The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-20
CONCERT Has FAILED UTTERLY
When it has Greatest Need of Strength, il
is Impotent

is Impotent.
| New York, April ia dispatch to the
Tribune from London says: The sudden
change in the situation in the east has
come when the foreign Office is without
its chief and under secretary and when
every political leader of eminence IS
away from London. A Turkish declara-
ton of war would have caused no sur
prise a week ago, when the Greek irreg-
ulars crossed the frontier, but when day
after day passed and the sultan seemed
10 lack courage and hesita ted to give the
signal for which Edhem Pasha was wait
ing, the opinion was generally entertain
ed that the concert mad proved useful
for once and that the powers were pre-
! venting on outbreak of war. THIS opin-
ion was shattered after midnight by the
news from Constantinople that a state
of war had been declared and that the
Turkish army was advancing toward
Larissa.
Easter being one OF the quietest Sun
days of the year and the west end being
now empty and the principal clubs de-
szrled, the outbreak of war has not caus-
ed any excitement here. The foreign Of
fee staff admit that the acton of Tur-
key IS decisive and. that serious fighting
on the frontier has already begun. Wha:
is now evident to everyone is that the
concert. instead of triumphing and VIM
dealing its utility, as was supposed
twenty-fouI hours ago. has utterly fail
ed - prevent an outbreak of hostilities
SC in do Of N,.aa Ii, =
altogether. Sir William Harcourt. who
speaks this week in Wales. Will have a
fine oppcl tunity for emphasizing his re-
cent criticisms of unionist diplomacy and
for harassing the government in his most
aggressive style. Massingnam and Lo-
bodchere have shown themselves to be
sagacious prophets. and Sir William Har
court probably now regrets that ne did
no: take holder course and move vote
OF ensure.
Greece has carried her point of COMPEL
ing Turkey 10 be the aggressor. Her
ONE campaign is defensive and this has
an impoI tant bearing on the action OF
the powers. Turkey makes war on Greece
and forces her 10 defend her territories.
Greece consequently is not making war
on the powers and the combined block
ada and other coercive measures cannot
consistently be maintained after an out
break OF hosuHcies
THIS IS a great advantage and one well
worth waiting for. But. with the ex-
cepjio1 of a righteous cause. il : almost
the only one which the Greeks have. The
Turks have the heavier bat;alions. a
hercer and more var-I,ke spirit superior
facilities Of transport and more acces-
si6le base of operations. Il Maca5oni a
remains quiet behind them they viii pos
ssss all The advantages OF numbers. dis
eipline. leadership and position in the
campaign now opening. Il Macedonia
revolts there viii be appalling massa-
crss and The Balkan states VIII be on
fire.
The powers VIII now devote their en-
ergies 10 localizing and restricting the
, area OF the conflict. bur when the re-
sources OF the concert have already been
exhausted in diplomatic reimbursement
little dependence can he placed upon the
success % their efforts Five powers are
committed 70 defensive csmpa IN by
Their alliance and a sixth. England. mas
made lt;ie use 50 far 81 ne opo-tur1itv
Cor independent decisive action. Il is
amazing that in crisis fraught With
monentoas consequences fer Europe.