Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-06
NOW TO CARVE TURKEY.

In spite of Greeces refusal to be pacihed 1t seems
certain that a Balkan armistice will be con-
cluded whereupon diplomacy will begin the difficult
task of adjusting the divers claims Of the little pen
insula States and Of harmonizng them all with the
interests, or rather the policies, of the larger Eu
ropean powers. The fact that Greece declines even
to consider peace negotiations upon the terms thus
far suggested may embarrass confuse but 1t Will
scarcely block the way to plan of settlement.
What the ultimate outcome Of the negotiations
may be is beyond guessing. One thing, however, APP
pears probable. Turkey will not be driven from Eu
ropean SOIL as was at one time predicted. The
Ottoman government will doubtless be shorn Of its
remnant Of power in the west but 1t is likely to
continue at Constantinople
How many seculations has this Balkan war upset!
At the outset Of hostites, it forecast that
Bulgaria and its allies would make no Roadway
against the Turks that the atters army would scat
ter the enemy in pemell retreat. Just the reverse
occurred The prophets then faced about and de-
clared that Constantnople would inevitably fall and
that the Turks would be sent packing back to Asia
But in the final stageF of the 1t developed that
the forces conten6lng for Constantinople, the one
within and the other without the walls, practically
neutralized one another's strength
Whatever influence the Turks have held in Eu-
rope during recent centuries has been due not to
any strength of their but to the common jeal-
ousies and suspicious of the larger powers Turkey
has been permitted to command the Bosporus sim
ply because of her feebeness her incapacity for ag
gressve action Her atrocities upon the settlers in
Macedonia and neighboring lands has been I'M
checked because the greater nations were fearsome
of provoking any dispute over Balkan territory
These same conditions may serve to main
tain Turkish foohold in Europe But it cannot be
expected that the Balkan allies will renounce all
claim to the well earned trophies of their valor
and sacrifice They will insist upon certain terri
toriaI rewards; and there is no European combina-
ton that can successfully safely put down their
demands
1t may be taken for granted that Bulgaria and
Servia would never have consented to armistice
had they not had reasonable assurance Of being sus-
tanned, as regards some of their important claims,
in the ensuing conferences To be sure, the weak
ened condition of their military strength and the
pressure brought to bear by their mighty neighbors
to the west played a considerable part in deter
mining their course. But they will undoubtedly per-
sist in several important demands.
In addition to these States, Roumania now comes
forward and asks substantial pay for having re-
NAMED neutral in the war. Austria has certain
ambitions which she will spare strategy to press.
1t is thus evident that European Turkey is soon to
be carved and that much territory hitherto held by
the Sultan will pass into new ownership or control
There is reason to hope, furthermore, that the
evil spell Of Turkey in Europe will be lessened, IL
not banished; that the unciviized practices which
the Ottoman government has tolerated viii be sup
planted.
The Balkan wa is truly described as one Of the
greatest short wars in modern history; may like
wise expect its results to be far-reaching, If not
epochaL