Evening star., 1924-08-22
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

was supported by England and
France. and thus was stronger than
| ever.
One by one the Balkan peoples threw
or the Turkish yoke. and Bosnia, Ru-
mania Bulgaria, Albania and Montene-
gro attained their Independence.
In 1912 and 1913 came two wars
between Italy. and Turkey which gave
Balkans to unite against their common
enemy, Turkey. Victory gave them
the invitation to form . great fedora
ton and rank even with tho Great
Powers. with double the population of
France, but jealousies Of race pre-
| vented, and war between them, in
stead. separated the states.
Then came the World War. In which
Christian peoples were arrayed against
German and Austrian Christians, and
tho weak peoples Of tho Balkans, lying
between Turk and Hun. were again the
pawns upon the diplomatic chessboard.
The treaty Of Versailles gave strange
boundaries. Parts OF Turkey and
parts Of Russia, Germany and Austria
became artificial entities, in direct
conflict with the announced principle
Of self-determination or racial ties.
olden one OF Alsace and Lorraine.
now confronted civilization. with
chronic potentialities Of new wars.
In a recent debate in the British
Parliament distinguished member,
Mr.. Morel, editor Of Foreign Affairs,
said:
AT the moment there are between
5000. 900 and 100000 men drilling for
war in Europe, many Of whom are fully
equipped for war. This, Of course, does
draw the respectful attention of the
committee, that there arc at the
present moment we'll over 100000
men from North and West Africa IRE
cruited at the present time at the rate
of 100000 men per Annum) who could
be shipped to Europe at the outbreak
Of the war II they could be got safely
across the Mediterranean.
y y \
"Jugoslavia, Csechoslovakia, Ru-
mania and Poland-and let US remem.
Der that these four states, the names
of which are so unfamiliar to the
mass Of people outside-number more
than 100000 people and cover an
area Of one-Quarter OF Europe out
side Of Russia and possess armies on
q war footing OF four and q half mil
lions. These four states are now
rivaling the old contending group.
| which existed before the war. and
| they are being used, rs the Balkan
| states were used. as the agents OF
| nightier interests
Mr.. Morel referred to tho allies
treaty prohibition against Austria's
| making and exporting munitions. and
he added:
Austria has not the right to ex-
port even q single gun or cartridge
In August. 1923. this output begal
and In that year large quantities OF
war material were exported from
! Austria to Jugoslavia, Poland and
Rumania- In May. this year. the fac
tories OF Austria have exported to
Jugoslavia 1900 machine guns and
very many wagons (cars) of artil-
| iery and infantry ammunition"
The speaker was urging the callinG
of new international disarmament
conference, but he was not advising
his own country to disarm without
! reference to what the rest OF the
world-with its potential enemies
| was doing. He was not decryinK the
| Importance of a test day Of his coun.
try's defenses against the possible
| openly probable-day Of danger. The
crisis of 1914 burst hrst in the Bal.
kans.
Copyright. 1924. By Paul Y. collis,.)