Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-15
0vershadowed by
Glory of Greece.

Glory Of Greece. have v poured
into its mountainous, irregular confines
only to be broken in the end beneath the
weight of radiant tradition of the little
Attic city, which developed in that land a
civilization that has compelled the lasting
admiration of the world.
Byzantium true, made a brave effort
through thousand years to carry on
the traditions of the ancient Greeks. In
assisted, even opposed. by it's western
neighbors. it struggled against over
whelming hordes of barbarians for cen
turies-a vain. brilliant contest, filled
with glorious deeds at arms. complicated
diplomacy, treachery and bluff. MORALLY
wounded by nations of the west. whose
fertilization 1t had defended SO long, By
zantium tottered to its final defeat be-
fore the irresistible Turk, who gave up
all thought Of emulating ancient Greece.
Since then civilization has not given one
flicker of even passing interest in all the
peninsula.
The attention of the western world was
again centered on the Balkans when the
last war brok out. Definite success of
the Greek, Servian. Bulgarian and Mon
tenegrln armies seemed to presage an
awakening of the peninsula. Before the
war started, foreign capital had begun to
be Invested for its reclamation. However,
the commerce of the Balkan states eX-
cepting alone Roumania remained least
of the countries of Europe Roumania
did larger business than all the rest
of the states together. In 1901 Rouma-
MIA imported goods to the amount of
SlS,.NDpn, and her exports amounted to
$40. 10000, while in 1909 her imports
were S115,OoO.O00 and her exports Sl40,-
100000. Lack of transportation facili-
ties, initiative of capital and of the in
splrauon OF any standard of living were
the main causes of these countries leth-
argy. Much of the territory of the
peninsula is fruitful There are valuable
undeveloped mineral resources, fertile
grain belts, excellent timber resources
southern and temperature fruits and good
grazing grounds. Further the Balkan
countries are in the best geographical DO
sition to control the trade, home and com
mission, between Europe and Asia Minor.
Also, they command the entrance from
the Mediterranean to the Black sea
Chiefly, an absence of all DEVELOPMENT
OF lines of communication within the land
has made the use Of their advantages i'm
possible.
There are no great natural difficulties
In the way Of building UP a network Of
modern roads
No Natural Barriers and railway
Stand in the Way. R I,;,rs n Me- IN e
ural lines Of communication run from the
north to the south and the southeast, or
In the direction of the Europe-Oriental
trade The present railways are entirely
inadequate to any national growth In
fact, Montenegro is the only country in
Europe in which there are no railroads
Still. this little land has some excuse It
Is SO situated that one must literally
climb In and out of it.
Growth of the Balkans will be depend
ent upon the decided improvement of
communication there. The war destroyed
great part Of what advance had been
made. and only good roads and modern
railways will be able to heal the wounds.
This seems to be recognized, and Greece
is feverishly building railways for the de-
velopment of her resources. With the
success of the allies seems to have come
recognition that the time for thei
economic insularity from the rest of
Europe has passed. Now they have shown
signs of awakening, 1t appears probable
trade zone plan outlined for their own
and for Europe's upbuilding of direct
eastern commerce.
Most probable of all Is that the scheme
of laying foundations for a closer Euro
pean commercial reciprocity through an
experiment of international cooperation
in the Balkans is German inspiration.
The Germans remember the warning of
Prince Bismarck. He saw in the future
an economic war, a struggle for existence
or the largest SCALE and, as the most
formidable opponent of the German EN-
pire. he saw the United States.