NOTES ON THE CABLES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16542, 16 November 1915, Page 6

NOTES ON THE CABLES.

Bx Shbapnei.. SALONIKA AND GREEK NEUTRALITY. The Geneva correspondent /of the Petit Journal has supplied an interesting communication concerning the position of the Anglo-French forces in Serbia. He reports that the Austro-German MinisteVs at Athens demanded that Greece should prevent disembarkation of the Entente troops —by force, if necessary. This was a demand that Groeco should embroil herself at onco on behalf of Germany. King Constantine returned tho only answer he could in face of the fact that neither of tlifi belligerents is at present in a position to compel Greece to take one side or tho other. Neither of the belligerents at present menaces the safety of the people, of Grcece. The Allies are no u attempting to compel Greece to cross swords with the enemy. That, in the eyes of the Greek people, is a point in favour of the Entente Powers. All the Entente asks is the good faith of Greece while she is behind tho backs of the allied forces. This is not a severe task, and involves no sacrifice. The Austro-Germans demanded, howevpr, from Greece a sacrifice of her neutrality, her safety, and her honour. To give way to the German demands and strike in the back the troops of those who assisted Greece to throw off the yoke of Turkey in the early years of the nineteenth century would be an act of the basest ingratitude. Such an act no man of honour, least of all a brave and able soldier like King Constantine, could countenance whatever his leanings might be. A man of honour, a gentleman, and a soldier, the King could not submit to tho promptings of the Germans who, in their endeavours to gain their ends, are utterly unscrupulous and care not who suffers eo long as those ends are achieved. The Germans wish only to make a tool of King Constantine. That must now appear plain to him, since they have proposed io him to sacrifice his honour and that if Greece to the German Moloch.

The statement by King Constantine that Salonika is a free port and that the disembarkation of the troops of the Allies does not constitute a breach of neutrality cuts away all grounds for complaint against the Entente Powers, and leaves the AustroGermans and Bulgarians without the right to make demands that Greece should intervene to alter the present state of affairs.

King Constantino has given a Very satisfactory answer, and it must be admitted that the Austro-Germans have received a rebuff. It would be an injustice to King Constantine to 6Uggeet that a very powerful argument at Malta influenced hie answer. The arrangements at Malta were made not so much for the purpose of influencing King Constantine, but as a preparation for such a contingency as a coup d'etat by the pro-German counsellors of tho King, for the prevention of the recurrence of what took place in Turkey when Envcr Bey seized the reins of Turkish power on behalf of hie pro-German friends and '-.he pro-German plotters. It may be 6aid that Lord Kitchener has proved one too many for the pro-German plotters in Greece.

THE CAMPAIGN IN SERBIA. A Serbian official message reports that a fierce battle is proceeding at Kuchanik, 10 miles north-west of Uskub, and 50 miles north-west of Veles. The Serbs are fighting a large force of Germans, Austrians, and Bulgarians. The Austro-German forces are said to be using long-range guns. These guns must have been brought into action by the Bulgarians. The Austro-Germans have not had time to advance southwards from Kruchevatz and Ribari. Such AustroGerman troop 6 and guns as are at work at Kuchanik must have arrived on the spot by way of Sofia. The troops assisting the Bulgars with artillery will have crossed into Bulgaria by way of the Danube and Widin. The main Austro-German forces are still in the regions north of -the Jaetre-Batz mountains. With a force consisting mostly of Bulgarians, who / are attacking the Serbians in a strong position, and the Allies working pound the south-east of Uskub, the Serbians have a chance of victory. Their chance will be enhanced if the Anglo-French can push forward north-east of Yeles and, threaten the Bulgarian flank while other forces work quickly round the west of Uskub and effect a junction with the Serbians.

INTERNATIONAL peace humbugs. A correspondent of L© Temps with the headquarters staff, presumably that of General' Joffre, is responsible for the statement that tho Hague Tribunal' proposed holding a poace conference in December atBerne. All the leading Frenchmen who were approached refused to participate; but American representatives, including Mr Taft and Professor Lowell, who were asked to attend, lfeve accepted the invitation, and the correspondent believes the sitting of the Tribunal will be , held on December 14.

This proposed conference is either simply the work of busybodies who do not understand what is at stake, and are trying to push .themselves into prominence, or it is inspired by German agents who wish neutrals to assist Germany to obtain the fruits of victories that were suddenly snatched while the power of Germany was at the zenith of its strength. These victories were the result of rushing tactics on France, Belgium, and Russia—a plan of working which was carefully, thought out long prior to the outbreak of war, and which could only be 'icarried out successfully by the country that was ready with an overwhelming army. Germany was the only country in the whole of Europe that had every means ready for the moment. Therefore, her rushes succeeded. The time has now arrived when she cannot hold the fronts of the territory she hae seized, and her only hope of saving herself from the result of her crimes against Europe and civilisation, and of making anything out of her piratical attempt to crush Europe, 'is to get a crowd of maudling sentimentalists and shortsighted intellectuals or doctrinaires, as well as scone of those whose pockets are hurt, to enrol themselves into a tribunal of international peacemakers. While those who have been hurt most are not, crying for peace, and are still willing to fight the enemies of liberty, -to defend tho rights of small nations, and to uphold to the bitter end —to the last man and last shilling, if need be—the destinies of democracies against the' Caesarism and mediaeval feudalism, there is no place of honour in' Europe for peace cranks.

These people, for the sake of mankind, would bo better employed in finding ways and means for assisting in the downfall of Germany than in attempting to. save her when the bells of fate are beginning to toll the doom which she deserves. Peace, the only true and lasting peace for poor, torn Europe, cannot be hrought about otherwise than by dealing out to Germany the medicine'she has dealt out to Belgium, France, Russia, and Serbia, and by crushing tho bydraz-headod monster of Prussianism ajid its personal embodiments under the heel of the victorious Allies. If to do that should take years —which it will not—there can bo no signs of wavering. Either the Allies must conquer or the freedom that has taken thousands of years to develop must pass from the earth.