The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-12-01
The Balkans Again.

Germany rdtner DOluDdStiS dSIOuht, just Si'Sh
out of the smooth and machine-ke precision with
which she has completed" her Balkan campaign
synchronizes with the report that Austro-Gcrman
troops are being moved to the Roumanian frontier
and with another report that the result OF pres
sure on the part of Russia and the presence OF an
army OF at least 100000 Russian troops eoncen-
trated for an attack on Bulgaria, Rouniania IS
about to Join hands with, the allies At the same
time-sincei we are watching straws 10 see which
way the wind blows-there comes what purports
to be cable from Paris but which is obviously a
German publicity effort concocted the Lord knows
where or by whom, which explains just how the
Germans are going to meet the Russian attack on
Bulgaria and adding rather naively that their
flank attack will mako a vast battlefield OF all
Central and Western Roumania. Only small
strip of the Black Sea coast can hope to escape.
That little phrase "can hope to escape, by the
way is as Teutonic if it had the kaisers sigma
ture under it. AS Roumania has an army OF more
than 100000 well equipped troops with adequate
artillery which with the Russian forces waiting to
cross the border and the Anglo-French troops in
the South give a total of a million men with more
coming all the time the possibility Of the 100000
lAustro-German troops now in the Balkans making
a Battle-Ground of Roumana is almost joke. But
great is the power Of the press, and the Germans
have never failed in their immense belief that II
Germany says thing is so everybody Will oeieve
it. There has been justification for this oehef IN
the past but it hardly exists any longer And there
is another little thing. Bulgaria is suddenly begin
ming IN realize that she is to be left to seek as
sistance from Turkish troops against the allies IN
the south and that wherever the said Turks ma
themselves planted Bulgarian soil they are eH-
tremely likely to take root. Now Bulgaria, II must
be remembered, is no prey to sentiment II
seems to suit her book she will desert Germany
tomorrow and offer herself to the allies as usual
at a price. Her exclusive monopoly OF the role
of prostitute among the nations has never caused
the blush of shame to tnge the Bulgarian brow
That the allies would accept such offers from Bull
earia is of course not to be thought OF unless 1t
was a sheer necessity and if il was sheer neees-
sity Bulgaria would not be offering herself
For Germany to talk about the campaign IN
Serbia as being something completed IS OF course
nonsense, though it may be completed for a briei
period as far communication with turkey IS
concerned. Those Austro-German troops, and
more of them, must be kept in Serbia as long as
the allies remain in the south and the Russians
and Roumanians menace from the northeast
Writing a few days ago we pointed out that the
allies must either retire wnOIy IIOHl tIiC
having saved as much of the Serbian army they
can, or be ready to throw million or more men
in and make huge campaign of it equal in I'M
nortance to those on the east and west fronts.
| Obviously if Roumana either declares for the
allies or even allows the Russian troops to pass
through her territories the allies will stay on and
try and crush Bulgaria and Turkey and whatever
troops Austria and Germany can spare to help
their allies between two fires.
II Roumania should actually participate the
thing would be done in few weeks, but that IS
not very probable whatever the optinists OF Paris
and London may think. Otherwise the assembling
Of the necessary troops by the allies will be a
matter of months The vital question Is therefore
whether Roumania is going to allow the passage
Of Russian troops through her territories. Petro-
grad will know long before VIC do. and though
rumors are rife there that she will, are no
more reliable in Petrograd than in Washington
Nevertheless it must be remembered that Rou-
mania has all along been pro-ally and her states
men have not been backward in stating that she
would strike when the psychological moment ar
rived.
! Meanwhile our eyes arc fixed upon another
point-Gorizia. 1t clear that huge as may
be the losses entailed the Italians are taking the
greatest natural fortress in Europe" bit by bit.
Those who look only for a thrill in their news
papers have complained time and again that Italy
was only playing at il" And the Italians have
as often declared that the magnitude OF their task
has never been appreciated. That is true, and II
that task is crowned with accomplishment by the
capture of Gorilla Italy will center the war; with
bang that will shake the central empires TO their
foundation A distinguished war correspondent
who gets paid for this kind OF thing recently
cabled, Watch Russia" We suggest close atten-
ton to Gorilla and Bucharest.