Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-12

over Europe ike the sword OF bdiIio'ies,
is again IN the foreground
Counter of public and diplomatic
discussion because Of the
oPo'"is' British and Russian prop
ositions The British plan. briefly outlined,
would place the three Macedonian NllaYets
under a governor general, either Chris
tian or Mussulman, but an Ottoman sub
ject, not liable to dismissal except with
the assent of the powers. The civil and
military agents, members of the financial
commission, may be permitted to enter
the Turkish service. The gandarmerie TO
be increased and employed in place of
Turkish troops. The powers TO guarantee
the territorial integrity of Turkey.
The Russian proposition would appoint
the Inspector general for a term of seven
years. The powers of the financial COM
mission. already in existence at Salonica,
to be extended over all departments in
Macedonia. The members to be chosen
from Great Britain. France. Germany and
Italy, in addition to Austria and Russia.
The special mandate of the two latter TO
terminate. Heneeforth' the six powers to
assume the work which Austria and Rus
sfa have failed to accomplish. The mem
bers OF the financial commission to be
permitted to enter the Turkish service If
so desired by the sultan. The commission
tration of justice through Christian in
spectorS chosen by the powers and ap
proved by the sultan. Russia further pro-
poses to invest the general of the gen.
darTnerle with consultative voice at the
sittingS Of the financial commission: the
employment of rural watchmen to cope
with local crime, the gendarmerie being
confined to service against Instructions
st. Petersburg and Moscow journals
criticize M. 1zolsky's proposals and as
Arb hot -.
wrested from Turkey by peaceful methods
ana that the present scheme is a second
and worse edition of the Muerzteg agree
ment The Novoe Vremya declares that
the plan changes nothing. saving:
The same inspector general remains
the same international commission. the
same gendarmerie. the same troops.
Moreover. in future. as hitherto. the Euro
pean commission plays the selfsame part
OF Well-meaning counselors. whose adj
vice is accepted or rejected at the dis
cretlon of a Turkish pacha. 1t is difficult
to anticipate that such proposal. even
If Turkey adopt it Immediately will give
Macedonia in the reasonably near future
the long wished-for tranquility
Now it is useless to deny the fact that
there is something changed in the Balkan
question. The point of de-
Something parture was Baron d'Aeh-
c., renthars expose of Aus
tria's policy in the Bal
kans. Austria has undertaken, and with
me thod, the construction of the railroad
TO Mitrovitza, and thence to Salonica
Austria affirms that the projected road is
economical and pacific. but neither Russia
nor England, nor Italy. directly menaced
will readily admit that declaration. There
is therefore disquiet among all the inter-
ested parties, not to say alarm. over a
situation which at this moment is one of
menace to the peace of Europe.
NJ Gabriel Charmes in the Revue des
Deux Monday says: The danger for
Turkey is not only in the Impotence
which may gain Europe and cause the
latter to undertake energetic measures
but In the little Balkan states not always
wise or prudent. but ready to profit by
all incidents which may happen in Mace
donla, II not even to provoke them.
Bulgaria. for example, has increased
her armament these late years far beyond
armament these late years far beyond
her normal resources. Her army is I'D to
the highest point even of a country where
every one is soldier. She has $1,000 on
peace footing, and 100000 on a war foot
ing.
with the exception Of Roumania there
is no other Balkan power to counterbal-
,
put the army to work depends upon the
ambition of d bold and determined prince
or people. The affair of the Mitrovitza
railway might have provoked a coldness.
and perhaps something more between
Russia and Austria
The declarations of Prince Won Buelow
on the 2Jth ultimo in the reichstag on
the Macedonian question
Won Buelow' s are important. The prince
c,.ooh first referred to the In
ternational Parliamentary
Union which would assemble i'm Berlin
IN September of this year and said:
In consideration of the pacific and
humanitarian objects of the parliamentary
union. which brings together the repre-
sentatives of many nations and contrib
utes thus TO assume the political union of
peoples, am ready to contribute TO their
reception. and hope that the delegates of
the union will find here as in other cant
tails sympathetic welcome"
me chancellor. after having referred to
Morocco spoke of Macedonia thus:
Macedonia has been compared to a
focus of fire which beside the sultan
sovereign or the country, six great pow
efs attempt without success to eXtinguish
because from without new brands are
necessarily thrown into it,
In reality the cause or the troubIa
was not exclusively hostility between
Christians and Mohammedans but more
than all. the merciless struggles between
Christians, each one OF whom hopes TO
secure the supremacy in Macedonia and
IN case the sovereignty az the porte should
be abolished. the largest morseI Of terri
tory. In this troubled situation. the main
tenanCe of the status quo is the hone of
an amelioration.''
The treaty of Berlin. added the chancel-
Tor, constitutes the basis of that interua-
tlonal situation. and because of il Ger
many mad welcomed with Sympathy the
Austrian project for tho extension of the
B0Snlaque railway TO MitrovitZa Contrary
10 erroneous opinions. Germany had not
imposed her counsel or her support unon
Austria. who had never asked it, And
the prince concluded that by virtue of
Germany's principle of status QUO il was
evident that her efforts had on the one
part the maintenance of the Euronean
concert, and on the other the assent OF
the sultan to the proposed reforms.
But added the prince frankly. and this
observation appears to chill the warmth
and comfort of what he
Chilling had said before, we can
Statement. fhusastic for measures re- we
Among the latter we count the innova-