The Washington herald., 1915-11-21

cessfully In any great strength. At the
commencement Of the war the Turks in
this region greatly oUtnumbered the Rus
SLAMS. but they could not accomplish
anything on account Of the difficulties OF
the terrain and the remoteness of any
possible base.
Economically the central empires will
have gained something by securing con-
troll of the Balkan peninsula, but not so
much as they would have us believe.
Roumania is already selling them all the
grain she can spare. Greece, Turkey
and Bulgaria do not export enough food
stuffs 10 he Of any account to their
friends. Indeed Turkey is none too well
situated herself at the present time, as
far as food is concerned. There are some
valuable copper mines in Northeast Ser
bia that the Germans can work. but Ger
many has not up to the present shown
herself TO be short either OF copper or
cotton. which Turkey can also supply
her with in limited quantities.
Moreover /, is not seriously believed
that Germany - in any danger Of star
walton at the present time. They are not
living on nightIngale's tongues over
there, but OF actual nutriment there is
no great shortage. The cost of food has
risen chiefly as the result of exploitation
and the government reGull lion of Prices
will cure that. There Is Just one thing
that the central empires have not got
enough Of and cannot replace, and that
is men. And while the Balkans can sup
ply them with some more men they will
not provide them in a place where they
can do any particular good.
Has No Bearing.
An this goes to prove what experts
have already said on several occasions
that the outcome of the fighting and
scheming in the near East cannot have
any real bearing on the final outcome OF
the war. II Goes mean that the allies
have not bUnsled things considerably
there. but as a matter OF fac; their
bunEling, which consisted largely Of fall
ing to suspect the treacherous DISPOSE
tons Of such men as Ferdinand OF Bull
garia and Constantine OF Greece, rather
Goes them credit than otherwise. With
the latter Of these gentlemen they are
still In a position TO deal, and there can
be little dOUbj that the allies will force
Greece 10 retir, him and his Eultur-Ob-
sessed spouse in retirement The Kaiser
should be willing to provide for them.
From the allies point OF view the pro-
ceduTe here indicated would mean the ,
addition OF a large contingent Of fight |
ers 20 the French front, ample re-en- |
fOrcemsnts, If any are needed 10 the !
British troops in Egypt and Mesapotamia.
and the capt. OF eighty or 2 hundred !
Greek 0lsr,hz.f ssse!s. which would |
come in YER andy just now. There |
would also he a diminution OF expense !
and anxiety.
As 10 the loss Of prestige which would
result. one can say only that prestige Is
the cheapest thing in the European mar
tet just now. There are no more ma
tons that can be Impressed" into going
into the war or staying out of IL.
BY all odds Germany should have lost
so much prestige when she was driven
from the Marine and so much more when
her great drive into Russia fiZzled out.
and when Italy sided against her that all
IF Europe should have jumped on her
neck at once. But as a matter of fact
prestige has not counted for anything.