Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-10

Athens. II the Bulgarian attack from
the north Is once checked and rolled
back, we may expect a Greek advance
along the Observation-Disclosures rail-
road, together with a naval demonstra-
ton before Dedeagatch. But this lat
ter operation has a far wider value and
must be considered along with the
probable operations of the allies
What the Allies Will Do.
The first purpose of any Anglo
French military expedition to the Bal
kans must be to protect the Serbian
communications with Saloniki. unless
the entire railway line from Uzkub to
the Aegean is taken over by the Greeks.
The second must be to hurry troops
inland to Nish, to protect the Serbian
rear from attack coming through FL
rot and from Sofia Serbia must occupy,
after Bulgarian declaration of war,
a position between the German ham
mer and the Bulgarian anvil For the
moment. Serbia may be able to hoid
back the Germans. but she certainly
will not be strong enough to ward OF
both Bulgarian and German blows.
Once the Serbian situation is as
sured. however. then the quadruple
entente will unquestionably begin to
reconstruct it's plans for the capture OF
Constantinople. From the very out:
that the wiser line for the allies to
pursue would be to advance through
Thrace upon the Chatalja lines and
abandon their hitherto fruitless efforts
to force the Dardanelles. But while
Bulgaria was neutral there was lack
ing any rail base for such an operation
Now the allies can. If Greece is friend
ly, land troops at kavala and at Sa'
loniki and move east across the Mesta
into Bulgarian Thrace.
Two Ports as Bases.
At the same time they can seize
Dedeagatch, at the END of the Adria-
nople-Aegean railroad, and. using Sa.
loniki and Dedeagatch as their bases
move their forces. first through Greek
and Bulgar territory to the Martha
and then east along the main Orienta
railroad, which comes from Belgrade
and Sofia, through Adrianople and joins
the Adrianople- line neal
Dimotika.
Moving east along this railroad they
can reach Lule Burgas. the. scene o.
the great battle Of the first Bali a.
war, and then follow the pathway OF
the victorious Bulgars to the Chataljs
lines. Meantime. the land route be-
tween Constantinople and the Darda'
nelles on the European side could bt
cut by detachingN a corps to Rodosto
as the Bulgars did in their advance.
Such an advance would be exposed tt
a flank attack by the Bulgars coming
south through Adrianople. which has
been dismantled and evacuated by the
Turk. but if Bulgaria should detacf
troops for this attack, then pressure
on the Serbs would be relieved. Unit
the road through Serbia is opened, too
the Bulgars and Turks will lack mum.
tons.
A drive at Constantinople through
Thrace would compel the Turks to re-
call a considerable portion of theil
army on the Gallipoii peninsula ant
such withdrawal might open the way
for a successful allied attack at thi.
point.
Constantinople the Real Prize.
In viewing the new Balkan crisis i
must be recognized that the possession
Of Constantinople is the chief objec
i've. If the allies succeed in reaching
the city by land or water before thu
Germans have cut a way south through
Serbia, then the whole German cam
paign will be of no avail, because tn,
defense of Constantinople by the sea
powers will be a simple matter. Blu
If the Germans reach the Golden Horn
before the allies. then the complete
failure of the whole Dardanelles opera
t1On Will nave TO De IaCeQ
Such a failure would leave the allie.
with no other possible course than tt
abandon the whole near east, with.
draw their armies, leave Serbia to hel
fate and, at most, endeavor to protect
Greece from German Bulgaria at
tack, which would follow German sue.
cess in the main campaign Once Serbia
is disposed of and Constantinople re.
lieved, the Bulgarians will have a free
hand to deal with the Greeks, unless
Rumania becomes uneasy. which is
hardly likely If the German success is
complete. What is more likely is thai
Bulgaria and Rumania will then COM
promise their quarrels and Rumania
will enlist on the side of the central
powers.
If Greece remained neutral she could
depend upon the kaiser's powerful in.
'fuence to protect her, as he did, in
fact, aid her at the time of the Buch-
Arrest negotiations. 1t is the fact that
the kaiser's sister is Constantine's
queen which makes the court influence
in Athens wholly Teutonic. On the
other hand, if Greece remained neutral
and the allies finally won, she would