THEIR PRESENT IMPORTANCE

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 205, 31 August 1915, Page 4

THEIR PRESENT IMPORTANCE

DIPLOMACY AND INTRIGUE IN THE :

BALKANS

"IF BULGARIA GETS MACEDONIA

INVASION OF SERVIA ABOUT TO BEGIN

RQUMAMA THREATENED

WELSH GOAL CRISIS LESS ACUTE

RESUMPTION PENDING CONFERENCE

ZEPPELIN WARFARE REVIEWED

PRESIDENT W3LSON AND THE

SUBMARINES

THE BALKANS.

EXPERT OPINION ON THB

SITUATION

BULGARIA'S ASPIRATIONS

MACEDONIA MUST BE GIVEN UP,

PRICE OF PARTICIPATION.

[Press Association.] (Received Aug. 30, 4.15 "p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 29

Sir Edwin Pears (writer and press correspondent and an authority on Balkan questions), in ail interview in the Daily Chronicle, said : "If Bulgaria secures a promise from Servia and the Allies that Macedonia will be restored to her, £• believe that despite King Ferdinand, who has Austrian leanings, she will come in. If she joins the Allies, Greece will follow. King Ferdinand is a born diplomat. He began life as an Austrian officer and possesses vasts estates in Hungary. He is very vain :uid ambitious, and I fe--r unscrupulous. The foreign policy, owing to the Bulgarian group system, is almost entirely in his hands. Nevertheless, Bulgaria is democratic in name, and may become, in a crisis like the present, democratic in reality. King Ferdinand regards Bulgaria as tho Prussia oi the Balkans. I fancy he even once made preparations for his own coronation as Byzantine Emperor in St. Sophia. It would be a mistako to over-estimate the influence possessed by Royal families, but it musfc not be under-estimated :xt this moment. In Ron mania, Bulgaria. Greece, Sweden, and Russia there are strong pro-German elements in the Court. The democracy, however, mostly takes a different view. I iim sun? that the Bulgarians, but for the* changing over the second Balkan War, would long since have "joined-us. '; Regard ing" Greece, the Queen, who has great influence with King Oonstantine, quite recently brought Greece within measurable distance of a revolution. M. Veno^elos's concert* to-day is rather how far he can rely on the army, which, is not inclined to take great risk. M. Venezelos is in favor of conciliating Bulgaria, an<s for adequate compensation would perhaps surrender Kavalla. Had Greece* joined the Allies originally she would have had the province of Aiden, with. Smyrna, as capital. Even r.ow tike abominable Turkish outrages on the Greeks at Aivali make it certain that the Allies' success, if Greece supports them, will imply a very large extension of territory in Asia Minor.

"The key to the situation is ait arrangement between Bulgaria and •Servia. If Servia surrenders Macedonia, this will probably ensure the aid of Roumania and Greece. The King of Ron mania, as a Hohenzollern. naturally looks towards Germany, but this in itself is insufficient? to keep Roumania nentratl. She, like Bulgaria, is somewhat afraid that Russia's success will imply the, occupation of Constantinople, and consequently the transformation of tho Balkans into Russian provinces. The» danger from their .standpoint is lees great than formerly. The German p.ilianca with Turkey compels them to* favor Russia rather than the Teutons. Tvoumania is populous, wealthy, and powerful. I am hopeful that- hf-r relations wit!; Bulgaria; and Russia. will so in ena,blo her to participate in' the war.

"R'?g;i'*rling Turkr-y1?- future, if th»" Dardanelles are forced she must leavo Europe. She has lost the :'"d will lose part of Asia Minor,1 ancK' Adrianople will revert to Bulgaria. My solution would be to create Constantinople and the country surrounding the Sevi of Marmora, the Bosphorns, and the Dardanelles into an internatrma.i State, _ governed _by an international commission similar to the Danubian. which has been sosuoco.ssful. Constantinople and the Dardanelles would be unfortified, for inasmuch a.s the new SL;ite would bo guaranteed internationally defences would be unnecessary."