BULGARIAN IMPUDENCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 167, 11 June 1919, Page 4

BULGARIAN IMPUDENCE.

For slices impudence the recent action of the Bulgarians in socking representation at .the 'Peace Conference and in putting forward demands for territorial aggrandisement at the expense of .Serbia has never been excelled, even by the Germans. Which, our readers will agree with us, is saying not a little. The excuse is now put forward that Bulgaria, was forced into the war against the will of her people, as the result of what the present Sofia Government is pleased to designate "the tyrannous despotism of Tsar Ferdinand." Unfortunately for this ingenious excuse, the facts concerning Bulgaria's 'participation are notorious. The Bulgarians had been defeated by the Serbs in the Second Balkan War, and .jumped at the opportunity for venwaueo' which was offered when Germany and Austria- tempted th*w uuscrunulous Ferdinand with the- promise of huge territorial loot to espouse the cause of the Central Powers. The people

only too eagerly obeyed what is now conveniently styled "the tyrannous despotism of Tsar Ferdinand." For the Bulgarians now to pose as a peaceful people forced into war against their will is an amazing piece of insolence. But even had Bulgaria been either forced or hood- ; winked into the war, she might have- conducted the struggle with some reasonable regard for tho Law of Nations and the ordinary rules ] of civilised warfare." On the con- i trary, Bulgaria's name is stained and disgraced even in ore blackly and shamefully than that of Germany by the foul conduct of her officers and soldiers. Simultaneously with tho publication of Bulgaria's impudent demands comes a summary, by the New Zealand Official Correspondent at the Peace Conference, of the findings of the special committee of the Conference which

investigated the evidence brought forward by Serbia as to the unspeakably vile atrocities committed ; by the Bulgars. It is a document, which must arouse almost physical nausea in those who peruse it, a damning indictment of cruelty and criminality so atrociously, diabolically horrible as to make one wonder whether, after all, we are living in an age of civilisation and Christianity. Nothing that the Germans did in* Belgium, in Flanders and Eastern France, comes anywhere near, for sheer villainy, the foul deeds committed upon the hapless Serbs by the Bulgarian soldiery. Not even the most atrocious crimes lJ which the Turks were guilty in Armenia can surpass, in studied brutality, tho unspeakable Horrors which followed the occupation ;of certain-■■" Serbian villages. Of so utterly bestial a character were some of the outrages that details cannot be set down, so the report states, without violating what is commonly understood as public decency t And yet this nation whose soldiers—and the officers appear to have been even worse than the men—committed these vile deeds has now,, the insufferable impudence to ask not only for admittance to the counsels; of the Conference but, for huge territorial gains at the expense of the State whose people suffered such horrible cruelty at Bulgarian hands. It IS inconceivable that Bulgaria should get the slightest consideration from the Peace .Council. She should account herself indeed fortunate that she has not been wiped right off the map of Europe as a separate and independent State.