Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-05-21

mainly Of the events at Doxato and
Demi.Hissar, with the burning OF
Series, is carefully weighed and IN.
YES tigated in the report Of the com
mission, which says in conclusion:
THE case against the Bulgarians
which remains after a critical examl'
nation of the evidence is sufficiently
grave. In each case the Eulgarians
acted under provocation and in each
case the accusation is greatly exag-
geratcd, but their reprisals were none
thu less lawless and unmeasured.'
Commission. Was Satisfied.
Evidence gathered regarding the vii
lage Of Akanjeli satisfied the commits
sion that, although the village sub
mitted from the first, 1t was sacked
and burned; the Greek troops gave
themselves up openly to a debauch OF
lust; and that many of the peasants
were killed wantonly and without
provocation. The mass of evidence,
according to the report. goes to show
that there was nothing singular in
the cases which the commission it.
Self investigated. In one instance q
number of Europeans Witnessed the
brutal conduct OF a detachment of
Greek regulars under three officers.
Fifteen wounded Bulgarian soldiers
took refuge in the Catholic convent
OF Paliortsi and were nursed by the
sisters. Father Alloati reported this
fact to the Greek commandant, where
upon q detachment was sent in search
for a Bulgarian chief who was not
there. In the course of the search the
Bulgarian Catholic priest was severe,
ly fiogged in the presence Of Greek
officers. A Greek soldier attempted to
violate a nun, five Bulgarian women
and a young girl vel tortured and a
large number of peasants carried off
to prison without eason The officer
in command threatened to kill
Father Alloati on the spot and to
burn down the convent.
French Flag Protected None.
If such things could be done to
in a building under the
protection of the French flag" con-
t!nues the report, ut is not difficult
to believe that Bulgarian peasants
Jared incomparably worse. Denial un.
is. impossible. No verdict
which could be based on the evidence
collected by the commission could be
more severe than that which Greek
have pronounced upon them
selves"
Lock Information.
The commission was unable to in
form itself fully on the conduct Of
the Servian army toward Bulgarian
non-combatants, but it regards the
.desolate waste of burned villages as
No moral judgment is
ventured upon the conduct OF the
Balkan races. Partial condonement of
their o1fenses is found by the COM
mission in the fact that the Balkans
grew up amid Turkish models Of war
fare, the memory of which was still
an open wound.
,su!oars Commit Awful Acts.
In a subsequent chapter there is an
exposure of the atrocities committed
1t Adrianople by the E'ulgarians and
reprisals by the Turks. The recital of
murder, massacres, torture, pillage,
rape and unspeakable cruelties is con-
'inued. Instances include the drown
ing of forty-fiye Turks at Kavagatch
BY Eulgarians, the numbering Of
thtreea hundred people. in and about
Rodosto as a Turkish reprisal. A
ireek report states that the Turkish
army killed, burned and dispersed :
total population Of 1880 in the NAL
CARA district.
Abnormal Conditions.
In commenting on the Bulgarian
country the commits sion says
The things we have prescribed, hor.
'ible as they are, are evidence of an
abnormal condition which cannot con-
Nature herself revolts avainst
'uch excuses as we have observed on
he part Of both a~dversaries."
What Is Worlds Duty.
What then is the duty 'of. the CT
Eilized world in the Balkans, cpncluc.
. the report, Especially OF those ma.
ions who by their location end his.
DRY are free from international en-
anglements. 1t is clear in the first
that they should cease to ex-
'loit these nations for gain. They
,hould encourage them to make arbi-
ration treaties and insist upon their
them. They should set a good
Example by seeking g, judicial settle
nent Of. all International disputes.
consequences OF the recent war,
economic, moral and social, are dread
III yenought, to justify any honest eff
ort by any person or by any nation
alleviate the real distressing sit
a.- - sSn.ss.s-