The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-10-13
Bulgaria's Sudden Entrance
into War Admitted to Be
a Severe Blow
FORCE UNDER 100000
WILL BE INADEQUATE
Italy's Peculiar Situation in Not Hav-
ing Declared War on Germany Causes
Trouble-France May Be Unwilling
to Send Troops to Balkans.

LONDON, Oct. 10. - Bulgaria has
taken the expected action. Her def
mite entry into the war has come even
more quickly than had been calculated,
as it was thought her mobilization
would not be completed before the
18th.
The situation which now confronts
the allies is admittedly very serious.
At the present stage of the war game
in the Balkans, Serbia, and such of the
| Franco-British contingent as has been
| landed at Salonili are probably out
numbered three to one. TurAey S pow
| er of offensive in Gallipoli and Egyp-
has been increased by the liberation o.
! the army which, until Bulgaria S CO.
| operation was assured, had to be main
! tanned on the Ottoman northern iron
| tier.
The problem before the higher com
mands of the allies is whether to leave
Serbia to struggle for herself against
the overwhelming odds-for the Fran
co-British force which according to
original plans was to be sent through
Greece was not large enough to redress
the balance - or whether to divert a
great army from other fields of opera
tions to Balkans. Those strategists,
PROFESSIONAL ana dildlGuI, WIZ lawn
the latter plan estimate that no force
under 100000 can be adequate.
Until further developments show
what has been the decision of the allied
!. higher commands the diverse aspects
of the problem will be hotly debated.
In some quarters Italian assistance is
called for, but in regard to this point
1.-TWO facts are advanced: First, that
Italy has not vet declared war against
Germany; second, that Greece s prom
Use of benevolent neutrality might bic
: affected by Italv's direct participation
: lin Balkan warfare.
How far France wouIt be willing to
60 in sentling troops to the Balkans
+ and thereby reducing her powers of of
: lfensive elsewhere is a matter which
undoubtedly is receiving consideration
1.-THE French press meanwhile is actively
4 diseussing the point of Maurice Barres
flor instance, taking the view in the
: Echo de Paris that a joint committee
of the higher commands Of all the al
lies only can resolve the question, and
= George Clemenceau, on the other hand
arguing strongly in favor of France :
devoting all of her efforts to Kidding
French soil of the invaders. In some
: quarters in London it is urged that
:. britain must take hpbi hIAoCh th'
. task of assisting Serbia and thereby
f preventing Germany from opening NJ
: the road to COnstantinople.
4 point which requires close consid
Grafton is how far the single railwa,
u which runs from Salonizi to Nish would
= prove a satisfactory vehicle for the
: supply of a large army in addition Il
: the requirements of the Serbians III thu
= matter of arms and munitions. Bul
! garia has opportunities of cutting TIN
Saloniki line, and there are other con
tingencies of interruption of the ser
!. vice which have been remembered
= In this connection it Is stated tina
Greece reply to Gormany's protcs
against the allied landing at Salonik
is that German diplomatists blame'
= Belgium for resisting in August, 1911
8 the peaceful passage of German troop
/ who otherwise would have spared Be
nium the horrors of invasion and occu
patton.
n While pessimists here are foretellin
: the almost immediate success of Gen
many in linking up with Constantinopl
and the consequent imperative abar
donment of the GallipoH expedition
and that a German advance agains
Egypt will have an immediate disturb
4 ing influence on India, the voices G
tho moro optimistic school are by n
means silent.