THE BALKANS

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 29

THE BALKANS

THE PEACE TREATY

BULGARIA DISAPPOINTED,

THE AUGEAN ISLANDS

TRIBUTE TO KING CHARLES,

FUTURE OF ADRIANOPLE,

TURKEY’S CLAIMS

SOFIA, August 11. The improbability of a revision of the peace treaty has caused a profound depression in Bulgaria. The Holy Synod s organ declares that the treaty paves the way to another war in the not distant future, again soaking the Balkans in blood. Discontent has been caused owing to Bulgaria being required to be the first to demobilise, though Turkey has 200,000 men threatening her. August 12. King Ferdinand, in an address to the army, eulogises their achievements. He adds ; “ When my soldiers were about to return homewards a fresh scourge descended on the nation. The Allies, despite fixed treaties, betrayed the Bulgarians, and endeavoured to snatch from them what ten thousand heroes had redeemed with their blood. The struggle thus precipitated would have been crowned with success but for a series of unforeseen political circumstances paralysing the Bulgarians’ strength. Pressed on all sides, exhausted, tired, but unconquered, the Bulgarians have been compelled to furl their glorious standards until better days. Posterity, however, will appreciate the army's efforts. Return to your homes, devote yourselves with fresh force and energy to peaceful occupations, tell your children and grandchildren about the gallantry of the Bulgarian soldier, and prepare them to complete one day the glorious work you have begun.” August 13. King Ferdinand indignantly denies that he contemplates resigning. It is eemi-officially stated that after the Bulgarian troops evacuated Seres the Greek inhabitants, under, the archbishop, formed a local militia, which pillaged from the Mussulmans, Jews, and Bulgarians. Upwards of 200 Bulgarians, including a number of women and children, were imprisoned. Subsequently on the arrival of the Greek troops the archbishop visited and reassured the prisoners and civilians. Then the soldiers entered and perpetrated a massacre, one man, a Bulgarian, escaping. The - Greeks then photographed the mutilated corpses, and afterwards exhibited them to the consuls as corpses of Greeks massacred by Bulgarians. A similar ruse, says the Bulgarian official report, was resorted to at Melenik, where the Greek soldiers killed and mutilated a Bulgarian priest, exhibiting his corpse as that of the Greek Bishop of Dciran, who meantime had taken refuge in a Bulgarian monastery. • August 16. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria crowned with a wreath of leaves the leader of the Sofia division. The troops marched in procession to the city from the front. August 17. The Government has notified the Powers that the Turks are making towards Kirjali and Gumuljina, and protest that it is iniquitous that Bulgaria should be com pelled to demobilise while Turkey is infringing the treaty of London. BUCHAREST, August 12. The Bulgarian demobilisation has begun. The older classes of reservists have been disbanded, but a large force of regulars is kept in readiness in southern Bulgaria to re-occupy Thrace when the Turks withdraw to the Enos-Midia Hue. Russia and some of the other Powers have given Bulgaria assurances in regard to the enforcement of the treaty of London. The Czar has telegraphed to King Charles of Roumania, extending’his congratulations on the re-establishment of peace. King Charles replied thanking the Czar for the fresh evidences of his friendship, and hoping that peace would be durable. August 13. King Charles has exchanged cordial telegrams with the Balkan Sovereigns. King Ferdinand expresses his gratitude to Roumania for terminating the war, and hopes that the reinvigorating influences of peace will bring about an oblivion of the past and preparations for a better future. He trusts that the two countries will be drawn into closer friendship. BELGRADE, August 14. All troops have been ordered to demobilise. SALONIKA, August 11. The Greeks held a thanksgiving service in the Church of St. Sophia, which has been occupied for 500 years as a Mohammedan mosque. The service referred to the glories of the ancient Byzantine emperors and ended with a eulogy of King Constantine. August 16. Six Bulgarian soldiers, who were identified as having participated in the Doxalo massacres, were court -martial led and executed over the victims’ graves. CONSTANTINOPLE. August 12. The Porte persists in demanding the Maritza line.

VIENNA, August 13

At France’s instance Russia has yielded the question of Kavala to Austria, and has abandoned her demand for a revision of the Bucharest settlement, restricting herself to withholding recognition of the treaty.

The Emperor of Austria has congratulated King Charles of Roumania on his pacification work. The King replied that he hoped the peace would be durable and bring tranquility to the Balkans. August 15.

An influential deputation of citizens from Adrianople, headed by M. Orphanides, a Greek who is also a member of the Turkish Parliament, appealed to the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Office in favour of remaining under Turkish rule.

