THE BALKANS.

Evening Star, Issue 16051, 1 March 1916, Page 6

THE BALKANS.

AUSTRO-GERMAN RULE OF VANQUISHED AND ALLIES EXPLOITATION RIFE. BULGARIA DEEPLY DEPRESSED. TURKEY REVOLUTIONARY, AUSTRIANS OPPRESS SERBIA London ' Times' and Sydney ' Sun' Services. LONDON, February 29. In view of the prospects of developments in the Balkans, Mr Calvert has sent despatches confirming accounts o,f the Turco-Bulgar depression, and these are specially interesting. . The Germans have flooded Turkey and Bulgaria with discredited German money, and any traders refusing to accept this at its face value are fined or imprisoned. As a result, at Varna most of the shops are closed. Bulgarian economic conditions are depressed. Meat and bread, which, were abundant and cheap before the Germans' entry, have quadrupled in price. The .nation • is s quickly becoming demoralised, realising Germany's weakness as a protector, and regarding Graeco-Rumanian exploitation of Bulgaria's extremity as a dismal certainty. The greater part of the Bulgarian army is tied to the Greek- frontier, while 45,000 Germans garrison their cities and make an impressive show on the Rumanian frontier. Discussion of politics in Bulgaria is prohibited under severe penalties. The Austrian administration in Serbia extends along the Morava Valley as far as Krushevatz. They have taken hostages in each city guaranteeing the passivity of the population. They have removed all the (Serbian males, except artisans, from Belgrade, where no Serbs are allowed on the streets after sunset or in the trams without a special permit. Austrian officers have brought their families to Belgrade. Hungarian speculators are forcing extortionate prices from the and . a Hungarian Jew, who has been appointed Mayor of Belgrade, is assisting in this extortion. Turkey is wailing ( under even worse extortions. A committee of Youngj Turks are monopolising supplies, requisitioning them from various districts at small prices and reselling them at a fabulous profit, even doubling the prices of sugar and dry produce from Austria. The Young Turks are alarmed -by the multiplying signs of popular- resentment against these exactions. . In connection with Prince. Yussnf's murder, the arrested Moderates (including Riza, President of the Chamber, Halfl Bey, Zeia, a high functionary of the Grand Vizierate, and 30_ officers) have all 'been deported to Asia Minor, whence they are unlikely to return.

ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATIONS FERDINAND'S ABDICATION DEMANDED. ■ GERMAN AND BUiLGAR TROOPS. PARIS, February 29. (Received March 1, at 9.35 a.m.) 'Lo Petit Parisien's' Salonika correspondent reports significant, news from Bulgaria. Anti-war meetings are held in the streets, and the police are powerless to prevent them, while the troops refuse to assist the police. Some of these meetings demanded Ferdinand's abdication in.favor of the Crown Prince and the withdrawal of the Germans. The tension between- the Germans and Bulgarians at Uskub is extreme. The troops occupy separate banks of the Vardar, and the Bulgarian sentinels have been ordered to fire on any Germans attempting to cross the river.