Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-31
DELICATE BALKAN EQUILIBRIUM

Greece nor Serv!a had not been able TO
effectively occupy Macedonia On this
point the Greeks may reply with quite
much logic that IL the Greek fleet had not
kept the Turkish fleet bottled UP in tho
Dardanelles and thus assured the mastery
OF the Aegean sea Turkey had freely de-
parked her forces from Anatolia on the
north coast of the Aegean and in the rear
or the bulgarian armies in such a way
as 10 prevent them effectively not only
from entering Macedonia bu, above all
from advancing into Thrace.
From a general point OF view OF tho
war against Turkey and the paraly cation
OF me Ottoman forces on the left bank OF
the Martha. the role OF the Greek feet
was certainly as etficacious as the role of
the bulgarian army in Thrace.
The government ut Sofia pushed her
Eneraciousness SO far TO forget that
Servia lent to Bulgaria considerable
masses of men and numbers OF siege
pieces. without which Adrianople had not
been captured. Bulgarians pretend that
they should proceed to the partition OF
Macedonia on the basis OF the Serbo-
bulgarian treaty of 1912. But they choose
to ignore the changed conditions of the
war against Turkey, which rendered that
treaty wholly inapplicabie. Europe had
taken from Servia. Albania, the better
part OF the conquest. and created Albania
an autonomous state. Albania was a
lance in the side OF Servia.
BESIDES 1t was absurd to attempt the
partition of Macedonia on the basis OF
the Serbo Bulgarian
bulgaria treaty. Had not Turkey,
nos;o according to the treaty
of London. ceded her
provinces of Europe to the four Balkanio
ST 2faS in ~
party to the Serbo- Bulgarian treaty Wac
Greece to be despoiled OF her share OF
territory in Macedonia?
Inc truth is Bulgaria, confident in the
superiority Of her armies. meditated an
attack which she assumed would place
her In an exceptionally good situation on
the eve OF her visit to st. Petersburg.
where she had been invited to go by the
car to submit for arbitration her disput..
with Servia Bulgarian armies attacked
June - and 30. never dreaming that both
Servia and Greece We're prepared against
Il surprise.
What Bulgaria assumed would be
crushing victory resulted i'm a crushing
defeat That King Ferdinand, Gen Savof
ana his division commanders could have
so moderated the strength Of their auon-
dam allies was singular misconception
Tor which no explanation has been given
The treachery side Of the question is too
abominable for discussion.
Roumania came upon the scene at an
opportune moment. She would oblige Bull
garia to cede her territories south of the
Dobroudia. territories she had claimed as
since months. Also and
above all Roumania aspired perhaps TO
become the dominant control of the Bal
kan machine. which lacked equilibrium
With equilibrium as device Roumania
came, with the result that peace was i'm
posed upon Bulgaria at Bucharest
The text Of the treaty Is too long for
reproduction. but may be briefly summar-
lied as follows:
!: x
Animated by a desire in the interest OF
peace between the king
The Treaty of the Bulgarians of the
n,,<l;no1 one part. and the kings OF
the Hellenas. Montenegro
Roumania-Bul frontier should leave
the treaty stipulated: First. that peace
and unity should exist; second. that the
Roumania- Bulgarian frontier should leave
the Danube above Turtukai and end at
the Black Sea south of Extreme: Bulgaria
should dismantle the Notifications at
Roustchouk, Simla and I'm zone OF
twelve and a half miles around Balchik
third, the Serbo-Bulgarian frontier should
leave the former frontier Turco- Bulgarian
and the dividing line of the waters be-
tween the Vardar and the Strouma. ex-
ceptfng the upper valley of the Stroumtza
which should belong to Servia the from
tier to end at Mount Bolasica where II
Joins the Bulgaro-Greek frontier: fourth,
the Greco-Bulgarian frontier leave the
new Bulgaro-Servian frontier on the crest
Of Celascaica and Planina and finish e
the mouth of the Mesta on the Aegean
sea: fifth. Bulgaria desists from all claims
upon Crete: sixth. Bulgaria will demo
Billie Immediately. seventh. demobilza-
ton to be completed within fifteen DAYS:
elshsh. during the evacuation of the Bull
garian territory the armies will have the
right OF requisition, paying cash for such
and for transportation by rail: ninth
prisoners of war to be released recipro-
cally; tenth. the present treaty to be rati-
he'd within a delay of fifteen days.
The complimentary details of the con
ference at Bucharest are instructive az
showing the spirit and enlarged views Of
the representatives of the Balkan states
as expressed i'm council NJ. Politio.
delegate of Greece. for example said
Following the declaration of the But
garian delegates the Hellenic delegation
declares that in order to conclude a ter
ritorial accord with Bulgaria the all ed
states, deferring to the views OF the
great powers and the Rouman:an GOV
have given proof of the great
est spirit of conciiation. and were in
spired by the necessity of founding be-
tween the Chr stan states of the Bal
kane peninsula just and durable
The Hellenic delegation IS
profoundly convinced that the agreement
happily established not only fits the
actual situation. but conforms to tn. in
terests of the interested states
In the beginning of the NEGOTIATIONS at
Bucharest, Servia and Greece. it was
manifest, proposed In
profit by their victories
~, as a bass for excessive
i"oAoeeu' claims. This meant the
almost total extinction of Bulgaria.
which would have destroyed the eauilib-
rum which it was finally recognized
BY all should form the cardina, prin-
.iple o. the treaty of durable peace.
The Balkan states may, perhaps, de-
rye some consolation from the act of
the great powerS-yielding to the pres
sure of Austria Hungary and ltaly-in
establishng Albania as separate and
divided between MONTENEGRO. Greece and
servia Albania with 2hoo.ooo inhabi-
.ants a arger part of Macedonia must
nave been attributed TO Bulgaria TO
ia intain the equilibr um.
Fauiibrium is not vain word, snce
he forces in the presence Of eacL other
whatever the coalition which may arise
n the future, may counterbalance effect
veIy Greece and Seryia and Bulgaria
ire about equal n the number OF ,nhabi-
ants: the superiority OF Roumania IN
numbers 25ip.0Ut could not prevail
against a Serbo-Bul garian or S5rho-
ireek or Greco-Bulgarian coalition And
ven if the improbable should happen