The Washington herald., 1911-03-26
YOUNG TURKS FEAR
CLASH WITHRUSaA.
Cabinet Troubles Have: Only
Delayed Crisis. (
BULGARIA EVER THREATENS
"0ne OF the Extremities Of the Rus
sian Colossus in Southern Europe"
stands n Constant Menace to the
Ottoman Empire-Overtures to Ger
many Outcome of Situation.

Berlin, March 25.-Russia's next politi'
cal move will be in Turkey; of this nc
one who attentively follows the game
of international politics has any serious
doubt. The clash is not far on. Tht
cabinet troubles in Constantinople rem
dered the moment unpropitious for Rus
sian action. but the crisis has. only been
delayed, not hindered. Say what you
wilr feeling among the Young Turks
has been growing steadily that Russia
the protectress Of the Balkans, whose
political aims-consecrated by religious
mission-cannot be voluntarily abandoned
is the unique enemy of the Ottoman
empire, power, and race. She represents
the Crescent against the Crvss. one may
| object that Russia harpors no designs
against Young Turkey; nay, that sne
positively desires the well-being of the
latter. But facts are stronger than
words. and according to the Young
Turks, the facts point the other way.
Bulgaria Ever Threatens.
Who is Turkeys one ever-active, ever
watchful, every-ready enemy to-day?
Bulgaria, whose monarch assumed a title
which implies his rule over a large part
of Macedonia-the Bulgaria irredenta-
once the patrimony of Bulgarian cars
And what is Bulgaria herself? One of
the extremities of the Russian Colossus
IN the south of Europe. Turkey cannot,
therefore, conciliate Car Ferdinand s
people without making concessions de-
rogatory to her national dignity; nor can
she tackle the Bulgarians on the field
without provoking the Russians.
To the statements Of the porte these
things are self-evideht. Russia, as the en-
bodiment of all the political and religious
forces hostile to the Ottoman race is to
them living reality. Their relations to
that secular enemy constitute the motive
power of all their foreign policy. The in
ternational status of Turkey orientates
Russia-ward. The friendship recently
struck up between Constantinople and
Berlin was the inevitable outcome of the
fears. the hopes. and the strivings which
into being. And in spite of the reconcil-
iation which has quite lately been ef-
fected between the finance minister, Dja-
vid Bey, and the Ottoman Bank, those
misgivings and aims stiIl exist.
Hostility to Russia Persists.
In spite of the ostentatious love OF Tur-
key displayed by the Russian ambassador
on the Golden Horn, who has gone so far
capitulations by his government, the
steady puissant policy of hostility to Rus
sia persists. And it is fed daily by Incl
dents.
So long as Macedonia continues to be
misruled, Russia will continue to be dis
satisfied and Bulgaria to be incensed to
the point of making reprisals. And. ac-
cording to impartial outsiders, the Chris
tians of Macedonia are being subjected
to worse treatment than was meted out
to them under the Hamidian regime. Now
they are liable to torture, and many of
them have been subjected to it without
an eficacious protest from any of the
great powers. Germany could not be ex-
pected to complain. France has cards of
another suit. None Of the entente pow
ers can venture to offend Turkeys dig
nifty with any hope Of carrying the point.
Bulgaria alone can do something, and
that something reduces itself to the sorry
business of conniving at the rigging out
of a few heroic bands resolved to carry
on partisan war against the Turks.