The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-12-18

But for the United States rcprescn.
tativcs In Paris this Greek claim
would have been recognized, but our
commissioners disclosed an astonish-
ing solicitudc for the Bulgars Thus.
we Americans have insisted that the
Bulgarians have corridor TO the
Egean and have prevented the ccssion
Of all Of Thrace 10 the Greeks. We
have done this in the face of Anglo
French wishes; we have alienated
Greek friendship, We have postponed
actual settlement, since Thracc liz now
cedcd by Bulgaria to the great powers,
who have postponed final ALLEGATION.
In doing this we have not in the least
placated the Bulgars, who will lose
much territory, but We have kept alive
their hope to regain things to which
they have no claim.
Fiumc Over Again
This is the old story Of Fiumo over
again. No compromise has been pos
sible because Of our stand, and ut the
same time the passions Of both sides
have been greatly intensified and the
dangers of new hostilities multiplied.
The postponement Of the disposition
of Constantinople is due TO the desire
and expectation Of Europe that the
United States would take a mandate
for the city and the wish Of the Euro
pean nations to consult our pleasure
nc to the size Of the district about the
town which we would regard as desir-
able TO make our control easy, Both
President Wilson and Colonel House
advocated such an American mandate
while in Paris, and IL was the general
expectation that an American accept
ance Of 1t would follow the prompt
ratification Of the treaty--which has
not been ratified.
Thus, the Turk has been saved once
more, at least temporarily, this time
by America and not by Britain, and
there is a growing belief that his re-
tirement from Europe will not take
place as a result of the latest war.
Meantime, the whole Tharcian ques-
tion, together with that of CONSTANT
nople, remains unsettled, largely be-
cause Of American conditions in Wash
ington and American policies in Paris.
The third question, adjourned with
out date, is that Of southern Dobrudja.
Rumania annexed it in 1913. No one
will argue that the Rumanian claim is
based upon the will Of the inhabitants.
But it was based upon the expectation
of Bulgarian attack and the neces-
sity TO protect the Bucharest -Constan-
"a railway. The attack actually came In
1916, was successful, and, following 1t,
Bulgaria acquired the whole Of the
Dobrudja, north as well as south, with
all the seacoast Of Rumania, by the
Treaty Of Bucharest in 1918.
At Paris the American delegation
advocated policy which would have
Rumania to resign the
southern Dobrudja. Conceivably, Ru-
mania would have made concessions,
lad her claims elsewhere--just claims
n the main--been recognized. She
to cede most Of it to Bull
,aria provided certain Bulgar terri
ory went to Serbia and Serbia was
onstrained to evacuate her corner OF
he Banat. But this compromise was
elected.
The result is a quarrel between Ser
ia and Rumania over the Banat and
he postponement Of any decision as to
he Dobrudja, which keeps alive the
'ulgar- Rumanian quarrel. To this is
lso added the perpetuation Of the
;reco- Bulgar dispute Of Thrace. To-
ay Rumanian and Serb troops face
ach other in arms in the Banat. Bull
ar and Greek forces confront each
ther in Thrace, and the rivalries be-
xeen Bulgaria and Rumania have
bated little since the Paris Confer
nee first undertook to force Ruma-
ia TO cede the southern Dobrudja and
zen abandoned the task.
Wars 10 Come
Americans are little interested In
le acts of the Balkans. The nation
ide weariness over European wran-
es is growing rather than lessening,
1T IL Is necessary TO recall that the
ilure Of the great powers Of Europe
settle the Balkan situation in 1918
d TO the World War in 1914 and re-
Tied In the sending Of 100000
nerican troops to France in 1917 and
Is. Therefore, we can hardly
'ord 10 be wholly unconcerncd with
new treaty which preserves all the
! causes for war in the Balkans and
DIS few, for good meagure, notably