South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-31
A NEEDLEss


About the best argument extant for
international peace Is furnished in the
bitter struggle which seems now to be
drawing to a close IN che Balkans.
For years. longer than the oldest
war correspondent is willing to count,
wars in the Balkans which We're al
ways about 10 break out but which
never did. were the standing joke Of
photographers. Many scores of col
umn-long articles have been written
covering many years predicting that
war would break out there %
For there seemed every reasonable
incentive TO war, with a group Of war
like independent mountaineer nations
exposed 10 the cruelties Of the moslem
Turks just across the border. But
these wars never came-until this
year.
Last spring the Balkan nations
working with a common understand
ing and with an organized division Of
the work that aroused the admiration
OF all Europe attacked the Turk TO
the north, 10 the south, TO the west.
Each army had its appointed task to
accomplish. The Turks, torn by in
ternai dissensions and attacked so bit
terly from so many points, fell back
in helpless disorder and rout. Only
the threat OF Intervention by the pow
ers kept a foothold in Europe for the
once invincible descendants Of Mo-
manned.
The Balkan soldiers displayed un-
usual military ability. heroism, forti-
tude. discipline. They won. and the
world applauded their victory.
Then they fell to quarreling over
the spoils.
Bulgaria, Which had the biggest
share in the war, had spent the most
money and lost the most men, de-
manded more than a lions share Of
the spoils. And the other Balkan
states promptly turned against Bull
garia while the willy Turk, making
hay while the sun shone, promptly
most Of his conquered ter
ritory, including Adrianople. which
had been taken at so fearful a cost.
There was absolutely no necessity
for his second war. Bulgaria paid
dearly for her ~selfshness. and Servia
and Greece will get a better share of
the spoils.
But Servia and Greece lose even
while they win. There is no accession
OF territory, no enlargement of regal
domains that will compensate those
10000 families who lost their IONS or
husbands or fathers in this second
struggle-nearly twice as many as
were lost in the war against the
Turk.
And Bulgaria must pay twice dear
~, must pay in loss OF prestige and in
the other greater loss of 90, 600 men.
The death of those men stand in pro-
test against the selfish ambitions Of
Bulgarian craftsmanship.
1t the end Of the Turkish war the
finances Of the Balkan nations were
strained. The people must pay larger
taxes to AXE care Of a war debt of
half a billion. Agriculture and indus
try had been neglected. crops lost by
lack OF men to husband them. And
there were 40VrUV0 less men 10 ldhe
up the fight for a livelihood, 10 bear
the nations fiscal burdens.
Yet with these fearful conditions
the Balkan nations must run into an
other selfish fight for spoils. 1t was
in~excusable. The dispute could have
been settled by arbitration. There
was no issue Of national honor in
volved. BY rushing into war the
heads Of these nations committed
nothing less than a crime against 130.-
600 men. now dead, and against the r
families, now bereaved and d~esolate.