The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-02
ANOTHER EUROPEAN coNGREsss

From the New York Sun.
 The probability that the termination of the Turco-Italian war will be followed promptly by the calling of another such international gathering as the congress of Berlin, which the Russian victory over the Turks and the treaty of San Stefano in 1s7S made necessary. finds mention in recent foreign dispatches.
 The occasion for such a congress Is plainly to be found in the recent Italian operations in the Aegean. By the treaty of San Stefano Russia made herself the virtual mistress of the Balkan peninsula and reduced Turkish possession in Con stantinople to a mere shadow. Italian occupation of the islands of the Aegean has similarly disturbed the equilibrium of the eastern Mediterranean and Russia, France. Austria and Great Britain are thus directly interested and Germany at least indirectly through her alliances.
 The treaty of Berlin, which followed the congress, has in a large measure directed European politics since. In placing check upon Russian advance in the Bal kans it sent Rusisa into an alliance with France, since Russia regarded German &C., tion in failing to support her views as a betrayal. On the other hand. the permis- sion England and Germany gave to France at Berlin to seize Tunis drove Italy into a triple alliance with Austria and Germany. and thus established the present balance in European affairs.
 By modifying the terms of the San Stefano treaty the congress of Berlin turned Macedonia back to the Turks and perpetuated the eastern question. In giv- Ing Austria-Hungary the right to occupy the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina it prepared the way for the annexation of these provinces three years ago, with the accompanying increase, of Bulgarian power. Finally, by ignoring Italy's claims both fin the Balkans and in Africa it opened the way for the present situation precipitated by Italian determination to do for herself what Europe had declined to aid her to do.
 If the recent seizure of Rhodes and the other Aegean islands by Italy fore casts @ purpose to hold them perma- nently, then the new international con- ference will have to choose between two courses. It must either by joint action coerce Italy as the congress of Berlin did Russia into retreat or 1t must ar range a series of bargains to meet the balancing ambitions of Russia and Aus tria, as well as to satisfy British anxi- ety for Egypt and Suez.
 If the former course were followed Austria and Germany would have to abandon their ally and might well fear that France and Russia would seize such surrender as chance to win Italy from the triple alliance and when the coercive policy was actually pro posed desert it for one pleasing to the Italians. But the alternative plan un- occasionally calls for giving Russia her access to the Mediterranean through an unlettered Bosphorus, permitting Austria to advance to Salonica and leaving Italy in possession of several of the Aegean islands.
 It is plain that such a bargain would wholly change the Mediterranean situa- ton and there might be even more se- rious problems if Germany in the face of all this expansion should not un- reasonably ask for "compensations" for herself either in Asia Minor, Africa or elsewhere. The small Balkan states, particularly Servia, Greece and Bull garia, might also add to the difficult ties of the situation by resisting, even If merely through desperation, bar gain which forever extinguished thelr historical and national ambitions to the scattered factions of their several races.