The New York herald., 1921-05-27
Back to Macedonia.

Ever since the armistice brought
an end to the military operations Of
the Allies In southeastern Europe
there has been danger of a revival
OF the ancient strife over Macedonia
by the Balkan countries. The most
that was effected by the treaty of
Neuilly was a readjustment of terri
torial borders. The main considera-
tions of the centuries old disputes
about racial and religious differences
were not settled-apparently they
could not be settled-and now they
threaten, says the Berlin Bureau of
THE New YORK HERALD, what the
German press calls new conflict In
the Balkans.
This condition Is largely due to the
suspicious and fears which each of
the nations has for the others. Mace
donia was a fighting ground of Bal
kan races before the appearance OF
the Turk in Europe; 1t became again
bitterly contested land among them
when the Sultan's power began to
wane. In this internecine warfare,
often carried on by organized bands
never recognized but secretly encour-
aged by the nation to which these
bands racially belonged, villages and
farm houses and communities were
destroyed, towns transformed into
fortified positions, thousands of peo-
pie killed and the industries and
business OF a naturally productive
land wiped out. Despite the havoc
wrought there was neither a truce
nor an end to this warfare. Serb
and Greek feared and hated Bulgar,
while Bulgar and Albanian gave no
quarter to Serb or Greek. Each re
fused to abandon his mistrust of
those whom he considered his hered-
itary enemies.
The points In the present contro-
versy are, first, the Bulgarians' fear
Of an invasion of their country and
the occupation of Sofia and the
Strumitza region, and, secondly, the
allegations of Serbia and Greece that
Bulgaria has not lived up to the
terms of the treaty of peace. The
specific charge is that Bulgarian
bands with a total membership of
$4,000 or 10000 persons are operat-
ing in Thrace, Dobrudja and espe.
cially Macedonia with the secret
connivance of the Bulgarian Govern.
ment for the purpose of stirring up
revolt. The reason for the Bulga.
rian anxiety is found In the Joint
representation. setting forth these
facts, made last month to the Bull
garian Premier STUMBULIs Ky by the
Greek, Serbian and Rumanian For.
eign Ministers.
1t is very doubtful IL the Allies will
sanction an invasion OF Bulgaria.
Premier STUMBULIsKY on his recent
visit to Paris made a favorable I'M
preston by his statement of condi.
tions in Bulgaria and by his ex.
preston of a desire to subordinate
everything else to securing peaceful
relations with his neighbors. He de.
MED that the irregular Bulgarian
bands were working with the sup.
port OF the Government or were even
tolerated He asked for an interna.
tional investigation Of the matter.
TO do the Bulgarians justice, they
appear TO be endeavoring to live up
to the terms OF the treaty. The peo-
ple are hard headed and thrifty and
they accepted the direct order Of the
Government to make the best OF the
present conditions and 10 go TO work
Like the Serbs, they are giving every
evidence Of a general economical and
industrial improvement. NOEL BUx
TON, member OF Parliament and chair.
man OF the Balkan Committee, says
that the discomfort and brigandage
In Macedonia are largely promoted by
the communists and that the Serbiap
Minister OF the Interior declared that
through them various gangs were
supplied with ammunition and
weapons.
Trouble In Macedonia does not