The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-08-25
THE ARMA0EDDON IN THE
NEAR EAST

From the very beginning Of the
war there have been imaginative,
far-seeing strategists who unquali-
fiedly have insisted that the fate of
the conflict would be determined in
the Balkans. The entente allies have
been peculiarly unfortunate in that
quarter. Roumania, though bound
to Italy and Russia alike, has thus
far refused to join them. Greece,
though Britain and France have been
her consistent protectors, and de-
spite the vision Of a greater ma
tional life that could be realized
only through cooperation with the
allies, has been held back by a Ger
manic dynasty. Bulgaria wabbled
for time, and then Joined the
Teuton powers, apparently misled
into the belief that they were GER
tain to win the war. Serbia, i'm
mediate occasion if not the cause of
the confagration, was swept we'll
nigh out of existence. Turkey
proved a more significant military
factor than had been anticipated,
and the Gallipoli fiuke was costly in
material and in prestige to the al
lies, while correspondingly calcu-
lated to give pause to the hesitant
Balkan states.
Altogether, then, the near east
has been a sorrow to the entente.
But it has stuck by its guns. Some
ultimate intelligence has firmly
placed the finger of attention on that
area, and insisted that there lay the
place where the foundation of per-
manent peace must be laid.
After many months Of prepare
ton, the allies are seemingly ready
for their great effort in this quarter.
They are bringing troops from every
quarter of the world to join in what
truly has the look of an enterprise
of Armageddon. They have come
from France and Italy. Russia and
Britain, from Canada and the South
Seas, from wherever a contribution
to this war of civilization might be
drawn.
Without doubt the allies now
greatly outnumber their enemies.
They have, however, to carry a
powerful offensive through a hard
country. The lines Of advance from
their base at Saloniki are powerfully
fortified by the Bulgars, Germans,
and Austrians. 1t is not going to be
a rapid campaign, rather a slow and
painful one.
In its present stage the play of
politics is everywhere in evidence;
and after many disappointments, the
entente powers are beginning to i'm
press Greece and Roumania. Rou-
mania has a magnificent army, said
to number a potential 100000 men.
Greece has less population and less
available force; but it would be an
Offset to Bulgaria, if it should at
length join against the Teutonic ar
ray. A bitter clash between Bulgars
and Greeks has this week swept
Greece with a wave Of enthusiasm
for the conflict, which Greece now
realizes would be only worse than
to continue her present neutrality
and as it's price forfeit all hope Of
a brighter day and a greater destiny
after peace shall return. Roumania
cannot much longer debate; she
must act, and everything indicates
that she will 60 with the allies. The
tone of advices from Berlin and also
from Buda Pesth suggests that the
German and Austrian nations are
being prepared for the fearful disap-
pointment that will fall to their 10.
when they learn that Roumania's ac-
cession to their enemy outflanks
them in new quarter.
Armageddon is in sight. The Ma
poleonic Battle of the Nations was
the play of children compared to this
tremendous conflict Of the powers of
the earth. The near east seems
more plainly than ever before to be
the rough through which the light
will ha Let into middle Eurona