The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-11
CONTRACTS IN
BULGARIA WAIT
U.S.PRODUCERS
Returning Engineer Declares
Ideal Democracy Is to Be
Found in Balkans.

PARIS. Sept 1L-Five hundred mil
lion dollars worth of contracts await
American firms In the Balkans. while
European competitive interests are
fighting to prevent their signature by
means Of false propaganda Of Balkan
unrest spread broadside in the hope
OF soaring the Americans Off" and
thus leaving the field clear.
This was stated on his arrival In
Paris by Charles E. Spratt. famous
American engineer, representing the
James Stewart Company. who prob
ably knows the Balkans better than
any American living. and who recent
ly returned from an automobile tour
nt Bulgaria and Rumania extending
over nine months and several thou
sand miles.
II have IA my pocket contracts ar
proytt1asing a. "a 600" eaid 6prStG,
land there y 90 ot,.ers for an equal
Gnount ava kinePlesn busiRfas
ptn,esty who lot TO be frightened
away b. Riar rcporte.
TUE Bake IRE - they have al
ways Seen. u ny 10 the pence (
Europe. and a. long az their develop
malicious propaganda and untrue re
ports the economic situation of Eu-
rope, and consequently the world, will
remain in a marasma-
Balkans Are nj Peace.
Tho real truth Of the matter is
that the Balkans today are absolutely
peaceful. although unhealthy rivalries
exist, as before the war. The Ru-
manians have two divisions on the
Dneister border of Russia. but there
has not been a fight there for over q
I'm hA nj -
border the crops are the best in years.
and IL the soviets had considered an
invasion, as reported. It 10 fair to sup
pose they would have pulled off their
coup while the crops were still on the
ground and before they had been
transported to the interior. to
Bucharest.
From this and other observations
gathered on the spot / do not believs
there is any danger Of a Soviet In
vasion OF Rumania in the near future.
I cannot say as to Poland.
Soviet Stories False.
Stories OF Bolsheyism In Bulgaria
are pure falsehoods. As q matter Of
fact, Bulgaria Ia an ideal democracy.
The government IL controlled by the
was passed whereby every male citizen
Is obligated to work at least ten days
per year at manual labor for the state
--or five days II he has a team. This
law Is rigidly applied to millionaires
and poor alike. A banker friend OF
mine in Sofia recently returned home
with callouses on both hands from
five days at pick and-shovel work on
the state highways.
Bulgaria IL the most progressive
country in the Balkans and IL eager
to develop her immense resources;
especially her electrical power.
Red Uprising Story Branded.
"The recent story cabled to Amer
lea regarding a Bolshevist uprising
In Sofia was a tissue of lies from
beginning to end. / was there at
the time and Sofia was as peaceful
az Paris. was standing near King
Boris when the bomb was supposed
to have been thrown at him and can
affirm that the bomb was In reality
thrown by an escaped mnatic ut q
procession Of school children passing
several blocks away from the build.
ing in which the king was making
speech. Fifteen children were
killed. The maniac was proved TO
have had no connection with COM
munist or Soviet agents.
IT do not believe in the possibility
OF an outbreak in the Balkans in
the near future, but in order to pre-
vent such an outbreak and help to-
ward return to normal conditions
American business men might with
profit to themselves investigate the
enormous opportunities for them
there" .-.s