The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-06

| Montenegro, ~.conspired to make il
practically impossible for Bulgaria tc
communicate with the outside world
during the first months of the fighting
taking advantage of his condition tc
circulate abroad a number of mis-,
leading and ven mendacious state
ments concerning the progress of the
war, all rejecting on Bulgaria. He
then outlines the secret treaty con-
Guided last New between Turkey and
Greece, by which Greece guaranteed
Turkey armed assistance for the re-
occupation Of Adrianople, Turkey in
return %pledging her support to Greece
for the seizure Of Thrace. The con-
spiracy Of Servia, Roumania, Greece
Montenegro and Turkey against Bull
aria is characterized as one of the
most complete recorded in history
and a distinct and notable phase OF
this concerted action was the circula-
ton of baseless and lying reports, all
destined to injure Bulgaria in the eyes
Of the world, and which Bulgaria was
at the time powerless to refute or
deny. Continuing his interesting
presentation of Bulgaria's side Of the
case, Professor Stephanove writes as
follows: q.
THE charge that Bulgaria was the
aggressor in this warfare, in which her
former allies were arrayed against her,
is unjust and untrue. Bulgaria did
her utmost to persuade Servia to full
fill the StipulaHons of the Serbo-Bul-
garian treaty for the protection Of
Macedonia, but without success. 1t
was for the freedom of Macedonia that
Bulgaria engaged In the Balkan war.
With her army still at Tchataldja and
G%allipoli 1t vas unthinkable that Bull
garia should declare war upon her
former allies.
"SerVia and Greece in~augurated a
series Of cruel attacks, meanwhile, upon
the Bulgarian population of Mace
donia. Thousands were imprisoned,
maltreated and many even suffered
death; other thousands escaped into
Bulgaria. Then followed tho Greek
riots at Series, Angista, Negritta, etc.
in which many Bulgarian soldiers were
killed from ambush by Greek bands
The Bulgarian outpost al Angista
resisted, and in revenge the Greek
general staff planned the attack on the
small Bulgarian garrison at Salonica.
There were other similar skirm-
ishes on the border. What could Bull
garia do? She APPEALED to Russia, the
arbiter of the Serbo-Bulgarian treaty.
but Russia refused to act. She appeal
ed also to the powers, but her cry
was, ignored. Servia and Greece, for
titled by their secret understandings
with ,Roumania and Turkey, rapidly
became u~nbearable in their attitude.
Part Of the Bulgarian troops at
Adrianople and Tchataldja had been
brought across the border into Mace
donia by June 80. The burning and
looting of the village of Zleto, by the
Servians, was the first serious Incl
dent to provoke war. A Macedonian
leader named Arbeza retaliated on the
Servians for this attack and the fol-
lowing day the Servians advanced
against the regular Bulgarian army.
The Bulgarian troops retaliated and
drove their enemies back for a dis
tance Of twenty miles.
THAT same day fighting became
general all along the border. Bulgaria
was attacked by Servians, Greeks and
Montenegrins. Against the entire
Greek army Of 100000 men Bulgaria
had, barely 10000 men under General
| Ivanoff. Nevertheless, on the first and
second days of the fighting, Bulgaria
routed her enemies. inflicting tremend-
Gus losses.
The defeat OF the Servians and the
Greeks was complete, when to the.
CONSERVATION of the Bulgarian soldiers
there came orders to stop fighting and
| return to their original positions. The.
order was d fatal one. The army
cried bitterly when called upon to
obey it. But Russia, who had promis-
ed to- settle the differences between
Serbs and Buigars,, fiasssss be *nhavad-