New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-26
THE. ALLIES AT SALONlCA
The One Natural Road Plains the Mediterranean Leads
to Salonica-tIow 1t Has Protected the Suez Canal and
Influenced Wavering Balkan Diplomats
Foreign Editor of La Revue des Deux Mondes.
prom The London Outlook.)
By RENE PINON.

at a suitable time and with sufficient forces
as far as the plain Of Uskub. The Serbansi
even though beaten in the first encounters
wouId have rallied round the Allied con-
tingents and could have recovered victory
In any case, they would have been able to
effect their retreat easily to Uskub and
Salonica.
The first object, then, of the Salonica ex-
pedition was not attained. Was it right at
that moment TO give up the game and leave
Salonica? This opinion has been held, espe-
cially in England, but facts have amply
proved that the partisans of this solution
were mistaken.
Salonica is a formidable position on the
enemy's flank. So long as the Allies occupy
Salonica in force, the long line OF German
communication with Constantinople and the
East is menaced on the flank. No consider
able enterprise in Asia Is possible for the
German o ttomans while an Allied force, es-
tablished at Salonica, hinders their move
ments II Egypt has not been attacked, II
is first and above all attributable to the
presence at Salonica Of an Anglo-French
army. The point at which the Suez Canal
could be and has been protected is Salonlca
While the Allies held Salonica, they showed
by so doing that they did not consider the
Balkan question solved and that the military
and political hegemony which the Germans
had established there was only precarious
and provisional. There had been at hrst
false start; they must start again The Al
les remained masters Of the moment when
they should Judge it expedent to give the
signal for a second start. If we had aban-
doned Salonica King Constantine would have
been free to follow the inclination whlrn
pushes him toward his imperial brother-ln-
law. and the Greek people, convinced OF our
weakness, would have followed him with JOY
along the road which leads to the glorlhca'
ton of force. The hesitation of Rumania
would have probably ended; she would have
thought that the Entente had lost the game
in the Balkans, and would have remained
definitely neutral. unless indeed she, TOO, had
turned in the direction Of force All over
the East Anglo-French prestige, already com
promised by the check at the Dardanelles
would have been lost.
II wa. necessary then TO remain at Salon
lea. But the fortunate results of the decision
of the Allies to remain there and to make
themselves impregnable there have already
been achieved. Other advantages must be
sought; success is acquired by initiative and
movement new period is opening in the
East; it must spell victory for the Allies.
The Germans hope to realize their ambition
of universal domination by hegemony in the
Balkans and by protectorate over Turkey
The spinal cord from Hamburg to Bagdac
will be the axis of their power. From that
line they will threaten Egypt and India, close
the Straits 20 Russia, and establish them
selves as masters in the Eastern Mediter-
ranean. To ward off this peril, which threat
ems all the powers, it is necessary and suffi-
cient to cut at any point the spinal cord. Nc
operation will be possible against Egypt OF
India or Persia once we shall have obtained
this result.