New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-18
THE BALKAN PROPOSAL.

If was not TO be supposed that the proposal
concerning a congress Of the powers for the
reimbursement of affairs in the Balkans which
seems to have been tentatively agreed upon by
Great Britain, France and Russia. would please
everybody. 1t does not altogether please Iur-
KEY. because it contempates acqulescence in the
spoliation of her realm as the alternative TO
something worse. It does not please Seryia
and Montenegro, because it contemplates sane
ton of a wrong TO them. 1t does not please
Bulgaria, because it hints at making her pay
some indemnity for the territory and~ute which
she has taken It does not please Austria-Hun-
gary. because it hints at rebuking and penaliz-
ing her for her violation Of the Berlin Treaty
It is also intimated that it does not please Ger
many, because that power appears inclined to be
an accessory after the fact Of Australia n-
gary's treaty breaking. But not until the MIL
lennium dawns in Utopia will any important
international proposal please everybody, at
least when it is first broached.
What is more to the point is the manner in
which agreement has been reached between
two powers which at first were supposed to be
Numerically opposed on at least one funda-
mental issue. 1t was said that Great Britain
wanted the congress strictly confined TO con-
sideration of the clauses of the Berlin Treaty
which had been broken, while Russia wanted
that whole instrument 10 be revised. The ten
tative agreement which is now announced APP
pears 70 provide for the latter course and prac-
tIcaIly for the annulment Of the Berlin Treaty
and the substitution of new convention. But
all that would be substantially involved is the
consideration of merely the things which Bull
garia. Austria-Hungary and Montenegro have
actually done The broken clauses of the treaty
amount so nearly TO the whole treaty as to make
the original plans Of Great Britain and Russia
he tyUO ~
gether without really altering their respective
attitudes.
For obviously one of the things actually done
is Bulgaria's declaration of independence, in
volving also Eastern Rumelia. Now, the first
twenty-five articles Of the Treaty of Berlin re-
late to Bulgaria and If the recent action OF that
principally is TO stand and be approved, then
every one OF those articles which Is not al
ready automatically obsolete is vitiated and
voided- Article Is of the treaty relates to
Bosnia. Herzegovina and Novi-BaZar, and if
the recent action Of Austria is to be confirmed
that article Is destroyed. The next deals with
Montenegro, and Of course that prlncipalitys
reputation Of Ausro-H Hungarian protection
dismisses II to limbo. AS for the few remain
ing articles, relating TO Rumania Servia Ar
menla and reforms in the administration OF
European Turkey. they have largely become
obsolete. There is practically 80 little of the
treaty left that there is no convincing ground
for regarding IT as sacrosanct
The question of the passage Of the Darda-
peIIes Is really governed by the earlier con-
yentiop which was made at Paris In March,
1856, and which was merely reaf1rmed by the
Treaty of Berlin That convention binds thu
Sultan invariably to prohibit the entry of for
eign ships of war into the Dardaneiles or the
Bosporus so long az Turkey is at peach. and
binds shs ether POWERS @ respect that attitude