The New York herald., 1879-08-05
THE GREEK FRONTIERS.
Threatened Struggle for the Pos
session of Janina
THE NEW BOUNDARIES
Greeks and Turks Armed for
the Fight.


which has long threatened to bring about war
between Turkey and Greece? With but one excep-
lion our recent items of news have been the
reverse of reassuring this point. Turkish troops
were massed on the Greek frontier. and the Greeks
of the kingdom, as we'll those OF Ihessaly and
Lower Albania, are eager and ready to vndicate
what they consider their rights ut the point OF the
sword. What the Greeks want may be gathered
from the following extract from the journal
ID Athenes:-"No understanding between Greece
and Turkey possible that does not give Janina to
Greece. We unanimous as in all critical periods
of national existence All the Greeks--the gov
ernmont and the opposition-agree 20 adopt nothing
from Europe if Janina remains outside the king
dom Greece will do her duty. and II Europe is one
day awakened by the sound of artillery and mus
kerry her southeastern territory Europe VIII
only have herself to blame" These warlike
words. They are valuable. IS showing the spirit
which animatss the people. The ono reassuring
feature of the general situation is the promise
which has been made by the Turkish Minister
for Foreign Affairs that he will without delay NOM
mate commissioners the Greek boundary lues-
tion. This will be the first step toward solution
of the difficulty.
THE BERLIN TREATY.
We have seen what it is the Greeks want. They
demand such an extension of territory to the north
claim such extension because of promises made to
them at the Berlin Conference These promises
were of somewhat peculiar character. AS Lord
Beaconsfeld recently said in the House of Lords.
the arrangement proposed for the settlement of the
Greek CLAIMS stands quite different footing
from tho other stipulatons of the treaty, and
neither binds the Turks to observe it nor the other
Powers to compel them to do so. The Congress sim
ply invited the Sublime Porte to come to under
standing with Greece An opinion was expressed as
what equitable rectiication OF frontier might
be- but special pains taken to explain that
the recommendation simply an opinion
of counsel and not Judicial decree M.
Waddington, who proposed the clause, said
that all that meant was by means Of the
authority of the High European Assembly. "to i'm
part to the two governments. Ottoman and Greek.
the moral strength for the former to consent to
effective concessions and the latter abstain from
exaggerated pretcnsions." Lord Beaconsfeld said
that while he thought the proposed rectifcation
''would be an act of high policy favorable to the
welfare OF the two countries he would not recon-
mend for the attainment of that such measures OF
coercion Prince Bismarck spoke in similar
He told the Turkish representatives that the
paragraph in question expressed desire Of the Con-
gress, not resolution in which the Porte asked
to concur; that, in short. ''the Powers confined
themselves to declaring that they animated
with the desire that the negotiations would sue
ceed." The Congress- it will thus be observed came
under responsibility III the matter. The settle
mcnt left to the moral strength" of the Turk.
This moral strength has signay failed. and Greece
once more has had the bitter experience OF dsap-
pointment and neglect.
THE GREAT POWERS ro BLAME
OF such arrangement il is hardly possible to
speak with respect. 1t is difcult indeed to believe
that the insertion of the & reek clause N the Berlin
treaty due to any motive higher or more noble
fhnv
in the easiest way possible of difncul and trouble
some question. From such tree the desired fruit
was not to be expected The Greeks have been not
only ill-rewarded but shamefnliy deceived If thev
had arisen and asserted their rights at the swords
point they would have comnanded at Berlin larger
amount of consideration, and that they did not rise
aud take advantage OF the best opportunity which
was ever presented TO them was due to the
promise made to them by the British govern
mcnt The Powers are all to blame; but England,
because she dreoty nterfered and prevented Greece
from taklug vantage of her opportunity. is more
TO blame than any than all the others. 1t was
Lord Derby who, while yet Foreign Secretary,
sured the Greeks that Her Majesty's government
would, when the time came for settling the ques-
tions arising out of the ''use their best influ-
ence to secure for the Greek population in the Turk
ish provinces any administrative reforms advan-
,tases which may be conferred upon the Christian
population OF other race 1t is quite true that
Lord Derby did not lead the Greeks to expect that
British influence would be used to procure Tor them
territorial extension But he does promise-he docs
positively pledge himsef-to to it that they
should be placed upon an equality with the
races that took part in the instructions; in
words That they would
reward of their abstaning from what the others
would obtain the reward OF their labor and eri
nee. 'Such PROMISE. to quote the words OF Mr..
Rue in the British QldrLery, 'was actually more
moment To the Greeks than either direct promise
OF territory direct promise of internal reforms,
the Greek mind OF Siavonic ascend
ency in the Peninsula is more formidable danger
than continuance of Turkish misrule."
THE sLAvoNIc ELEMENT
The Turk robs him only OF his comfort in the
present but the Slav threatens to rob him of that
which makes the present toerable--his hope of the
made common war against the Turk. Now that the
power of the Turk has declined, and that
s ha sensny increased the sia, n and rtse te
Greek have turned their against each
other. They longer allies, bur jealous rivals
and antagonists. and the rival aims OF these two
will constitute prominent features of the
Lastefn question of the future. 1t is the superior
attention which has been shown, the superior con-
Eidcration which has been given 10 the Slav which
forms the special aggravatfon III the treatment of
the Greeks All around him Le secs tho slavic
power developing and expanding, while he himself
IL shat mp within the narrow limits OF the king
dom or lost amid the Slavic crowd by which he is
surrounded. The Greek st,ll dreams of future en-
prc. The Panhellcnsn, the kim. dom OF promise
and aspiration. stu floats like vision before him.
aud he rejoices iii the prospect Of the gathering
gether of the scattered children OF Hcllas and IN
che establishment. IN the room oi the Turk
empire. with its throne on the Bospnorus and It's
centre OF worship ia the Church OF st. sophia
such being the feeling common 10 the Greeks OF the
Kingdom and to the Greeks OF the Provinces il is
easy TO understand with what dread they conteni-
plate that slayonic nggrandi1ement which threatens
to contest with them tile Ultimate possession of
stantinopc. la June of 1917 Mr.. Layard wrote
that IL the Greeks tempted to invade Thessay
it would bc less on account of animosity to the
Turk than because .ther dread that :he Slavoulc
in motion by Russ.a will ovcrwhelm the
Greek people in tho country and put end 10
the cherished hopes of the Hellenic race
Df being hereafter the pogsessors of Mace
donia, Thrace and Constautinope.' When
take all these things into consideration
the sentiments common 30 the entire Hellenic race,
aheir hope OF reunion and empire, their dread
of Slavic prcpondersnco in the Peninsula, their
Einling away OF great opportunity at the advice
and under the promise of Lord Derbyt is difficult
to to any other conclusion than that Greece
badly treated by the Berlin Congress: and that
while ALI tho Powers are 20 blame, England rs the
most culpabie.
THE TEnRi1oEY or GRREcE TOO LIMITED.
There 10 plain and simple way by which this
matter can be set right II is competent to the Pow
to interpose and IL justice Is TO be done and
probable averted it ia their duty to interfere.
Greece Is entitled to consideration ON her
count. She Is all the moro entitled to con-