which the Albanians suffered wider Turkish rule. A Red Cross doctor relates that General Stefanovitch, when near Kratovo, i:l.t;ed 100 prisoners in two rows and shut them with machine guns.

CHARGES AGAINST BULGARIA,

STORIES OF INHUMAN BUTCHERY ViENNA. January 1. An Austrian lady living near Kavalla states that when the Bulgarian irregulars took the town they inhumanly butchered 115 Moslems, and thev also murdered 12,000 people at Seres. * The people at Xanthie took refuge in the mosques, but they were hacked to pieces. When all the Turks had been killed the invaders attacked the Jews, the wealthiest being carried off and tortured until they had paid £II,OOO in ransoms. TURKEY APPEALS TO THE POWERS. CONSTANTINOPLE, December 51. The Turkish senators have telegraphed to the European sovereigns drawing attention to the massacres, which, notwithstanding the armistice, threaten to exterminate the Moslems. They beseech the influence of the Powers to'prevent a recurrence of the massacres. There is an agitation in the army in favor of the renewal of hostilities. ANXIETY IN CONSTANTINOPLE. VIENNA, January 1. The ' Reichpost' states that the disquieting situation in Constantinople is due to the fear that the Kurdish troops now there or arriving may refuse to return empty-handed. They may possibly attempt to plunder Constantinople. The newspaperurges the return of the Austrian warships to the Bosphorus. Captain Djampouiat, who was arrested on November 18 as the result of the disj covery of a plot to create a republic under Shevket Pasha, has escaped. He was allowed to visit a dentist in charge, of an officer, and both disappeared. A WARNING FROM RUSSIA. MORE TALES OF HORROR. ST. PETERSBURG, January 1. Russia has issued a warning that it is dangerous for Turkey to procrastinate in view of the situation in Asia Minor. The district around Zegori has been denuded of males since the beginning of the war, and the followers of Bekiraga have massacred all the old men, women, and children there, and violated all the young women in Doliani. QUESTIONS OF TERRITORY. SOFIA, December 31. The ' Mir ' states that if the Turks persist in prolonging the negotiations the Allies will be forced to put the. sea between the Turks and themselves. This natural frontier will abolish the necessity for negotiations. BELGRADE, December 31. Rumors that Austria desires to enlarge Albania's boundaries have greatly embittered the Servians, who are determined not to waive their claim to Prizrend, Dibra, Diakova, and Ipek. BERLIN, December 31. The 'Kolnisehe Zeitung' states that if the Bimgarians' answer to Rumania's claims for compensation is unsatisfactory Rumania will take steps to assure the possession of the territory claimed. VIENNA, December 31. The ' Neue Frei Presse' states that Rumania claims the cession of about 1,151 square miles of Bulgarian territory and tho protection, of the national rights of the Kutzovlachs.

FIGHTING AT BIZANL ATHENS, December 31. Ihe Turks at Bizani renewed their impetuous assaults throughout the night, but were repulsed with considerable losses. AUSTRIA'S" MILITARY PREPARATIONS. LONDON, December 31. Reuter states that the military preparations in Austria in connection with the Adriatic question have been much exaggerated. The peace footing has been increased by 50,000 men only. FIGHTING AROUND SCUTARI. THE PENALTY oFdISOBEDIENCE. BELGRADE, January 1. (Receired January 2, at 9 a.m.) Hassan Riza, the Turkish commander at Scutari, disregarding ihe Porte's instructions to observe the armistice, vigorously attacked the Montenegrins and Servians, with the result that his losses were 800 men in two days. FIGHTING CHOLERA. SOFIA, January 1. (Received January 2, at 9 a.m.) The Government have engaged 50 doctors and 20 bacteriologists in Russia and Bohemia to prevent the spread of cholera among the Bulgarians. AN APPEAL TO AUSTRIA. VIENNA, January 1. (Received January 2, at 9 a.m.) Fugitive Albanians at Sarajevo have memorialised Count Berchtold. asking that Albania may he placed under the protectorate presided over by a member of the House of Hapsbuig AN ESCAPEE. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 1. (Received January 2, at 9.15 a.m.) Inquiry into Captain Djampoulat's escape shows that 2,000 Turkish pounds was paid to the officer in charge of the escaped prisoner. It is believed that tho Committee of Union and Progress provided the money. HOW THE PORTE ENCOURAGES BUTCHERY.' CONSTANTINOPLE, January 1. (Received January 2, at 9.15 a.m.) An Irade, which has just b. j en issued, grants amnesty to 9-3 of the participators in the Arlana end Anticch massacres of 190 S.