The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-30

ping DOCK. Macedonia until 1912 was a Turkish province, and it's inhabitants, of whom the enormous majority are Slavs, were terrorized under Turkish mis- rule, as the Armenians. The Bulgarians alleged that the Slav population of Ma cedonia was Bulgarian, and our assertion is that it is Sav. The Bulgar conten- tfon was supported by Vienna and Buda- pest, and in 1907 we were very nearly at war on this issue. Between 1887 and 1912 Servia concluded with Bulgaria three conventions Gin 1897, 1904 and 1905), and in 1912 treaty and & military conven- ton of defensive character
 The Young Turk regime in Macedonia and the aggressive policy of the Vienna cabinet provoked the Balkan war in 1912 which ended in a victory over the Turks and the division of Turkish territory between the Serbs, Greeks and Bull garians. On account Of that division conflict arose between the Servians and Greeks and the Bulgarians.. The Serbo- Bulgarian treaty of alliance provided for the arbitration of Russia in case of such a conflict. The Bulgarians, instead oi agreeing to arbitration, broke the treaty of alliance, and in June 1913, attacked Greece and Servia suddenly and most insidiously with the intention of weak ening Us both and dictating their will The war ended in favor of Servia and Greece. The treaty of Bucharest of 191; put an end to territorial quarrels be- tween Serbs, Greeks and Bulgarians, but the Bulgars were not satisfied with that arrangement.
 BULGARIAN PERFIDITY
 When the present war came, Bulgaria declared that she would remain neutral But that neutrality was for Servia more intolerable than even the war There were incursions into Servia from Bull garia of Bulgarian armed bands who de- stroyed railways and railway bridges and took the inhabitants as prisoners Servia was ready to make certain con sessions to Bulgaria on condition that she either remained really neutral or came in with us. The Bulgarians bargained both with the central powers and with the entente. Who gives most? was the basis of the policy of the Bulgarian gov ernment. which, with it's ruler, a Ger man prince. always favored the victory of might over right That state of af- fairs lasted until September, 1915, wher Bulgaria began secretly to mobilize against us. and afterwards, in company with Austhria and Germany. attacked us
 Any conciliatory declarations of Bull garia ought to be received sceptically and with the utmost reserve, and 1 am afraid that Servia in the future must have a really good strategical frontier in order to protect herself from the Bull garian side
 THE RUSSIAN RESOLUTION
 Both before the Russian revolution and after it there has been in the Bal kans one vital question for Russia: That of the Dardanelles. involving the free and unrestricted passage of her products to the worlds markets That question must be solved favorably for Russia. When it is solved Russia will be satis- fled in the fullest sense of the word.
 MITTEL-EUROPE AND SERVIA
 "A glance at the map will show the real intention of Germany. First of all, she wishes to unite in an economic com- munity, a zollverein-the militarily weaker peoples, and afterward, under German hegemony, to form one state, in which the Germans would be the all powerful masters. The vanguard of Ger many Is Austria Hungary
 To-day it is manifest to everybody that this war was wanted by Germany. She was preparing herself for long time for the following plan:
 CD To create from Belgium, the Neither. lands, Switzerland, a part of northern France. part of Russia (Poland and the Baltic provinces) and Austria Hun gary confederation (about 1,200, ,000 tants).
 @ The Balkan States (about 5O0OO0 square kilometers, with 20.OO0,OO0 inhabi- tants) to enter the zollverein.
 (s) The Turkish empire. to be taken under her protectorate. In other words, Germany wanted to be master of Calais, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Riga and the routes Hamburg-Salonica and Hamburg Bagdad- Persian gulf.
 'Servia, which Austria-H Hungary has tried since 1878 to compel to enter that economic union, lies across both these routes. Servia. realizing the danger to her independence in such union. never consented to that proposal. Having no