Evening star., 1916-08-13

DSyOnQ, she dCtudiiy dNIoHlPhSHS
less successful, if more dazzling,
For many years Berlin and Vienna
had dreamed of an expansion to and
beyond the Aegean and the Hellespont.
Sea power had effectively closed Teu-
tonic hopes of expansion in the far east
and of more than limited colonial de-
velopment in Africa and the far east.
As long as Britain remained supreme
on the blue water the outlying colonies
of Germany were bound to fall to the
British in any war. as the progress of
events in the present conflict has dem
onstrated.
The March to the Near East.
But the march to the near east was
overland. Seated at the Dardanelles
and the Bosporous. Germany could
command the crossing to Asia. she
would be beyond the reach of naval
power and her expansion could spread
through Anatolia and down to Suez as
well as outward toward Persia. and
even India. reorganized Turkish
army. strengthened and stiffened by
Teutonic contingents. could restore the
Osmanli empire and threaten Britain at
And all of this dream the successful
campaign of last winter. for the time al
least. transformed into reality. The
destruction of Serbia bound Berlin to
prolonged the line far down toward
Mesopotamia- The train which today
starts at Antwerp and halts only at
the Stamboul quay is for the Germans
a sign and symbol of that place in
the sun" they have long sought. 1t is
the solid achievement of the war.
1t is wholly conceivable that Ger
many might now. or after few more
months Of the terrific sacrifices that
are daily asked of her. consent to evac-
uate France and restore Belgium. She
might even retire from Russian Poland
and persuade her Austrian ally to make
eertain concessions to Italy in the Tren-
tino. She might accept the loss of her
African and Asiatic colonies, but all
these would be but comparative losses
II she could retain her supremacy in
the Balkans and her mastery of the
Turks dominions.
Mitteleuropa
Granted all her losses, she would still
have emerged from the war a gamer,
and In due course of time that Mitteleu-
ropa, Of which we have heard SO much.
would become reality and the Ger
mans would be masters in a coalition
which extended from the Baltic to the
Persian gulf. which touched Egypt at
Sues and menaced India from Busra.
Given few years Of peace to organize
her conquests. Germany would be es-
tablished permanently in western Asia,
across the exit of Russia, on the flank
of Britain. through her Mohammetan
influence threat to the Moslem popu-
lations Of France. Britain. Russia and
even Italy.
Therefore. it is safe to conclude that
only complete defeat. defeat far more
considerable than we have yet any i'm
mediate promise of. would bring Ger
many to surrender what she has won
between the Danube and the Aegean.
For such surrender would bolt the
doorway to the east. Russia would es-
taoiish herself At the straits. the Turk
tsh empire would be partitioned among
Germsny's enemies, and the real bulk
would sooner or later come to the ma
tion which. seated at Scutari and in
Armenia, would infailibly penetrate
and absorb Anatolfa.
A Decisive Defeat.
On the other hand. IL an allied Of
fensive, starting at Saloniki. where a
huge Anglo-French- Serb army has been
concentrated. could cut through the
forces OF the central powers in the val
ley OF the vardar. reach the Danube
BY Skoplie and Nish. then the German
oream would be extinguished, there
"ouIo De no longer any hope OF profit
after peace. which might COMPENSATE
.os me past sacrifices or the future
sunerins that war entailed. Such a de-
leat would be far more effective than
any retreat in northern France or ReI
gum. any withdrawal In Poland and
peace. ~
IL 10 for this reason that I beIievs
the campaign in the Balkans. to which
every sign points: may easily prove far
more important in its political effects
than anything that will hannen in
year.
Now what is the exact military sit.
uAtion at the present moment in the
Balkans? Nine months ago an AnyIoe
French army. which had come too Iate
70 save Serbia. fell back sullenIy from
macedonia into Greece. took its stand
the Chalcfdice peninsula under condi-
tlons strtkingly recalling the recoiI OF
wellington behind the lines of Tor
res Fedras in the Napoleonic wars.
over the Albanian Alps. reached the
coast at ST. Jean de Medua. and at
Durazzo took ship for Corfu and came
10 temporary rest on this island, re-
out of the war.
There was time when it seemed
likely that German. Austrian and Bull
garian troops would pass the Greek
O,'NS' ehH dhNc"Pt " 'Npcdt tHe eA-
Mott of Soult at Corunna, when he
'7-eed the. army OF Sir John Moore to
IKE ship. But this did not happen.
Tee central powers paused at the
eek frontier Austrian troops en-
te cd Albania and approached Valona
irVt IN Italian army here stood safely
rnder conditions recalling the army at
Saioniki.
Jonre Overruled Kitchener.
From that hour 10 the present there
las been a slow but steady rise in the
strength of the allied forces at Saloniki