The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-09-21
RALKAN CAMPAIGN To Be >t'>>
. PUSHED BY ALLIED FORCES

| Of Serbia and with the restless and dis
| loyal JuGo-Slavs Of the Austrian and
! HUNGARIAN Adriatic provinces to enable
these to make q successful rising
against the Austro-HungaTian govern
| ment Not even the occupation OF all
| Serbia would interfere with Ausro-
German communication with Turkey
and Bulgaria, because there would re-
! main the Rumanian and Russian raul
, ways, reaching the Danube opposite the
terminus of Bulgarian railways or
7, touching the Black sea ut Canstanzea
! and Odessa but an allied advance
! through Serbia might rouse Rumania-
! nrutally oppressed by the German In
vaders. and already showing unmistax-
able signs OF resentment
| The gallant Serbs have attacked the
; Bulgars along the crcStS or the very
! mountains, which SLw the high water
mark OF tho Allied offensive OF 1916
This was the thrust which retook Mon
astir. They have captured the famous
! heights OF Dobrojolyic, Vctretn1k and
! Sukol, which were the Keystone OF the
; Bulsar defences, between the Naruar
and the heights west and northwest OK
9tonaSdr- As q consequence. they naVo
j broken clear through the Bulgar front
! and are now pushing up tho Cerna VII
: Icy toward the Naraar.
! II the Serbian advance continues. II
viii presently reach the Vardar valley
/ near Kririolcs. tho. high water mark OF
/ tho French advance in 1915. when tho
; Allies endeavored to open road Tor the
; Ser, retreat at Salonica If tho Serbs
reach the Eardar at Krivo1eK. not onfy
will the Su,zars have to retire out OF
D.. the vardar valley. south OF this point
but they will also have to retire out OF
! III, NIonastir plain upon PTiiep. ana We
n,ay expcct to sec an Allied thrust Co
ward PriIep from Monastir.
Success in tho present offensive WIN
! thus immediately turn tho MaL'cdonfaR
out Of the country west OF tho ParunF Us
far north rs vclsss and by fncerrupe1nS
! tho Communications between tho Mace
/ donton and Albanian armies OF tho Cen
| trail Towers, compel the latter TO retro
northwari out Of Albania for It has no
decent concentrations by way OF Tho
! .dr;attc coast Such y Goublo retire
nnsnt will have political as wen as NH
! itarv effects. Bulgaria Will not quit tho
! Central Group rs long as she holds VIII
thcir aid and consent her Macedonian
! conouests Of 1916. but If she loses these
tber she will he faced with a protractod
war md no likelihood OF further reward
rather the certainty Of greater losses.
! At the moment We havo to watch tho
; y a,:,ncs of Serb and Allied forces down
: rho Cer7na toward the Vardar. the pos
sib1e CAPTURE OF Prilep and the expulsion
! Of the Eulgars from all tho tssas-Vax~
dar districts.
! This would constitute only the first
, but still a very considerable stop toward
tho liberation of Serbia II the advance
could DO pushed UP the Vardar rs rT
as Nsl1nb. il would mean the liberation
; Of aI of Serbian Macedonia from the
, Hulrars and would lay the foundation
! for 4 real campaign Of Jugog-Slavic lib
Grafton next year. with Belgrade and the
/ middle Danuhc as military detectives
! and tho opening Of COMMUNICATIONS
/; with the Austrian Serbs and CToaS as
the political objective.
We must not expect too much IN the
Balkans this year. for the fighting sea
| son is rapidly drawing to a close, and
! the snow will appear on tn" hieher
| mountains in the next month. The real
; value .uf the new thrust IS the eventual
: threat which it carries IN ono OF the
! Central powers already weary OF tha
war and beginning Ia be disturbed by
tho long series OF German defeats. Sut
| II is essential that VIC in America should
, b. on our guard against - very real
Rulgar propaganda existing In TINS
country. which advocates buying OF
bulgaria ut the expense Of Serbia and
t;rccc.. Ir ti.is should happen. EnlEar1a
would be- freI, To rcurat her several acts
Of trcachcrr anil Germany would retain
her actual dominion Of the Balkans.