New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-20

a their thrones-nay, possibly of their
lives. It is only with the utmost re-
nctance that they have embarked upon
the arduous undertaking, forced upon
them BY their subjects, of driving the
Turk out Of Europe. War means not
only the arrest of the trade, the in
dustry and Of the prosperity of their re-
spective countries, but also spells alb
solute ruin to their national treasures,
besides closing to the latter every
money market in Europe.
UNPREPARED NATIONS.
Moreover, the eve of winter, which
latter is always terribly severe on the
Balkan mountain ranges, is the most
uptimely season of the year for mill
tary operations. and while the splendid
Is equipped and carefully trained
troops Of Bulgaria and Montenegro are
ready for the fray, those Of Servia and
Greece are an unknown quantity. In
isct. II is only since last summer that
a French military mission, under the
French General Eydoux, has been en-
gagged in the complete reorganization
Of the Greek army and in training it
on modern lines while there is nothing
to show that there has been any i'm
provement in the Servian troops since
they were so signally defeated by the
A ,,dar al
the battle Of Slevenitza.
= II is, therefore, under somewhat dis
couraging conditions that the sover-
egns Of the Christian states in the
southeast of Europe have inaugurated
the fray against Turkey, the more so
as each Of them has received warning
from the great powers that under no
circumstances would the latter permit
any territorial aggrandizement In the
event Of victory. At the same time
they have been notified that they could
not rely upon any assistance or inter
yenuon in their behalf if vanquished.
That these are the present intentions
Of the great powers concerned may be
taken for granted But whether they
will End it possible to adhere to them is
matter OF doubt. Should the Turks
prove victorious, no matter how much
the Russian and Rumanian government
might wish 20 hold aloof, popular senti-
ment among the lieges Of Emperor
Nicholas and of King Charles would
DO 90 overwhelming in behalf OF their
ccseligionists in the Balkans that they
would be compelled to take part In
the war, just as was the case in 1877.
FORCE OF POPULAR WILL.
On that occasion 1t may be recalled
that Emperor Alexander III, despite his
alleged sutocracy. was driven into the
war with Turkey against his will by
the irresistible will of his people. 1t
was war for which Russia was in no
sense prepared from military or
financial point Of view, and might have
ended in disaster at Plevna had II not
been for the assistance Of King
Charles Of Rumania, who had likewise
been compelled by his people to aban-
don his policy Of armed neutrality and
to take an active part in the conflict.
The latter had been started by the
Servians, whose resentment had been
aroused by the cruelties perpetratea
by the Sultan's Bashibazouks in Bull
garia. AS in the present instance, Ser
Via had been warned TO preserve the
peace at all costs and that she could
expect no assistance from the great
powers IL vanquished by the Turks.
But when, as foreseen by all, she was
oyertaken by defeat nothing could pre-
Vent the Russians and the Rumanians
from coming to her rescue, regardless
OF the Jews and wishes of their re-
Spectiye rulers.
IL popular sentiment has been
aroused in the Balkan States TO such
an extent as to precipitate war during
me last week, it has been through the
Wholesale massacre OF the peaceful
servians OF Berane, near the Servian
frontier, by the Turks, while a snort
ume previously the Bulgarian inhaoi-
ants of the town Of Kotchana had
been tortured and killed in the most
shocking fashion, not by Turkish ban
aits, but by officers and soldiers of the
Ottoman army, the Sublime Porte sub
sequently refusing any redress for the
Wholesale murder and rapine Of which
It's troops were guilty, declining even
70 punish the actual perpetrators.
The scenes at Kotchana seem 10 have
been particularly shocking-worthy, in
e,se, not Of disciplined regiments, but
OF those Asiatic irregular levies who,