The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-03
MAcktNSEN MAY FIGHT
C ontrol Of Railroad
Through Bulgaria Es-
sential to Huns.
CLASH is REPORTED
Allied Forces Advance
on Soha-Bulgars Are
Evacuatlng
Serbia.
is REPORTED

London. Oct CAS- the world is
waiting for the "sick man of Europe"
to lay down his arms and surrender,
thus making the debacle Of Germanys
eastern ambitions complete, interest In
the Balkan situation is fixed tonight
mainly upon the area that lies between
Turkey and the Rumanian and Austro-
Hungarian borders.
Best military opinion here is that
Germany will not give UP the Bulga-
rian stretch of the orient railway with
out n desperate struggle. For such q
struggle Field Marshal Won Mack en-
zen, BerIin's white hope" in the Bal
kans. is believed to be gathering what
ever Teutenic troops re can scrape to-
gether.
A report published by the Koelniche
Nolka Zeitung today that hghting Is
proceeding south OF Sofia implies to
some military critics here that a clash
has occurred between Mackensen' 8
troops and Bulgarians. That would be
the debut OF Bulgaria as a belliger-
emit Of the allies II is not thought
probahl that Teuton troops have as
yet come in contact with General
n E,sperey's allied forces. since at last
accounts The British were still at least
nfty miles south of Sofa, while the
Serhians. at the moment hostilities
ceased were in kumanovo, ninety
three miles southwest Of the Bulga-
risn capital
Fiar~-up Ii Expected.
The military situation In Bulgaria liz
unclear, but a great battle for the Nish-
CanstantinopIe sector Of the Berlin
Basdad railway is expected 10 fare
into flame any moment
Meanwhile IL ts not known how far
p'Espereys left wing has advanced
mn Is tIZ RI RI n.
however. that the Bulgarians have be-
gun the evacuation Of Serbia
Antf-German riots are the order OF
the day in SOFIA Public opinion is
Overwhelmingly back OF Premier Malin
NJ ia whose initiative the bulgarian
surrender IS chiefly credited, That King
Ferdinand himself fully consented 20
NY the speech from the throne read be
fore the Sobranje by MalinoH,
Turkeys surrender is regarded here
only matter of time, Last night S
report of Turkish uitimatum 70 Ger
many was supported by dispatches
from various sources today. After her
bitter experience with Bulgaria " hom
Berlin believed TO be hluffing when she
sent similar ul,imatum. Germany is
expected to be more prompt In meet
ing the sultans demands. One of these
demands however. hits Germ any in an
extremely sore spot, II is that Ger
many hand over the Russian Black sea
feet to Turkey, since the Porte re-
CARDS this feet. while in German
hands, powerful weapon against
Turkish prestige and a lasting club
tn keep Turkey in German bondage
In Austria the paciflst movement Is
spreading hourly. Already 1t has be
come so powerful that Emperor
Charles government Is said TO BE- ex-
erting the strongest pressure ON Eer-
lin to offer" peace to the allies now
and Immediately in the most definite
unmistakable form.
Pope Adviscs Peace oG~r.
In the midst OF his plight confden-
tial counsel is said to have come to the
Austrian monarch from Pope Benedict
The Vatican. IL is said. has advised
Kaiser Karl not 70 lose single mo-
ment in pressing for peace. telling him
of the absolute hopelessness" of a
Teutonie victory and warning him OF