The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-04-10
KEEN SITUATION ON
BALKAN CHESSBOARD
A French Editors Views In the April
Century of European Po-
htical Game.

The views of the powers at the be
ginning of the BALKAN crisis might
have been classified as follows:
!. For the maintenance of European
peace: unanimity;
2. For the maintenance of Turkey il
her former state: Germany;
| 3. For the creation OF a strong Balkan
federation Russia, France, England;
4. Against such creation: Austria
Germany, and, as subsidiary, Italy;
5. For the maintenance of the Turks
at Constantinople: unanimity.
But such views had necessarily to be
influenced by the onward course OF
events. How far and in what form?
Until the year 1912 it was Europe
that played the principal part in east
ern affairs. Since 1912 Europe has lost
her direction of them. She may still
make her voice heard, but it is no long
err she that leads the game This is the
capital change. and it can not be brought
too much to light.
The Balkan states, after their twenty
years experience. understood that, if
they trusted to the great powers to Sc
cure triumph of their claims, either the
triumph would be incomplete or they
would have to pay too dear for it; and
they resolved to act by themselves. They
put an end to their old divisions, al
lied themselves, declared war and won
the victory. And now they are carry
ing on the negotiations. All this they
have done alone without allowing any
one to NEEDLE in their affairs
In politics nothing carries so much
weight with it as success. So the Rat
kan states have obtained results which
henceforth will impose Themselves on tho
great powers, willynilly. These results
are:
l. The all but complete disappearance
of Turkey from Europe;
2. The territorial extension of the four
allied Balkan states.
On the other hand, nothing is so inn
prudent as to try to force too far an
already handsome success and to com
promise what one has gained by wishing
for more. So the Balkan states have
spontaneously taken into account the
wishes of certain great powers, particu
larly of Austria, which has backed her
wishes with heavy armament, and they
have left outside their capture:
l. Constantinople;
2. Albania.
Such were the conditions of peace |
formulated by their plenipotentaries in |
London, Dec. 30, 1912.
The solution thus outlined has the air |
VI compromise. in which the powers
rave not obtained all they wish. but
n which each obtains some satisfac-
ion.
Here are the checkmates:
/. For Germany: the disappearance of
turkey from Europe;
2. For Austria: a notable aggrandize-
nent of Slav states and the closing
f the road to Saloniki
3. For Russia. though less marked
han the preceding: the limitation i'm
osed on Balkan conquests by the triple
lliance.
And here are the successes:
|. Russo Franco English: the consttu-
ion of a powerful Balkan federation
D the place of Turkey in Europe; II
=. Austro-Ttalo-Ge German: the territor- ,
u closing of the .Adriatic to Servia and :
he creation of the Albanian autonomy II
The great results, therefore. are to I
rofit of the triple entente England, !
rance and Russia,l though the triple t
lliance Germany. Austria and italy, In
as succeeded in limiting them. An lC
on srcn a basis has been II
referred to the risk of European war.
From Andre Tardien's "A Bird's-Eye Q
lew of European Politics. in the April i
entury. I