Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-20
WAR IN THE SPRING
Hostilities Will Come in the
Balkans
WHEN THE SNOW MELTS
RUSSIA WILL BE UNABLE TO RE-
STRAIN TURKEY.
Many Promises Made and Broken by
the Sultan-Indescribab Cruelties
in Macedonia and Bulgaria.
WHEN THE SNOW MELTS
BY WILLIAM T.. CURTIS.

Written for The Evening Star snd the Chicago
Record Herald.
As soon as the snow melts in the Balkan
mountains there is certain to be war and de-
struction. The restraining hand of Russia,
which has prevented hostilities between Bull
gara and Turkey. is no longer forceful, and
the attempts which have been made by the
Austrian and Russian ambassadors at Con-
stantinople to induce the sultan to behave
properly have accomplished nothing. The
revolutionary element in Macedonia has OBJ
tanned funds In some manner. and Is said to
be well supplied with arms and ammunition.
while the Bulgarian government has been
preparing for war all winter. and Is likely
to provoke an invasion by the Turks. which
has been prevented by Russian influence for
the last three years. Being no longer in
position to intervene with arms. Russia Will
not have so much influence.
To understand the situation 1t is neces-
sary to go back three years to the time
when Miss Stone, the American missionary.
was a prisoner of the so-called bandits
really Of band of cOnspratOrS represent
ing the Macedonian committee. Whlcn exists
for the purpose of emanclpating Macedonia
from Turkish rule has its headquarters at
Sophia Bulgaria and spent her ransom for
guns and powder. This committee Is very
much like the junta that encouraged ana
directed the revolution in Cuba from 1896 to
1898. 1t collects funds. buys arms ana am
munItion, and equps insurrectionary par
ties which invade Macedonia to take re-
venge upon the Turkish officials for their
cruelties to the people. The Bulgarian gov
eminent sympathiZes with the committee;
almost every man, woman and child In the
kingdom belongs to 1t, and contributes
money for revolutionary purposes as a
sacred duty. Up to this time Turkey has
not attacked Bulgaria because Of fear OF
Russia although the sultan has had great
provocation In the encouragement and as
sistance which the Bulgarians have given
TO the revolutionistS across the border.
The people Of Macedonia are Christians
principally members of the Orthodox Greek
Church, with a few DOMAIN Catholics The
officials. the police and the military forces
which are necessary to sustain the author
ity Of the sultan are all M0SlemS, and the
taxes extorted from the poverty-stricken
farmers and herdsmen are not expended
for the benefit Of the country. but are sent
to Constantinople. The cruelty of the Turk
ish officials, and the baShi-baZouks who ex-
ecute their orders, is beyond belief; the
atrocities which have been committed in al
most every village would shock the world
IL the truth were ever told. The Turks are
mercfess One of the proverbs of that
country says that wherever their shadow
falls desolation will follow.
Nearly half the population of Macedonia
has been exterminated or driven from that
province. The remainder have retaIated
their ability. but they are comparatively
feeble and impotent, and are unable to de-
fend themselves.
The Sultan's Promise
About three years ago the European pow
ers, which are very jealous. for fear one
may get little more influence In the Bal
kan peninsula than another, eXacted from
the sultan a promise OF reform. But, as
everybody knows, his promises are never
fulfilled. They have kept after him ever
since. and from time to time have OBJ
tanned nominal concessions. some Of which
have been partially carried out, but the
most of them have been entirely ignored.
Finally, by the common consent OF the ma
tons of Europe, the ambassadors of Aus
tria and Russia at Constantinople We're au-
thorized to make the best arrangements
possible for the relief and future protec-
ton OF the prosecuted Christians.
The sultan, as usual, has played fast and
loose with them, with no more conscience
than he has shown In other matters. For
example. when they compelled him to re-
call the governors and other magistrates
who were accused of cruelty and unlimited
murder. he sent even worse men to take
their places When they eXacted from him
by persistent pressure concession that the
police should be placed under the control
of foreign officers, it was suddenly dIscov-
cred that the police force in Macedonia was
a myth. 1t seemed to dissolve and vanish
Immediately after that agreement. and
when the foreign officers who had been Sc
lected reached their posts of duty they
could find no men to command and moth
ing to do.
The most recent iasco involved the collec-
ton of the revenues, which, in order to
prevent blackmail and extortion the sultan
agreed should be intrusted to the Imperial
Ottoman Bank which stands for Turkey as
the Bank of England stands for Great Brit
ain. 1t was agreed that the funds collected
should be expended for local purposes after
paying for the maintenance of the Turkish
army that Is kept in Macedonia, theoret-
ically to preserve the peace. but when the
representatives of the Ottoman Bank
reached their posts they found there was
nothing to collect. The people had been
stripped of everything they had by the
i lrAsh civil officers and the soldiers, and
had scarcely enough of their harvests left
TO keep them alive. new arrangement
has been entered into with the Ottoman
Bank which is said to be satisfactory to
the ambassadors, but no matter what they
demand. or what the sultan agrees to. he
has not and will not change his atrocious
policy long as there IS a Christian left
in Macedonia.
Sending Troops to Macedonia.
During the last few months the sultan has
been sending additional troops into Mace
donia and is placing them along the border
of Bulgaria. 1t Is no secret that as soon
the snow Is out of the mountains and
the weather Will permit, the Turks intend
to renew the carnival of massacre and per-
secution that has been going on for years
and VIII punish resistance by exterminat ton,
The new governors of the Macedonian
vilayets are notorious for their cruelty and
determination. ard the officers in command
of the troops along the border are the ablest
strategists in the Turkish army. 1t Is be-
lieved to be the intention of the sultan to
invade Bulgaria at the slightest provoca-
ton, and that will not be lacking. because
the Macedonian committee Is ready to send
revolutionary parties across as soon as the
snow is gone and their hiding places in the
mountains are accessible. 1t is understood
that Servia has agreed to stand with Bull
garia IL the latter Is attacked, and the AL
banians. who occupy the territory west of
Macedonia. are already in revolt against
their Turkish oppressors.
A Spanish grandee, who claims direct
descent from Scanderberg. the famous
captain of the Janizaries.' the hereditary
prince of Albania has been trying to work
up sympathy for Albania among the Euro
peans for two years more, and Rou-
manian prince has been raising mercenaries
in Italy to assist the Albanians against the
Turks.
Widest Spot In Europe.
Albania is the widest. most unruly and