CURRENT TOPICS

Southland Times, Issue 17533, 9 June 1915, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS

THE BALKAN NEUTRALS. The sympathies of Greece and Rot>< mania, as we know, are, and always have been, on the side of the Allies. Roth countries would have joined us in the field ere this but for the sudden development of unexpected domestic complications in Greece. The internal troubles of Greece have, in the meanwhile, at least partially resolved themselves, and the people are ever growing more eager to perform their duty to civilisation, Italy's example is bound to exercise a great influence on their emotions, and it cannot leave the Roumanians unaffected. The one "dark horse” of the Balkan States is Bulgaria. The people of Bulgaria are pro-Russian almost to a man; but they cherish, unfortunately. an acute grievance against Servia, and their Government has accepted many German favours. The Bulgarian Government, nevertheless, has shown rather decisively of late that it firmly resolved not to he made a catspaw of Germany. Early last April the Turks sent a mission to the Kaiser demanding that he should send :ioo,ood German troops to their assistance, and threatening to make a separate peace with the Allies if he refused. The Kaiser assented, and he promptly despatched General von dor Goltz to the Bulgarian King, asking permission to convoy his proposed expeditionary army across Bulgarian territory—the only available path of access—into Turkey. The request was, doubtless, urged with every resource of persuasion, menace and entreaty, but it was firmly refused: and (he very fact that Turkey did not carry out Iter throat to make peace with tha Allies shows clearly she was convinced that Germany was not culpably responsible for her failure to launch the projected expedition. It indicates, too, that Turkey and Bulgaria cannot love one another any better than of old, and that their ancient enmity has been lately reinforced witli fresh causes of offence. In addition to the above incident Bulagria has demonstrated her pro-Russian inclinations by faithfully carrying out a promise she gave Russia late last year not to attack sorely stricken little Servia. it may be ventured with much confidence. therefore, that there is very little likelihood, whatever happens, of Bulgaria. casting in her lot with AustriaGermany. The near-Eastern outlook is —as it has always been —uncertain; but we can say, at any rate, that it has never before afforded stronger reasons for expecting all the Balkan nations to declare themselves actively attached to the intereests of the Allies in the near future. It is an outcome devoutly to be wished by every lover of humanity: not because it would prove a supreme factor in defeating Germany—her doom is sealed already—but because it might avail to teach Germany the uselessness of protracting the conflict, and cause her to sue for peace.

•• BABY KILLING ” TROPHIES. Scarborough, the fashionable seaside resort, which was bombarded by German cruisers before Christmas, has suffered severely from loss of public patronage ever since. During the Easter season the great fashionable hotels along its sea, front were nearly empty; the largest had less than 40 guests. Tourists do not care to go there for a holiday, although Ihe place is not likely to be raided again, 'i'llis loss is serious for a place which depends for its prosperity almost entirely upon visitors. In the four days following the bombardment it is estimated that between 12,000 and 15,000 visitors loft the town, and very few of them have returned. The municipal authorities of Scarborough are preparing ra commemorate the raid for future genen. . tions. Tablets arc to be put upon the buildings which were hit, and the town is full of trophies in the form of shells and fragments of shells —3 inches, « inches and 11 inches. The corporation itself treasures six complete shells —two 0-inch and four 3-inch —which are kept in the strongroom of the town hall, and will some day rank among the city's most precious possessions. The city engineer lias beo» compiling a most interesting chart, whereon, on large-scale sheets of the town and surrounding land, every single shell that dropped is plotted. There are now rather over 500 of the little red crosses which show where a projectile fell. They are still being found, and many probably never will be found, for some dropped out in the country. It is safe to assume that close upon 600 shots must have been poured into the place in the course of the twenty minutes during which the bombardment lasted, and 30 shots a minute —or one to every two seconds—is as heavy bring as any town can care to be subjected to.

ESTIMATE OF GERMAN LOSSES. In the French Official Review of the War there is given an estimate of the German losses. By January of this year Germany had lost 1,800,000 men by the wastage of war on both fronts. The German losses to date must have passed far beyond two millions, and though about a third of these have doubtless rejoined the colours, the casualties work out to at least 260,000 a month, and the average has probably increased rather than decreased during the sanguinary engagements of the last two months. The Russian losses have probably been greater still, but tbe masses behind keep moving up, and German writers are beginning to complain of what they call the elasticity of the Russian armies, as though no matter what their losses may he, unlimited reserves are always ready to make them good. Four million Germans arc reputed to be under arms on both fronts, and the number of available reserves under 30 years of ago, comprising the 101.1. 1916 and 1017 classes, and capable of campaigning, is placed at two miliions more. According to the I rench Official Review, these will only be sum-

cient to keep the existing formations filled up. If the rate of casualties continues as at present, and will leave Germany no margin for the creation of new formations.

FOOD PRICES IN GERMANY. On behalf of the Socialist women in Germany a petition has been presented to the Reichstag concerning the price of food. The petition opens with a reference to the “growing excitement among the poorer classes due to the continually rising prices of food. The high price of potatoes, a deficiency of which exists in many places, imposes the severest privations on the poorer classes. Among these classes meat consumption is restricted to the minimum, and. owing to a scarcity, or high prices, it is impossible to find an adequate substitute in the increaesd use of milk, cheese, vegetables, oatmeal, rice, sugar, etc.” Evidently German housewives are engaged In the same task as English housewives of trying to cook the usual, dishes without using the necessary ingredients. The petition complains that interested groups are forcing up prices . immoderately, and says :—“Unless redress is very speedily forthcoming, there is reason to fear that the situation will develop,mischievously. The petition demands the prompt lowering of prices of flour, bread, potatoes and meat and the jiistribution by the Government of potatoes and meat.