The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-16
War in the Balkans.
1t Looks Now as if 1t Were I'm
avoidable.

While the war in the Far East
menopohzes for the moment the at
tentioR of the civilized world, 1t will
not do to lose sight Of what is going
on IN the unhappy Balkans. Here, if
signs do not fail altogether, Turkey
Is preparing 10 seize the psychology
zeal moment and attempt, once for
all, to discipline The states which shell
ter the agitators whose one object in
life seems 10 De to undermine Otto
man authority within the limits of the
Ottoman empire in Europe. In Mace
doDla the principal problem confront
mg Turkey is the protection of peace
able inhabitants Greeks, Rouman-
ians, and law-abiding Bugarians, as
well as Turks-from the attacks of
Bulgarian insurgents. Another diff
Guilty is to keep IN order the Moham-
medan Albanians, who, being fanat-
zeal supporters of the Ottoman en-
pre-, cannot understand that Islamic
interests should be sacrificed to pro-
pitiate rebellious minority of aliens.
The principality of Bulgaria con
tinues, there is good reason for believ-
ing, to foster and encourage the
agitation by sending across the from
TIER bands of dynamiters, and by shell
tering them after the commission OF
crimes on Turkish territory. The
revolutionary committee carries on It's
campaign from points like the monas-
teries of Rilo and Custendil. Guns
and ammunition are said to'have beer
stored at number of places along
the line of the Bulgarian frontier
Troops have been concentrated. anC
preparations made for furnishing
them with supplies for a prolonged
campaign. The powder factories anC
artillery depots in Sofa have doubled
their working forces and are at worl
day and night New military road.
have been constructed, and fortified
lions built at Kossovo, Dubnitza, and
Tirnovo. Every bridge and causewa,
OF the military roads has beer
strengthened, and every preparation
made for an invasion of Turkish ter
ritory.
Now, it is ineoneeivable that Tur
key should sit calmly by and see thes,
preparations being made withou
striking sooner or later a blow In de
tense of her territorial integrity-o
should we say administrative Ell
tity?" She now scatters, it Is true
niarsuding bands OF Bulgarians, bu
only after the burning of Mohsmme
dan villages and the slaughter Of thei
inhabitants. The Turks, we take il
are not saints, and IN some cases, n
doubt, they have been the aggressor:
As a rule, however, the most impair
teal observers unite IN saying ths
Bulgarian agitators are instigatin
eutrages. such as the assassination o
Greeks and even people Of their ow
race, who are peaceful and law-abiC
ing Ottoman subjects, for no othe
reason than that Of dragooning theI
into open rebellion OF else to intim
date them into acting as spies. A lis
ii is said, of "apostates" from Ii
sacred cause" of the Bulgarians hs
been prepared, and each man on Ii
list is marked for assassination. Sue
ossassinations, SIS a matter Of fac
are a matter Of daily occurrence.
addition to this, the foreign manage,
Of railroads have been duly infor1nC
that a new season Of dynamite on
RACES will presently open, and the
are warned, fguratively speaking,
'stand from under"
Under these circumstances, we +
peat, we shouldn't be surprised
deed, Europe is prepared-to see Il
Turkish government take some mea
tres TO protect the empire against a
lacks Of this sort. Such measur
viii. in all probability, take the for
Of an invasion Of eastern Roumeli
To this end Turkey is prepared, it
said, TO send across the frontier,
AK hours notice, an army of 100,0I
men, and 10 follow it up within fe
days later by another army Of 1900
men. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgar
Is Ottoman governor general of ca:
ern Roumelia, and the Turkish go
eminent has always maintained tn
but for this anomalous condition
things, which makes the prince an j
dependent ruler in one part of /
prineipality and a servant Of the 81
tan in another, order would
promptly restored IN all the Turk