Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-09-02
KAISER PURPOSES
DRIVE TO AID OF
TURKS, IS BELIEF
If Bulgaria Becomes Ally OF
Teutons Germany wifi At
tempt Check of Darda-
neIIes Pressure.
MIGHT TAKE SUEZ CANAL
Serious Embarrassment Would
Result to Entente Allies If
Plan Succeeds-Bulgar-
ian Break a Danger.
MIGHT TAKE SUEZ CANAL

London Aug. o0.-Further evidence
of increasing Austrian activity on the
southern front is furnished by an an
nouncenent of the reopening Of hos
tilities between the Austrian and the
Montenegrins. The latter claim a res
pulse Of Austrian detachments in a
short engagement near the mouth Of
the gulf of Cattaro.
There ore many who profess to see
in this renewal OF the offensive by the
Teutoric allies on the Balkan frontier.
the beginning of a ~stupendous drive
south through the Balka peninsula to
Turkey, thence TO Contantinople.
1t is confidently claimed. and the ru-
mors from Sofia and Athens bear out
the claim-that Bulgaria would assume
the role of an open ally of Austria and
Germany in such a move while Greece,
thanks to the queen, who Is q sister or
the kaiser, and who rules the throne"
woul remain neutral. This would leave
Rumania and Serbia alone to oppose
the drive-unless the allies made an
other division of their forces, and the
opposition of these two small countries
would be no match for the seasoned
armies of the Teutonic allies.
These are the reasons put forward
to sustain the campaign.
Turkey is desperately short of shells.
Rumania has persistently refused to
permit shells and munitions from Ger
many's huge shell factories to pass
through her territory to the Turks.
A German drive then would open a
direct route for munitions between
Germany and Turkey.
Would Strengthen Turks.
1t would enable the Turks, backed by
strong German re-enforceInents, to put
up an even more stubborn resistance 10
the storming of the Dardanelles ana
perhaps even indefinitely block the al
lies attempt to break through and re-
lease Russian wheat.
Their collier traffic practically
stopped by the operations of the Rus
sian fleet in the Black Sea, the Turks
also are short of coal. The predicted
German drive would also relieve this
condition by permitting the Turks to
tap German mines.
Then, with Turkish territory in Asia
open before them the German drive
could easily be continued, to result in
the seizure of the Suez canal, the high
ly important gateway to the East.
This would seriously hurt the allies
by cutting off the direct transportation
Of wheat and cotton from India, and
coal from the far East.
The moral effect of a German seizure
Of the Suez canal might result in an
uprising of native troops in Egypt, a
thing which German has tried to ac-
complish since the beginning of the
a
Germany'S n AuStria'S concentra-
ton of troops on the Balkan frontiers,
attacks on Serbian positions which in
dictate the opening of new campaigns
against the Serbs. and the present tense
situation throughout the Balkan states
indicates that the new German drive
may start at any moment now.
May Be a Bride.
The German drive would of necessity
be through either Serbia, Rumania or
both and then down through Bulgaria.
Thus the news of Turkeys surrender
to Bulgaria of a stretch Of territory and
a vitality important frontier railway
line reaching to the very gates of
Adrianople has serious import for the
allies.
Is it a bribeifor which Bulgaria will
open her country to the German "steam
roller?"
The allies fear the worst. for Bulgaria
has e~mphatically stated that only Upon
one condition that Serbia cede Macedo-
! territory to her will she join with
the allies.
This Serbia has determinedly refused
to do.
Had Serbia agreed and Bulgaria gone
over to the allies it would have opened
the back door to Constantinople and the
Dardanelles would have been opened
in short order.
But if Bulgaria. won over by Turkey.
aids the threatened German drive by
warning on Serbia. the Germans will
have but little difficulty in connecting
with the Turks.