The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-11-25
The War i'm Europe.

A few months ago Eastern ROumelia,
by peaceful revolution, joined its for
tunes with those of Bulgaria. This
event was regarded by the European
powers as an infraction of the Treaty
of Berlin. Austrian influence is pre-
dominant in Servia, and King Milan
was induced to believe that the annex
alton of Eastern Roumelia to Bulgaria
was menace and an injury to Servia.
1t was argued that if the treaty rights
were not to be respected by Bulgaria,
then Servia would be justified in assert
ing her hereditary claim to the small
strip of territory in which are included
the important cities of Widdin and
Sofia. But the ostensible reason given
by Servia for her sudden invasion of
Bulgaria, last week, was the " unjusti-
fable attacks on Servians and the inva-
sion of Servian territory by Bulgarians."
In the three engagements between the
combatants, last week, the Servians
were successful in two, but in the last
engagement they were repulsed, with
considerable loss.
The declaration of war by Servia
against Bulgaria and her invasion of
he latter, before the conference of the
great powers had arrived at any de-
cision in regard to the questions in
volved in the controversy, has made
the problem more complicated. The
opinion is expressed that unless the
conflict is stopped by the Intervention
of other powers than Austria and Rus
STA, it may result in general state of
war. 1t is also believed that there is
an understanding between Austria and
Russia in this matter, by which they
seek partition of the Balkan states,
as Poland was divided. This selfish
scheme may be prevented by the united
opposition of England, France and
Germany. On the other hand, it is
represented that Germany, rather than
Russia, joined with Austria in suggest
ing the movement of King Milan of
Servia. 1t appears, however, that
Prince Alexander of Bulgaria is per-
sonally obnoxious to the Car, and the
fact that the latter has recalled all Rus
sian officers detailed to the Bulgarian
service would seem to indicate that he
does not intend to aid Bulgaria in the
conflict. The imperial organ at St.
Petersburg has advised Prince Alexan-
der to renounce his claim to Eastern
Roumelia, and thus deprive Servia of
her preteXt for war.
The position of Turkey is one of ex-
IRENE difficulty. AS the nominal pro-
tector of Bulgaria, the Porte is bound to
aid the latter in expelling the Servian
invaders. The vigorous war prepare
tons in Turkey indicate willingness
to come to Servia's rescue, but the
Porte may finally be restrained from
taking decisive action through the in
fluence of Austria and Germany. The
little kingdom of Greece is greatly in
terested in the pending situation. The
Greek minister in London said, re-
Gently" Bulgarian success would mean
absolute death to Greece-not merely
the sacrifice of upwards of one hundred
thousand Greek inhabitants of Eastern
Roumelia, but the realization of the
Great Bulgaria planned by General
Ignatieff at San Stefano and the alb
sorption of all the districts absolutely
Greek. In protesting against the union
of Bulgaria and Eastern Roumeia, we
have not been moved by jealousy or a
wish to Illustrate the just wishes of a
sister nationality, but we insist that if
there is treaty which regulates all the
different nationalities in the East it
must either be respected by all or al
tered in favor of ALL" But Greece is
as much the creature of European diplo-
macy as Turkey. In any REIMBURSEMENT
of boundary lines upon her northern
frontier, Greece has undoubted claims