Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-25

This last road was used by the Turkish
Sultan Murad I. when he arrived az
Kossovo TO fight the historic battle OF
1889, whore perished two rulersy
The railway line Skoplje- Mitrovica
can now be used by the allies for SUP
plying an army operating on the KOS
sovo, Serbia could be entered along
| the Morava and the Ibar rivers, ana
also over the watershed thru the val
leys OF the Jablanica and the Toplica
| The last two valleys are important fol
| Offering alternative roads in order u
turn the strong position Of Gzdelitza on
| the Morava. north of Vzanje. In Serbia
| II Nish were captured, Bulgaria would
be menaced from many sides. and the
railway line connecting her with the
central empires would be put out OF
commission.
But the allies might prefer to invade
Bulgaria before rc-entering Serbia. In
that case they would have at their dis
posal only two roads: Kumanovo to
| Palanka and along tho Struma river.
The Bulgarians, as the second Balkan
war proved. must quickly evacilate the
middle course of the Struma should the
allies be strongly in possession OF Ser
bian Macedonia. However, on account
of strong positions on the high noun
tains dividing Bulgaria from Mace
doGia, the Bulgarians should be able to
Offer stubborn resistance IL the war
| WEAKNESS should not tell it's conse-
QuCnces. The invasion of Bulgaria Is
more easy from the valley of the
Morava and that Is one of the reasons
why the Bhga rians are claiming the
Serbian Morava, as without II their
hold on Macedonia economically and
militarily can never be strong.
But the allies might contemplate
neither the reconqHest Of Serbia nor
the invasion Of Bulgaria. They might
march on Constantinople. That Suld
not be undertaken without hoMins
firmly Macedonia in their hand. In this
last case. instead of sending an army to
Serbia or Bulgaria the allies could con-
vert the strong positions of Kachanik.
Grdelitza and on the. mountains which
divide Macedonia from Bulgaria, into
protection for their left wing while
directing their main force to the east.
That force should advance along the
railway line ,Serez-Drama- Demotica-
Constantinople.
1t is true that the allies on the Salon
Xxi front are fighting with an interna-
tional army. Italians, French, Albani-
ans. Serbians, Greeks. British and, let
us hope, Americans. But the enemy is
in no better position in that regard.
The ability of the allies to WELD diff
ferent elements in a mighty weapon has
been proved amply on the western
front; but our foes have still to prove
their ability to do so. The Austrians
could not be blended with the Germans
even in Russia. The past cooperation
of the Bulgarian and Turkish troops
with their allies has been thus far sue
ccssful only against an already pros
trated enemy (Serbia, Russia and Rou-'
mania). It is doubtful whether the CO.
operation of the Germans. the Austro-
Hun arians. the Bulgarians. the AL
banians, and the Turks could be sue
cessful.
This brief survey of the principal
Topographic and strategic features of
the Balkan fronts indicates it's great
value. The difficulties for the allies
are many. The problem of tonnage is
the chief one. but the obstacles are not
as great as those the enemy would have
to cope with. Italy ought to become the
main base Of supply and in that case
many short routes over the Adriatic are
better suited for the purpose than
single railway line. Belgrade Nish-
Skoplje- Salonili. which is the only one
at the disposal of the enemy.