Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-29
THE RECO-ROUMANIAN CONFLICT.


drama they are mere
Balkan vaudevilles which conclude
Tronh1e. with amicabie arrange
ments" The Greco-Rou-
manian conflict might we'll be classed as q
vaudeville. but for the ugly fact that Mace
donna forms the basis OF the plot of the
play, veritable pivot of peril. and thus
the seeming vaudeville may be changed at
any moment into tragedy.
The rupture between Greece and Rou-
mania has been followed by the withdrawal
of the representatives from Bucharest and
Athens. respectively; a denunciation or
treaties and a recourse to vexatious Gus
toms charges, a commercial war termed In
international language as "retorsion" and
reprlsal.
Actual war between Greece and Rouma-
mia is not probable, scarcely possible, be-
cause of the typographical situation. the
latter being defended on the one side by the
forbidden Dardanelles, and on the other by
the intervening states. But Roumania is
part of the Balkan question, and spark
may set afire the magazine, which Is Mace
donia.
may be glad to learn in advance the merits
of a quarrel which may puzzle the diplomat
to unravel.
The Greeks maintain that the Roumanian
the violence committed on Roumanian ter
ritory by Roumanians against Greeks and
the conflict OF races in Macedonia. an otto
man province, is not admissible. Greece
cannot be responsible for acts of violence
committed on Turkish territory.
The Greeks claim that in July and Au-
gust several Greek stores at Bucharest
were attacked and pillaged by Roumanians
and the proprietors badly beaten; the di-
rector of the Greek chancellory received
menacng letters; Greek flag was burned
at Giurgevo by rioters, accompanied by
cries and insulting epithets: two Greek sub
jects were expelled, notably the director or
the Greek journal. PATHS. the latter under
pretext of having circulated a Autograph
representing Macedonia borne by Greek
militiaman with the device: Neither Turk
nor Bulgarian; Macedonia will always re-
main Greek" The Greeks aver that that
assumed provocation dates from the 1st OF
January, 1903, and had no reference to Rou-
mania.
Greece, under these circumstances, de-
handed: First, the punishment of the po-
lice who at Giurgevo permitted the insult
of the Greek flag; second. the bringing to
justice of the persons guilty of attacks on
the Greeks: third, the report of expulsion
against the directors of the PATHS.
On these two latter points Roumania was
silent. AS for the first, the incident was
deemed regrettable, but it
Diplomatic did not feel that the police
Rreach were responsible. The Greek
minister at Bucharest, NJ.
Tombazis, thereupon received order
from Athens to quit his post.
The Greeks claim that the trade obtained
from the sultan to permit the Koutzo-val
aques to establish communities in Mace
donia in conformance with Turkish laws
was violation in fact of ottoman law and
privileges of the oecumenical patriarchat.
The Turkish law, for a fact, which governs
the Christian communities in Turkey, recog-
niZeS these groups only as ecclesiastical
communities whose existence and rights de-
pend upon the independent churches estab-
| lished in the ottoman empire. AS there is
no Roumanian church in Turkey, the au-
thoriZation given to the Roumanians to
form Roumanian communities OUTSIDE of
the oecumenical church was Illegal The
patriarchS protested and the Roumanian
government was much irritated. Their ir
ritation was greatly augmented when they
perceived that Notwithstanding the costly
and multiple efforts in their favor the Rou-
manians of Macedonia failed to profit by
the privilege obtained from the porte. In
accordance with ottoman law it is neces-
sary to unite a certain number of adher
ents Now the Roumanians so few in
number that they failed to establish the
communities. To this check to the Rou-
| manian propaganda in Macedonia is due in
large part the attitude of Roumania to-
ward the Hellenic government and the
oecumenical patriarchat The Greek gov
eminent claims that these facts do not JUS
tffy the violence committed in Roumania
against Greek subjects.
M. Bourchier. author of a volume entitled
1.-THE Balkan Question" is cited as author
ity to prove that 1.-THE Koutzo-Valaques do
not form compact and autonomous ele-
ment in Macedonia" and he adds: tRou-
mania continues her propaganda with the
idea that she will obtain compensation else
where should the population in Macedonia
If adjudged Roumanian, be given to an
other power. The Roumanian government
maintains the propaganda in Macedonia by
the appropriation of considerable sums OF
money. But il is doubtful if any political
advantage will compensate for the outlay
All Valoques are more or less Hellenes;
many of them winter in Greece and their
principal residences in summer are Mts
Pindar and Gramos, which belong to
Greece"
So much from the Hellenic point of view
of Roumania's policy in Macedonia. Rou-
mania answers in substance
Rouman1a's as follows: First, that the
Answer. cause of her conflict with
Greece is indicated in
Macedonia that the patriarch, agent of the
pan-HeIlenic policy, refuses to Roumanian-
Macedonians the right to live outside Of
their church. and to justify that refusal
they deny their existence In Macedonia
The Roumanians protest against that vexa-
ton, and, tired OF being strangled by the
Greek hierarchy, reclaim the right to live
This right the porte accorded them in the
trade of the month of May last, which au-
thorized them to constitute legal commu-
mites by which they can be represented or
defended, to have churches, schools, ceme-
teres-shake off, in a word, the political
yoke placed upon them by a power whose
action should remain purely religious.
1.-THE satisfaction accorded by the sui
TAM" the Roumanians declare, has very
greatly irritated the oecumenical patriarch
and the Greek government Since then our
unhappy brothers, every time they have at
tempted to exercise rights which the law
confers. have been subjected to atrocous
violence. Greek bands formed on Greek ter
ritory, commanded oftentimes by officers of
the Greek army, have molested them,
tracked and decimated them through the
completely and under the direction of Greek
priests. A case tried before the tribunal of
Bitolia has shown these chiefs of bands in
voking their quality as Greek subjects and
without the Greek authorities opposing
their entree into Macedonia. and this case
is not the only one. The Roumanian gov
eminent instructed its representative at
Athens to bring that situation to the at
tention of the Greek government.
ION July the Roumanian minister called