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

With the rejection by Bulgaria of the
Russian ultimatum that Austrian and
German army officers in command of
King Ferdinand's modified army be dis
missed: the departure Of allied diplo-
mats from Sofia and the resignation OF
Premier venizelos and the Grecian cab
met, Immediately followed by King
Constantine's declaration that his
country would remain neutral. a crisis
was reached during the week In the
Balkan situation. Events have reacted
against the interests of the allied ma
lions.
Huge Austro-German armies are mar
shaled against Serbia. and allied troops
are being rushed by fast express to aid
the menaced little country. Some Of
the bitterest fighting of the present
war is expected to take place in the
Balkan countries, for 1t Is essential to
quate war supplies. and Germany will
be able to render invaluable assistance
in this regard should she be able to
open a way from Berlin and Vienna to
Constantinople by crushing the SERBS.
Situation Is Critical.
The defiance 81 Bulgaria to the allies
and the practical formal espousal of the
Teutonic cause makes it certain that If
the Serbs are crushed the Germans
will achieve their ambition and the
allies efforts to storm the Dardanelles
will become infinitely more diflcult. II
not, perhaps, checked definitely, they
thereby losing one of the great goals OF
the present war.
and needs assistance of her Teutonic
allies is unquestioned- Within the past
week the British forces operating along
the Gallipoli peninsula are declared TO
hav affhStanti2l nYORreSS
menacing gains in the Sulva bay dis
trict. The Turkish army Is declared TO
be suffering from the lack of munitions
which its German allies have been I'M
able to furnish in adequate quantities
or Turkish factories produce. The
Turks fight dercely and with great
manifest by reports Of but spasmodic
fire.
Makes Demand on Germany.
The porte some six or seven weeks
ago il declared to have made a firm
demand upon Germany to come to the
rescue and outbreaks between German
officers and Turkish soldiers are said
to have been frequent. In fact at sew
erai times the situation has been made
cause for reports that Turkey would
sue for separate peace unless the Ger
mans did all that was expected in the
way of furnishing munitions and men.
The German drive for ,Constantinople
is believed to be the result II II is sue
cessful IL must crush the Serbs. If the
allied armies going to the assistance OF
the Serbians are successful in STEM
ming the tide, one of the greatest VIC
tories of the war SO far as sweeping
results are concerned will have been
achieved.
Thus it is that London. Paris and
Petrograd are overly concerned as to
the active participation Of Greece Had
Premier Venizelos been allowed to re-
main In power by King Constantine
who is a brother-in-law Of the kaiser.
Greece's support of the allies would
have been practically assured. Greece's
army which Is one OF the strongest
and best equipped in all southern Eu-
rope, could have been used against the
Germans in Serbia and consequently
France and England would not have
been forced to detach such great forces
to this arena
Rumanian Situation.
The entente nations still count on the
support Of Rumania, but even this hope
has been clouded by the reported guar
antee of the kaiser that the neutrality
of this country will be respected at any
odds. The Rumanian government
though completely vexed over alleged
provocations at the hands Of Vienna
and Berlin, does not desire war at the
present time and the kaiser's guaran.
tee may have great weight In delaying
active participation on one side or the
other.
The German invasion Of Serbia has
lighted the fuse and Just how far
reaching may be the explosion 10 the
cause Of greatest anxiety among the
entente powers.
Chronological Events.
MONDAY.
The Bulgarian government replies To
me- entente. uota Of SeptemheE and thS