The Washington herald., 1915-08-16
|BELGRADEFEELS
GERMAN SHELLS
Army Of 100000 Preparing
for March Toward
Turkey.
SERBIANS RETURN FIRE
London Confident Balkans Will Throw
Support on Side of
the Allies.
SERBIANS RETURN FIRE

London. Aug. 15-Shells from German
| guns are bursting in the ruins of Bel
grade. as an army of between 30o0o0 and
10000 Austro-Germans concentrated
along the Serbian border from Orsova
near the Roumanian frontier. to Semlin
| is preparing to cut its way through to
| Turkey!S
With the opening Of the Teuton-Balkan
| drive, Bulgaria. Roumania and Greece
| are brought to a point where they will
have to declare either for the powers OF
the quadruple entente of for the central
| empires and their ally, the Sultan.
Massed on its own frontier, the Serbian
army is replying valiantly to the bonn
| bardment Of the German howitzers. From
! positions behind Belgrade, the Serbian
! artillery is hurting shells into Semlin. on
! Austrian territory, and the town OF
| Pancero, where the population has fed
in panic under the bombardment.
While the best opinion here is that the
Balkan States will cast their strength on
the side of the allies, every ounce of pres
sure possible is being brought to bear
upon Gear Ferdinand and Premier RADIO
slavoff. of Bulgaria, upon whom more
than anyone else the vital decision rests.
Threat of Land Loss.
Germany apparently hopes that Bull
Garia can be induced to allow the pas
sage of German troops and ammunition
across her territory, once a path Is cut
through Serbia. On the other hand. adj
vices reaching here during the last few
days indicate a more favorable attitude
on the part OF the Bulgarian authorities
to the proposals Of the allies representa-
tives.
Bulgaria however. Is standing firmly
upon her demands that Greece and Serbia
must cede the territory in Macedonia, Of
which Bulgaria believes she was wrongly
deprived by the treaty of 1913, in order
to gain her support.
To force Greece and Serbia to comply
with these demands. England, France,
Russia and Italy are understood to have
notified the Athens and Nish govern
ments that they will be excluded from
a share in the redistribution of territory
after the war unless they reach an agree
ment with Bulgaria.
Berlin Still Confident.
Reports from Rome state that Rou-
mania Is aiding the allies in their pres
sure on Greece and Serbia. and that
portion of the Roumanian army has been
modified against any move by Germany
against Roumanian territory, which is
raenaced from Orsova
Berlin, however. is confident Of the
passive support of the Bucharest govern
ment. owing to the fact that the Rou-
manian frontiers are at the mercy OF the
Teutonic allies, owing to their recent
successes against the Russians. Rou-
mania still refuses to let German ammu-
milton cross her territory to Turkey, but
she has released great quantities Of grain
for export to Germany and Austria, de-
spite the representations Of the quad
ripple entente. The policy of Greece, it is
believed will be settled tomorrow when
the Greek parliament meets. or shortly
thereafter. Mr.. Venizolos. the former
prime minister. who favored an alliance
with the allies, will return to power but
will meet strong opposition from King
Constantine in any move which looks to
other than the continued neutrality of
Greece.