The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-18
All Laws Were Brokea.

Another important point Is the commits
slon's finding that there Is no clause In
international law applicable TO land war
and to the treatment of the wounded
which was not violated 10 a greater or less
extent by all the belllgerents."
This Is not surprising when ono con-
/ slders the school of war in which these
! nations were trained and the centuries old
hatred which the allies had engendered
against their former lord and master
Turkey.
The idea OF the Balkan warrior, be he
Turk, Bulgar. Serb Greek or Montenegrin.
! IL not only the defeat and capture OF his
enemy but also his death, the murder OF
| his family. the looting OF his house and
property and their destruction so that not
n vestge remains--in short, tho eNtinc-
tion of tho race. This WAS the principle
| az II may BE- called "A principleD followed
by almost all the beligerents. The Bull
garians may be taken, according to the
Investigating commission as the single
exception. In fact. the commission pro-
duces orders issued to tho Bulgarian army
by Gen. Savon, tn. commander in CHIEF,
and King Ferdinand himself, to show that
a legitimate attempt WAS made To pre-
vent atrocities. 1t does not follow that
these orders were always followed, but
tho evidence at hand tends to show that
and less revolving than those perpetrated
by tho Turks and Bulgarians' allies, par
ticularly tho Greeks.
The inhabitants OF Macedonia, where
Greek. Turk. Bulgar, Rumanian, Serb and
Albanian go to make up every town and
village In varying proportions, took an
active part In the war and at their feet
must be laid many OF the charges of
| atrocities In the FIRST war. Their action
possibly was only natural when one con-
siders that these villagers who for CEN
turtles had been downtroddcn and squeezed
of every plaster that could be wrung from
them saw the day of Judgment" at hand
and rebelled against their Turkish over
lords netting out TO them the same treat
Inent they had so long endured The first
Victories OF the "Liberators." as the allies
so fondly called themselves, were the
signal for the uprisings In the Macedonian
] villages and the slaughter OF the Turks
Y and their families. Their homes anc
, wealth wero connscated and their build
ings In many cases destroyed, The spiri
OF revenge, 80 long nurtured, seemed u
know no bounds when once liberated
C When there were no more Turks TO murde
q the insurgents turned on their persona
, enemies of other nationalities, 20 that
miniature war among the allies broke gu
: in almost every village.
Causes OF the First War.
Tho question what were the cause
OF the FIRST Balkan war;" Is thus an
swered by the commission:
First-The weakness and want OF
d foresight OF Turkey on the verge or
dissolution.
Second--The powerlessness OF Eu-
rope to impose on constitutional
II Turkey tho reforms which she had
n succeeded in introducing Into an alb
N solute Turkey.
u Third--The consciousness OF IN
IL creased strength which alliance gave
n TO the Balkan States, each with
national mission before II. namely the
T. protection OF the men OF its race and
religion dwelling in Turkey against
. tho decentralization policy. which
II threatened national existence.
n The first two reasons made the war
possible and Inevitable, tho third
guaranteed Its success.
All OF the Balkan States went into II
war with the announced purpose that
was 10 be a war of liberation. but u,
. doubt dly each nation had the arrici
'" pcnsee of territorial gain.
Tho public attitude OF the Balka
States at the outbreak of the first WI
~ "a no better expressed than by the pro
n. lamation issued by the Macedonian rev
ne lutionarics (the priests and schoolma
ID ters), which was as follows:
70 Rrothers: Your sufferings and your
pains have touched the heart of your
H. kindred Moved by the sacred duty
an OF fraternal compassion they come to
Nv YOUR aid to free you from the Turk
to ish yoke In return Tor their sacri-
fce they desire nothing but TO rees-