New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-20
ATTITUDE or THE BALKAN STATES

Tho course to be pursued by the various
Palkan States toward the Grcco-Turkish war Is
matter of much interest. If they should all en-
ter the field in aid Of Greece, the end would
come surely and Turkey would be
crushed There was time when they would
unouestionably have done So and there are
those who reckon that time Is not yet past But
for this latter notion there seems to be, unhap-
rily, scant justification; unless, indeed, some OF
the great Powers are secretly backing Greece
and will now do so in the open
Consider first Rumana. the chief of the Bal
kan States She would have absolutely nothing
to gain by such an enterprise: neither a rood OF
land nor plaster of money. She could not take
cction. save by sea, or by crossing the land Of a
third Power: both of which courses are out OF
tie question Moreover, she is bound to Aus
tria- Hungary in a hard and fast alliance and
could not move without that ally's consent. 81
sic may as well be counted out.
Bulgaria is most frequently mentioned as like
" TO Join Greece But Bulgaria and Greece have
been rivals and bite: enemies for many years
They both covet Mace lonia; and there is no pros
pect of their agreeing to divide that land be-
tween them. Besides. Bulgaria is under Rus
sian influence, practically a Russian province.
and for her to move without Russia's consent
would be entirely out of the question. So no
help from her is to be expected.
Servia is more Independent. She is ambitious.
too and not unfriendly TO Greece. But she is i'll
prepared for war. She could not hope TO gain
ircrease Of territory by 1t. because any such in
q ease would have to be in the very region which
Austria Hungary has already marked for her
own SO Servia will probably not take the ini-
tiative of aiding Greece, though she might do 50
if encouraged and led by some other Power
Montenegro remains, the most ambitious OF
them all. and the most truculont and implacabl
foe the Turk has had since Islander of Croia
broke the power and heart of Amurath. There
are warike preparations on both sides of the
Monten0grn border, and 1t is quite possible that
action may be taken there. For Montenegro
| would have q good chance Of material increase
| Of territory IL Northern Albania. And while
| she is in a measure bound to both Russia and
Italy il is not her custom to consult the pleasure
| or await the assent Of any earthly Power. So
II her Prince and people. the aristocrats OF tho
whole Balkan peninsula and the finest fighters
| in Europe, decide to celebrate this, their great
Jubilee year. in their favorite fashion of thrash
| ing the Turks, Greece may have an ally and
| that in the most effective quarter.
Such is the outlook for aid for Greece in her
| struggle with her giant foe. 1t Is not partcu-
| larly brilliant Nor is there any reason to sup
| pose the Greeks expected it TO be other than ii
| Is. The gallant little nation does not shrini;
| from the unequal duel, so long as Io other
| Powers join her foemans side And it is by no
II cans impossible nor even so very improbable,
that if the two are left TO fight it ont the world
| may again see
| The flying Mede. his broken. shaftless bow
The fiery Greek, his red. pursuing spear.