Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-27
REMEDY IS DEMANDED
UnbearabIe State of Affairs in
Macedonia.
ATTITUDE OF GERMANY
Official View Announced by Baron
Won Sternburg.
ACCORD OF POWERS NECESSARY
ACCORD OF POWERS NECESSARY
Reports That the Kaiser's Govern
ment Is Supporting Turkish Ar
maments Denounced as Absurd.

donia of existing conditions. He says:
Owing to the fact that the American
press took much interest in statement
l recently made regarding Germany
policy in Macedonia. and further. that
have received various letters from inter
ested parties asking me to give these
statements a wider view. and owing to
the fact that from news circulated by
portion of the European press it appears
that doubts are still arising among some
powers with regard to Germanys attitude
to the Balkan question, question which
at the present moment is of such general
interest permit me to give the following
particulars:
From a general point of view. Ger
many holds the opinion that the mainte-
nance of the status quo is In the interest
the whole civilized world that the un-
bearable state of affairs in Macedonia
urgently calls for d remedy. and that
steps must be taken to put a stop to the
continuous bloodshed, murder and out
RACES there.
Accord of Powers Necessary
But Germany is convinced that all
measures bearing upon this subject will
only have a possibility of success if they
receive the firm support of all the powers.
acting in absolute harmony with each
other.
Germany is ready to consider seriously
and favorably any suitable proposal. from
whatever side it may come by which the
present state of affairs in Macedonia can
be remedied. and is prepared to give her
full consent hereto. provided that it meets
the consent Of the ether powers.
The question What measures are most
suita ble?' is a matter of discussion At
the first glance it seems doubtful to the
increase of the police force would give
the desired result. but she is far from
rejecting this idea alb initio as unfeasible.
Germany regards with some skepticism.
however. the idea Of placing the COM
mand of the Turkish troops in the hands
of Christian officers. even if this is done
by allowing European officers to direct
the movements of the troops without their
being actually in command of such troops
when actually operating
I'm any case. It holds the opinion that
the task of celebrating practical meas
ures destined to change or at least to
ameiorate the state of affairs in Mace
donia and its deplorable features should
best be confded to the representatives of
the powers at Constantinople.
Judiciary Reform Imperative.
'As far as a judiciary reform is con-
cerned. the German government consid-
ers the realization of such as not only
useful. but as absolutely necessary. II
does not regard it as the most appro-
pirate measure for quieting the Balkan
states, and also doubts that the scheme
for a reform of the Turkish judiciary sys-
TEN in its present form is appropriate IN
all points. But whether this scheme be
considered as perfect in all details or
whether 1t is defective and offers diff
culties of execution the German govern
ment is ready, in order not to trouble
the concert Of the powers. TO give its con-
sent to the project as it now stands. if
all the powers do likewise.
Accordingly. the German ambassador
at Constantinople has not only been en-
powered but explicitly instructed to sign
the note on judiciary reform that has
been proposed. and to recommend its ac-
captance in this form. should an ex
preston of his views be requested by the
Ottoman government.
1T should, however, not be overlooked
that different opinions may exist regard
ing the necessary tactics to be pursued.
while it would not be justifiable to con-
slider one or the other as wrong or con-
Trajectory to general principles. 1t may.
on the one hand be thought practicable
to transmit the project of a Judiciary re-
form in its present shape. incomplete
though ii is, to the porte by means of an
official note. as this could furnish the
basis for further negotiations. during
which much might be obtained. especial
~ the prolongatlon of the mandate. On
the other hand. it may first be advisable
to improve the project and give it a form
which though not excluding a refusal by
the porte would not give occasion for OBJ
stinate resistance by the latter.
Baron Marschall Won Bieberstein. the
German ambassador in Constantinople, in
conformity with his cole agues, seems to
prefer the second alternative. II is OBJ
vious that the baron, as we'll as the other
a m ba ssadors who hold the same views
does not wish his attitude to disturb or
to check the planned reform. but is
anxious to further the same and TO Sc
cure its accomplishment. 1t is wei! known
that from the beginning. he recommended
just as emphatically as his colleagues the
of the mandate.
The Sandjak Railway
LAS to the question of the Sandjak
there is no doubt that Austria
is entitled by the treaty of Ber-
lin to carry out that project and that the
powers recognize her right to do so; nor
does Germany consider this purely eco
project to be inconsistent with
either the wording or the meaning of the
purely political entente between Russia
and Austria Hungary. especially with the
Murzsteg program. Germany. further,
does not recognize as justitiable the state
ment which has been put forth OCCASION
ally. that Austria-H Hungary. by obtaining
the Sandjak railway concession a time
when judicial reform was proposed. has
rendered difficult the attitude
Of the powers toward the latter question.
1T must also be observed that there
have been no negotiations between Berlin
and Vienna concerning the question or
the Sandjak railway. Berlin has neither
suggested that project to Vienna nor in
any way forced her support upon the
cabinet in Vienna. On the other hand
Germany is In thorough sympathy with
the railway project because Austria Hun
gary has acted in ncontestable good
faith and in perfect loyalty. 1t is also
Germanys firm opinion that the projected
railway would mean a most effective
means for the economical as we'll as the
moral development of the states touched
supported the project in Constantinople
for their pacificaton. She would also be
ready to sympathize with and support
similar enterprises. if equally justified and
following the same aims.
Turco-Persian Boundary.
THE boundary controversy between
Turkey and Persia endangers no German
interests. Germany has. consequently. not
the slightest reason to take any part in
1t. She has. however, thought it advis-
able. for the sake Of common interest.
to recommend in friendly
but urgent way to the porte a peaceab BILE
settlement of the controversy and to sug-
gest that Turkey should take the first
step thereto by wlthdra wing her troops.
1T need scarcely be mentioned that the
frequent statements by the foreign press
that Germany is supporting
Turkish ornaments and ENCOURAGING the
warlike spirit in Turkey-which. in fact