Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-24
War Returning to Balkans

gagged III the great war. in alliance with
Germany and Austria is expected with con-
| tidence. All the probabilities point 10 the con-
clusion that this Is her deliberate purpose
and intention, and, even If ii is not. the in
| eXorable logic OF events almost certainly will
| force her hand
1t is hard for a small country. situated as
Bulgaria is. fired by passions and enmitics
and throughout all her recent history the
sport and pawn Of empires, to eat her cake
ana nave it. She cannot seize Serbian Mace
donla without exciting the jealous apprehen-
sions OF Roumania and Greece. Scrbia's allies
III the Second Balkan War, and sharers in
! the territory wrested from Bulgaria as the
result OF that struggle. Something more
IMAM mere treaty promise would be neces-
sary. under such circumstances to induce
Greece and Roumania, already prepossessed
to the cause of the allies, TO withhold their
hand.
So that the war whose spark was lighted in
the Balkans seems destined to return now to
that historic hotbed OF strife 1t is not diff
ncuit TO believe that the issue Of the Balkan
campaign may decide the larger issues of the
confict--that Constantinople, representing
to-day the prize OF an important and far
reaching victory, will become tomorrow the
badge of ultimate triumph
There are sufficient indications that Ger
many has abandoned hope OF extending her
lines III the west and that her ambitions now
sweep east and southeast-to Russian Poland
and Courland and over free and unimpeded
highway to the Dardanelles There ALWAYS
IN the minds OF many leaders OF German
thought, stretched the true path of Tcutonic
destiny, and, whether ii be best or second
Dest, IL offers, once gained, room for the
marching legions of world empire Beyond
the Bosporus and the Dardanelles lie Persia
and Egypt and 1ndia--and revenge on the
hated British. The dream is sweet enough
and iair enough to tempt any warike ambi-
ton and warrant almost any sacrifice
Already Austro- German guns thunder along
almost the whole of Serbias northern from
tier, preparing the way for n dash through
that country to Bulgaria and the relief of the
turks on the Dardaneles. Bulgaras mo-
bilization OF her forces wears all the ASPECT
OF being part OF this campaign 10 which
assurcdly the shattered Serbians, worn out
in victory over the Austrians, can offer onlv
temporary resistance.
FOR the allies at the Dardanelics it is now
or never. Within the next few weeks they
must overcome the diminishing opposition of
the Turks on the peninsula and force their
way into the Sea of Marmora or postDoue
that attainment indefinitely. II the key TO
the Black Sea is TO be turned in the lock and
the granaries of Russia opened to allied trade
the effort cannot be delayed.
We look 10 see a vigorous rcsumnlion of
the allied offensive against the Turks inn
peratively necessary as well for its moral
effect on Greece and Roumania as to prevent
the successful contamination of the impcnd-
lhG AUstro-German sweep through Serbia.
with Galilpoli and Marmora III their posses
sion and Constantinople invested the allies
would be in a position to dentnd the CO.
operation OF the Balkan states that remain
neutral and TO bid their enemies defiance