THE BALKAN SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17257, 5 September 1919, Page 6

THE BALKAN SETTLEMENT.

It has sometimes been said that the final test of the peace settlement will H<? the Balkans, and that prophecy stands in a fair way of being fulfilled. Roumania has practically defied her former allies, trusting doubtless to their disinclination for further military adventure to secure her immunity. Turkey and Bulgaria, although defeated and actually helpless, are raisi. pretensions which cannot possibly be sanctioned, and Greek imperiaism is embarrassing the efforts of a. lied statesmen. It is unofficially reported that the Thracian question has been decided by giving portion of the territory to Greece and forming the remainder into a buffer State. Even if this proves to be true, it only touches the fringe of the real Balkan difficulty, the control of Constantinople. There are good reasons for believing that the mandate for the city and the district round it has been offered to the United States, and that Mr. Wilson disturbed by the Republican attacks upon his policy, has hesitated to accept. This is unfortunate. America is the only mandatory who would inspire general confidence at Constantinople. Greece has a strong racial and historical claim, but she is too weak to shoulder so tremendous a responsibility. Russia is out of the running and there is no other European Power which would be generally acceptable with the possible exception of Britain, and her hands are already very full. If America will not take the mandate it is difficult to suggest another trustee, and there is a danger that in despair of finding a way out the Powers may decide to allow the Turks to remain in their capital. This would be .little less than a disaster, and would doom the Balkans to certain war in the notdistant future. The Turks have forfeited all right to hold a foot of Europe. Their presence is disturbing and even if the prize they held were less sought after than Constantinople, their weakness would tempt aggression. Sooner or later the League of Nations must assume responsibility for the city that has been the cause of more wars than almost any other in the world. To postpone the decision will only be to heap up trouble for a future generation.