The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-26
America in the Controversy Over
Thrace.

In 1853 New York merchant,
CHRISTOPHER Il. ROBERT, founded
Robert College at Blbek ON the Eu-
ropean side Of the Bosporus. ABDUL
HAND endured it because 1t was an
American and not a European edu-
cational institution and because IL
was one Of the Christian missionary
outposts In the Near East that he
promised to support. That American
college has played most important
part In southeastern European poll
tics, a part that Mr.. ROBERT never
intended 1t should play and which
he did not live long enough to see
as result of his philanthropy I; 1t be-
came one of the forces that over
threw the "Red Sultan" it was a
strong force In the Bulgars' fight for
freedom, for 1t is no exaggeration to
say what they themselves acknowl-
edge, Robert College created Bull
garia." And again after fifty years
the influence of that institution APP
pears to save to Bulgaria coveted ter
ritory which she was in fair way
to lose.
That strip of the old Ottoman EN-
pire in Europe which extends from
the Vardar Valley along the Egean
Sea to the Black Sea and is called
by its ancient Greek name, Thrace,
has always been a bone Of contention
between Bulgaria and Greece. Bull
garia demanded Thrace because there
were Bulgar inhabitants In the terri
tory and because she wanted an out
let to the Hgean; Greece could es-
tablish a better clinical and histori-
cal claim, and besides she needed
Thrace for an expansion of the Hell
lenic kingdom eastward. At the
Paris conference the claims of Greece
were sustained by Great Britain,
France and Italy the United States,
not having been at war with Bulga-
ria, could use her discretion about
becoming a signatory to this treaty.
1t was Greece, however, that asked
that the United States enter into the
treaty. BY this act VENIzELos again
showed himself European states
man; he considered it was better for
the welfare of Europe that America
should have an interest in the settle
ment Of this perplexing European
question, although he knew in ad-
vance that the United States did not
and would not approve the Greek de-
mands In Thrace.
The fact that the United States
was not at war with Bulgaria may
have been factor In this country's
interest in the Bulgars. The state
ment made during the war that mo
Bulgar could be forced to fire a shot
at an American" should be taken for
what it is worth; FERDINAND cast the
die that decided the national align
ment and n peasant people only fifty
years out of Turkish slavery needed
leader and would follow him so
long as he led them successfully. But
the Bulgar is a dour canny, stead
fast fellow, and 1t Is a part of his
natural religion to have a strong af-
lection for America. 1t was an Amer
lean newspaper correspondent, JANU-
ARIUs A. MACGAHAN, who first called
the attention of the world to the ex-
tremity Of his suffering under the
Turkish rule and whose name he
linked with that of Gear ALEXANDER
III. as "Liberator." In Sofia the sec
ord language Is not French, as in
other Balkan capitals, but English /;
at the Cafe Bulgaria, the half way
meeting place for European and Near
East politicians, there are American
drinks and American newspapers.
The present Bulgarian Minister to
the United States Is a graduate of
Robert College, as are also the present
Premier, JOHN GuEsHow, and DIR. @.
SroILov, one of his predecessors; in
fact, most of the judges, editors, edu-
Gators, army and civil officers who
have had prominent part in Bull
garian affairs obtained their train
ing at this American institution. All
Of these men, who largely represent
the educated people Of the country,
have exerted their power and infiu-
ence to maintain the most friendly re-
lations with America. The United
States has been the nation to which
they have directed their propaganda,
and the popularity Of this propaganda
Is that 1t recites not so much what the
Bulgarians did for America as what
America did for Bulgaria.
The compromise which Under Sec
rotary Of State FRANK L. Polk
has submitted to the conference, 1t
is reported from Paris, will be ac-
cepted. By this plan the territory.
cut up by the San Stefano treaty, the
Berlin Congress and the Bucharest
treaty OF 1913, will again DO divided
between Greece and Bulgaria. Greece
will get the eastern part Of Thrace,
she will have the control of the Ma
rita Valley, and her borders will be
extended to the Black Sea. She will
also have a strip along the Egean
littoral. Bulgaria will have strip
OF territory from the northwestern
-, 80 80 Frhrooa aud cbo ,,,III 49, IL