The deputation accused the Bulgarian regulars of terrible atrocities, including the bayonetting of 1000 youths under 18 years of age and young women and children. One hundred women at Malgara and elsewhere were hung by the hair to the walls of the temples. The deputation will also go to Paris and London. August 17. The newspapers report that the Malissori are dissatisfied with the AlbanianMontenegrin boundary as fixed by the Ambassadors’ Conference, and that the leaders have notified Vice-admiral Burney, who commands the blockading expedition at Antivari, that unless their demands are conceded by the 20th they wilt declare war against Montenegro. ~ ST. PETERSBURG, August 12. Russia is modifying her attitude, realising that once the present settlement is disturbed it would be difficult to limit the disturbance. The Turkish Ambassador informed the Russian Foreign Minister (M. Sazanoff) that it is impossible for Turkey to abandon Adrianople. M. Sazanoff retorted : “ Then measures will be taken to compel you to respect the treaty of London.” PARIS, August 13. A semi-official communique is published asserting that France and Russia are in perfect accord in connection with the Balkan problem. August 14. The Bucharest correspondent of the Temps declares that during the peace negotiations the Kaiser, in a letter to King Constantine, said : “ I am fighting for your rights like a tiger.” BERLIN, August 12. The Cologne Gazette states that the other Powers share Germany's view against interfering with the Bucharest treaty. Any action on the part of European diplomats against the treaty is therefore precluded. August 15. Tlie Cologne Gazette describes the Kaiser’s reported letter to King Constantine as an invention. LONDON, August 12. The Ambassadors have settled ta southern boundaries of the new Albania, and have agreed that Italy shall retain the islands she occupied in the -Egenr Sea until a settlement is arrived at with Turkey, when the Powers will determine the destiny of the islands. They agreed not to retain any for themselves. The conference then adjourned. Speaking in the House of Commons Sir E. Grey confirmed the decisions of the Powers regarding the iEgean Islands and Albania. He added that the Concert of Europe was being firmly maintained. The great questions now occupying the Powers were the reoccupation of Thi’ace by Turkey and the situation in Macedonia The treaty of London provided Turkey with frontiers and the adequate protection of Constantinople. But for the Powers’ intervention earlier in the year Turkey’s position might have been less favourable He spoke in Turkey’s own interests when he said that the occupation of Adrianople might wreck her whole prospects if armed intervention by one or more Powers were to follow. Turkey should take their advice, otherwise she would incur vast responsibilities, whereupon Great Britain would not be able to defend her. Great Britain did not intend to suggest a revision of the Bucharest treaty. August 13.

The majority of the Ambassadors were in the distinguished strangers’ gallery listening to Sir E. Grey’s reassuring speech, which showed that though the Powers were not unanimous there was no tendency towards a division into opposing camps. Sir E. Grey declared that <he Great Powers had accepted the Bucharest settlement. Some were in favour of a modification, but it would be futile to suggest an alteration unless the Powers suggesting it were prepared to use force. The Powers would not employ force to expel Turkey from Adrianople or Thrace, but Turkey stood to lose heavily if she refused obedience to the voice of Europe. Millions of the King’s subjects were Mohammedans, but Britain could not undertake to protect Mohammedan subjects outside the British dominions from the consequences of their own acts. He incidentally remarked that London had been the clearing house of the great Powers. In his opinion the Ambassadors’ Conference had turned many difficult corners. Every State of the Balkans during the last few weeks had disregarded treaties and agreements, and had sought to take advantage of the situation, but he refused to select any particular State for blame and raise a hue and cry against it The war at the beginning was a war of

liberation, but it rapidly became a war of conquest, and ended in being a war of extermination. The conflagration had now burned itself out, and everything consumable had been consumed.

Referring to war between Bulgaria and the quondam Allies, Sir E. Grey said it was a melancholy exhibition of racial bitterness and human perversity. A more distressing spectacle had seldom been witnessed. It was impossible not to be apprehensive about the future, but they could only hope that the Balkan States would grow, in their sense of responsibility and profit by new opportunities, enabling them to secure their respective places in the world. Sometimes the Concert of Europe was criticised for not preventing happenings, but he was afraid that the Concert of Europe was not very sensitive to criticism.

Sir E. Grey' strongly' entreated Turkey to observe the treaty of London. The Powers, besides securing for Turkey a strong defensive frontier, had opposed the demand for an indemnity. Ho next warned Turkey' and the Balkan States that if intervention was provoked it would not be intervention by Europe or by a Power armed with a European mandate, but by some one Power which would be provoked to action in her own interest. Mr A. Bonar Law, in a cordial speech, extolled Sir E. Grey’s services in the cause of European peace. He said Sir E. Grey had been greatly helped by the fact that he spoke for the whole nation and by British disinterestedness throughout. Ilia reputation for straightforwardness and candour had enabled him to make the most of these two advantages. He concluded by congratulating Sir E. Grey on his success, adding that the House might feel sure that the greatest of all dangers—the danger of a European war—had gone. August 14. The newspapers throughout the Continent acclaim Sir E. Grey’s speech. August 15.

The Daily Telegraph’s Constantinople correspondent interviewed the Grand Vizier, who declared that if the Bulgarians reoccupicd Adrianople they must pass over the bodies of 200,000 picked troops. The anger of the Turkish army had reached a pitch of unprecedented fury owing to the Bulgarians’ misdeeds.

August 17. The Greek army' will demobilise next week. The slow withdrawal of the Roumanian army embarrasses Bulgaria, and hinders the re-establishment of food transportation.

Two thousand cases of cholera are reported among the Roumanians. Mr Bartlett insists that Sir E Grey’s declaration is not moving Turkey in the slightest. The Turks would rather perish in a vast final cataclysm than hand back Adrianople and Thrace to the tender mercies of the Bulgarians. MELBOURNE, August 16.

The Greek community has received a cablegram from the Queen of Greece acknowledging £SOO sent by Greek residents here for the sufferers by the war.