The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-07-12
ALLIES PLAN new
DRIVE IN BALKAN
Greece's Break May Be Prelude
to Advance From SaIOniki.
REMOVES VExIAG PROBLEM

army OF iuuyouo flShSueS IS fNolfiFdpiy
Trained and Would Be Tremendous
Aid to Enemies of Central Powers.
Will Not Prove Second Roumania
For Germans.
A blow through the Balkans will be
the next move of the allied armies, ac
cording to the significance which well
posted officials and diplomats in Wash
ington attached to the action of Greece
in severing diplomatic relations with
the central powers,
That the break in relations is pre-
lude to the formal entry OF Greece into
the war on the side of the entente is
regarded as a matter of complete GER
tainty
How soon her army will be In shape
to take an active part in the allied op-
erations will depend, it is felt. on how
quickly her present force can be re
organized and the new drafts proposed
by Premier yenizelos can be com,
pleted
The main consideration from the
standpoint of the allies is that
Greece's action has definitely removed
one of the gravest problems menacing
the safety of the Saloniki expedition.
So long as the attitude of the Greek
government remained uncertain the al
lies could not project any extended Of
fensive from their base at Saloniki for
fear that Greek betrayal at their
rear would cut their communications
and lead to complete humiliation or
capture of the expeditionary force.
1t was this fear, aggravated by a re-
alization of the tremendous advan-
tages to he gained from successful
drive through the Balkans. that led
first, to the demand of the allies for a
Rehabilitation of the Greek army, then
to the allied encouragement of Veni-
zelos revolt against Constantine, then
to the enforced abdication of Constan-
tine, who is a brother in-law of the
kaiser, in favor of the formers second
son, Alexander.
Legation Has No News.
Although the Greek legation had not
yet received official confirmation of
the severance of relations, there was
no doubt expressed as to the authority
of the press reports from Athens. Be
fore its rehabilitation the Greek army
numbered 100000, and it is assumed
that this force can be quickly reassem-
bled.
Many of the troops are seasoned vet
Grams, having served with distinction
in the Balkan wars, and would be a
valuable addition to the entente forces
at Saloniki, now numbering approx
mately 650,000, assuming, of course.
that the allies would undertake to sup.
ply the necessary equipment.
The lessons of the Rollmanian fiasco
have made an indelible impression on
the allied commanders as to the Sc
robustness of any attempt to use troops
without the equipment necessary to
compete with the marvellous German
artillery
No Second Roumania.
On the other hand, it is pointed out,
the Germans are not likely to attempt
repetition of their Roumanian drive
when almost before the Roumanians
could rally under their own declara-
ton of war the mailed fist had shot
through their lines with devastating
swiftness.
In the months that they have been
compelled to suspend all offensive OPP
erations while they watched the devel-
opment of the Greek situation the Brit
ish, French and italian forces have es-
tablished themselves around Saloniki
in what is described as practically an
impregnable position.
Enormous stores of supplies have
been accumulated, making them able
to disregard all efforts of the German
submarines in the Mediterranean to
cut their line of communications. For
the Germans to attack these positions,
1t is suggested. might be as disastrous
for them as was the Dardanelles cam
paign to the allies.