Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-25
PROSPECTS OF THE WAR.
Things That are Likely to Happen in
the Balkans


The winter in the Balkans is short
but severe. Constantinople is in near
ly the same latitude as New York, so
that the area Of war Is in respect to
latitude about equivalent to New Eng
land and New Jersey. The extremes
of temperature, however, are much
less though winter, when it really sets
in, will make campaigning in the noun
tains difficult. The climate Of Europe
as of America grows colder as one goes
east and there is a noticeable differ
ence between the Italian and the Bal
kan side Of the Adriatic; the Dalmatian
side is in particular exposed to biting
winds. which are a great discomfort to
travellers, and throughout the Balkans
the winds are cold and violent. The
advent Of winter cannot, Of course, put
an end to a real war as to a peasant
rising, but 1t will seriously check Of
fensive operations, and for that reason
both sides will make strenuous efforts
to win a decisive advantage before
snow flies. The critical part Of the fall
campaign will be the Turkish advance
on the Bulgarian capital.
The outbreak Of the war at this late
season was in part caused by the plan
Of the Turks for army manoeuvres near
the Bulgarian frontier, a measure
which the Balkan states felt to be
threatening. At the request of the Eu-
ropean powers the war game was al
tered, but not sufficiently to prevent
formidable concentration on Philippe
pills. The demand Of the Balkan alli-
ance, in its ultimatum, for the demob-
ilization Of the Turkish army pending
the settlement of the Macedonian ques-
ton must be taken, then, as primarily
a defensive measure. 1t was felt that
the Turkish government would be fore
ed into war by the popular fury kndled
by Italian aggression, and that Bull
garia, which asserted four years ago an
independence to which Turkey Is not
yet reconciled, would be the victim. 1t
was we'll known, too, that Turkey had
not taken kindly the Berchtold propos-
al last August, which carried the i'm
preston that Austria was ready to take
sides against the Turk on the Mace
donian question. Under these condi-
tions, and with a great Turkish army
mobilizing just as the war with Italy
was closing, the position Of Bulgaria
and the other Balkan states was peril
Gus in the extreme, and the quadruple
alliance must be considered a defen-
sive measure even though it contem-
plated offensive operations.
It is only in a sharp and successful
offensive campaign, indeed, that the
allies have the remotest chance of
winning. The resources Of the Turk
ish empire are much greater, and
though chronically bankrupt Turkey
could probably carry on war longer.
Bulgaria has patiently accumulated
modest war chest, which will suffice
for a brief campaign; beyond that the
allies are apt to be at disadvantage
against a chronic borrower like Tur-
key, which can almost always borrow
more money because it owes so much.
But in a short campaign Bulgaria
might have the advantage over Tur-
key that an athlete possesses against
slack and unready giant. What no one
knows is whether the Turkish mobili-
zation which has been strenuously
pushed since August has yet put into
the field a force powerful enough to
meet the formidable Bulgarian army.
The readiness Of Bulgaria Is proven
bial; her whole military policy has been
shaped for defending her frontiers by
swift mobilization Of her reserves. Al
ter a fortnight for preparation. she
should be able now to strike with full
force, and il she does. not in the first
engagements roll back the Turkish
army it will be a dark outlook for the
Balkan states.
While Turkey, whose main strength
is in Asia Minor, can fight indefinitely
II driven back on Constantinople, and