THE BALKAN MAGAZINE

Otago Witness, Issue 3593, 23 January 1923, Page 48

THE BALKAN MAGAZINE

ANOTHER EXPLOSION POSSIBLE. LONDON, January 15. The Daily Telegraph states that there has been recent talk of military activities in the Balkans, which is probably due to the coincidence of frontier troubles in Hungary and Rumania. With rein--forcements of the Bolshevist Army on tlje Bessarabian frontier, the reappearance of Bulgarian bands near the Dobrudja River and in Serbian Macedonia, and the rapid growth of the Kemalists in Eastern Thrace, the position is tense, and may easily become explosive. The Little Entente has energetically drawn the attention of the Great Powers to the danger. The Morning Post's Belgrade eorrespon ■ dent reports that an agreement has been reached between the Soviet Government and Bulgaria that if war breaks out Bulgaria will remain neutral, until a propitious moment, when she will assist Russia with Irregulars, Russia attacking Bessarabia, across the Dobrudja, and Bulgaria Thrace. If the scheme were successful, Thrace would go to Bulgaria and Constantinople to Russia. SOFIA, January 14. It is semi officially stated that the native Bulgarian and Turkish Dopulations are being subjected to systematic terrorism and extermination in Western Thrace and Eastern Macedonia, where the situation is causing widespread agitation, in Bulgaria particularly. The outrages are described iri a Greek official communique as executions. PARIS, January 15. The Rumanian Minister confirms’the reported Hungarian-Rumariian skirmishes on the frontier. The French Government has demanded an investigation by the Allied Military Commission at Budapest. LONDON, January 16. Advices from Bucharest state that representatives of the Little Entente will meet at Bucharest or Belgrade shortly to discuss measures as regards the alleged secret arming of Hungary, despite the latter's emphatic denial. Fears are expressed in London lest the Little Entente, imitating the French action in the Ruhr, will decide on forcible action as the best way of settling the Hungarian Irredentist menace.