The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-04-20
With the Fury of Demons the
Followers of the Crescent
and Cross Battle.
TURKS SUCCEED IN CAPTURING
MILOUNA PASS.
This Is Considered the Key OF La
rIssa, and Many Greek Positions
Are in Danger.
copyrighted by the New York sun.l

LONDON, ENG, April l9.-Although
scarcely more than forty-eight hours have
elapsed since the declaration of war a cr-
sis seems to be close at hand in the fast
and furious campaign between the Greek
and Turkish armies.
The bewiIdering succession of events
along the whole line OF the frontier dem
onstrates first of all that war hereafter
will be matter OF days instead of months
The situation at present, roughly speak
ing, is this:
On the west coast and frontier of Epirus
the Greeks are CARRYING everything before
them and making victorious invasion of
the enemy's country. The Turks on the
other hand have captured Milouna Pass,
which Is considered the key of Larissa,
and the Greek position there and other
points in Thessaly are in the gravest dan
ger. 1t is impossible to deny that Turk
ish successes of yesterday and to-dey in
volve great peril 10 the Greek cause. The
loss of Larissa means an open road to
Volo, eventually to Athens, and unless
the Turkish advance Is speedily checked
the Greeks will have littIe e to hope for. 1t
is already argued in London that Greece
must retrieve to-days disaster by some
such desperate venture as attem ptine
to force the DardanelIes. All accounts
agree that the Turks are fighting every
where like demons, and the Greeks, al
though outnumbered at most points, are
hah
1t Is important before describing the
military events OF the day to indicate the
bearing OF the situation toward the
mighty eventuality universal war
which Salisbury ana Balfour have been
telling the world for months would surely
come II what we are now Witnessing
should happen. Not one of these men or
any Of their followers now pretend that
this alarm was justified, or that the war
will probably spread beyond the two
countries involved.
The point principally debated by Eu-
rope to-day is Has war been permitted to
break out by the conniyance of one or
more powers, or has it come despite the
best efforts Of concert by Europe to
preserve the peace? The best judgment
still is that Emperor William is chiefly
responsible for the Sultan's declaration of
war, after he had become convinced that
the powers were unwilling to act or tn
continue TO act as full allies against
Greece. 1t is generally expected that all
the powers will take position of genuine
neutrality in few days.
The London Gazette to- morrow will an.
nounce the usual neutral attitude of Great
Britain.
In regard to Crete itself the situation is
peculiar, and there is no indication what
the powers will do. 1t is an undoub.ed
fact that the greatest peril to European
peace would lie in Greek success in the
present conflict. 1t is admitted in the
opinions telegraphed to London tonight.
even from Vienna and Berlin, that the
failure of the Turks in the war with
Greece would mean the immediate doom
of the Ottoman Empire. That alone is
recognized as the probable cause of a gen.
eral war. 1t is likewise admitted that
Europe will not allow the defeat of Greece
to result in any territorial penalties
1t is unnecessary to explain further why