Evening journal., 1915-08-27
BY HENRY WOOD.

SOFIA. Bulgaria, Aug. 2.-(By
NaiD-From the spick and span. but
none the less modest little Balkan
capital. Sofia has become the center
~ the worlds greatest war, and the
lohbv for the greatest thing In the
world-victory in the present war.
Bv the vicissitudes OF the present
great European conflict and her pc
culiar geographical position Bulgaria
has come more than any one other to
hold an influence over the future des-
TIMES of all Europe.
Were Bulgaria suddenly to join
the Allies, and falling on the back
Of Turkey capture Constantinople
from the rear, the Allies could at
least pass the Dardanelles and carry
10 Russia the help in supplies and
munitions that might quickly turn
the whole current of the war in their
favor
II Bulgaria continues neutral, the
possibility of the capture OF Constan-
tinople from the Chatalja line Is re-
moved and the eventual passage OF
the Dardanelles If not rendered I'M
possible will be so indefinitely de-
iayed as to enable Germany in the
meantime to follow up her successes
against Russia and turn the whole
current Of the war in her favor.
This. at least, is the way the great
European powers now involved In the
conflict view the situation and that Is
why the lobby is here
In Europe they do not call II lob
bying. II passes under the more po-
lie term OF diplomacy. In reality,
however. there is not a method nor
a tactic known to the most common
or the most distinguished lobbyist at
Washington or any American State
capital that is not being used 20 win
over the various members of the Bull
garian cabinet. the members Of par
lament the political leaders, the
heads of the army and even Gear Fer
dinand, the Queen and the crown
prince themselves. It may be that
diplomacy and lobbying are merely
the European and American terms
for the one and the same thing or IL
may be that the issue at stake is so
great that the exalted and dignified
diplomacy Of Europe has been re-
duced TO the methods and practices
of American lobbyists
The lobby Is naturally divided into
two great camps. that Of Germany,
Austria and Turkey, and that of
France. England, Russia. italy and
Serbia. To the regularly accredited
diplomatic representatives OF these
countries there has been added a
whole army Of special diplomatic and
other agents. every one If whom has
been selected with an eye to his spe-
cial qualifications either for winning
over some special individual OF for
welding some especial influence on
the Bulgarian government as a whole.
Both camps have now made more
OF less concrete propositions 10 Bull
garia. Germany. Austria and Turkey
have told her that n she will remain
neutral till the end of the war they
will give her all OF Serbian Mace
donia. which after all is the one
thing Bulgaria most desires. This Of
fer presumes a final victory for Ger
many in which event Serbia would
become an Austrian province and
would have nothing to say as to the
disposition Of her territory. Minor in
ducements also have been included IN
the German offer.
The Allies on their part IN exchange
for Bulgarias participation In the
war and her capture Of Constantine
Dple from the rear have offered:
/. The bulk of what remains of
the Turkish empire in Europe includ-
ing the city of Adrianople which the
Enlgarians captured In the first Bal
kan war but lost in the second.
2. Portions OF Serbian Macedonia
which Serbia, it is hoped. at the re-
quest of the Allies will cede.
g. The best efforts of the Allies
to secure from Greece and RoUmania
the cession of those territories which
were taken from Bulgaria at the
close Of the second Balkan war
In response to these offers Bull
garia has frankly admitted that she
is in the market not necessarily &c
the highest bidder but to the one who
will give her the most solid guaran.
tees that the promises made will b'
carried out: or rather, she demands
that insofar as possible. her compen
sation be given her in advance il
order that there be no short change
operations after the war such as sh,
alleges we're perpetrated az the clos'
of the Balkan wars. She has express
ed her readiness to treat with boil
sides and it is this open. receptive
attitude that has resulted in tn
massing here of the great lobby.
In the meantime the activities o
these lobbyists would be an eye open
er TO the most hardened Washington
veteran. To all of the well know
American methods have been adde
all the fine ones perfected during III
last half century by European dir
lomacy
Naturally that of the press play
one of the most important, IL some
times ridiculous parts. Every da
the English and French lobbyist
come out with a bunch Of official con
munications telling of smashing a6
vances by the Allies troops in III
campaign at Gallipoh. With equ'
hurrahs the Turkish lobby comes OF
with equally as famboyant announce