The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-05-28
THE EASTERN QUESTION
German Ambassador Outlines the Po
sition Of His Country in Regard
to Turkish Territory

New York, May 2S.-Baron Speck
Won Sternburg. German Ambassador to
the United States, has an article in
he forthcoming Outlook giving an of
fetal German view OF the Macedonian
situation. The ambassador speaks
with full personal as. we'll as official
information, as he was Germany's
agent at Belgrade for some time and
made a study there and in Macedonia
Of existing conditions. He says, in
part:
Owing to the fact that the Amer
lean press took much interest in a
statement / recently made regarding
Germany's policy in Macedonia. and,
further. that have received various
letters from interested 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 Germany's attitude to
the Belkan question. a question which
ut the present moment is of such gen.
eral interest. permit me to give the
following particulars:
From general point of view, Ger
many holds the opinion that the
maintenance of the status quo is in
the interest of all the powers. Ger
many agrees with the whole civilized
world that the unbearable state of af-
fairs in Macedonia urgently calls for
Il remedy. and that steps must be
taken to put stop to the continuous
bioodshed, murder, and outrages there
But Germany Is convinced that all
measures bearing upon this subject
VIII only have possibility of success
If they receive the firm support of all
the powers. acting in absolute har-
mony with each other
Germany Is ready to consider Sc
riously 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 con-
sent hereto, provided that it meets the
consent of the other powers ~
1.-The question. What measures are
most suitable? is matter of discus
sion. At the first glance it seems
doubtful TO the German government If
a larger or smaller increase of the
police force would give the desired re-
: ult but she is fa.. from rejecting this
idea alb initio as lunfeasible. Germany
regards with some skepticism, how
ever, the idea Of placing. the command
of the Turkish troops in the hands of
Christian officers, even If this is done
by allowing European officers to di-
rect the movements of the troops
without their being actually in COM,
mand Of such troops when actually
operating.
I'm any case. it holds the opinion
that the task of celebrating practi-
cal measures destined to change or at
least to ameliorate the state of af-
fairs in Macedonia and its deplorable
features should best be confided to the
representatives of the powers at Con-
The boundary controversy between
turkey and Persia endangers no Ger
man interests. Germany has, conse-
quently, not the slightest reason TO
take any part in it. She has. how
ever, thought it advisable, for the sake
OF common interest. repeatedly to rec
ommend in friendly but urgent way
to the Poote a peaceabfe settlement of
the controversy and to suggest that
Turkey should take the first step
thereto by withdrawing her troops.
at need scarcely be mentioned that
the frequent statements by the foreign
press asserting that Germany is sup
porting Turkish ornaments and en-
couraging the warlike spirit in Tur-
beyr-which in fact. according to all
information, is in no way discernible--
are an absurd invention.