Evening star., 1925-02-05
BALKAN CHIEFS CONFER.
Concerted Action Against Turkey
May Be Topic.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.


By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.
PARIS, February 5.-Although the
feeling at Athens seems to be calm
ing down, the French foreign office
has begun worrying about certain
conversations which are going on be-
tween the Jugoslavian, Rumanian.
Bulgarian and Greek governments,
which seem to be planning some com
mon action against the Turks in case
Greece does not obtain satisfaction in
the matter of the expulsion Of the
Greek Patriarch Constantine from
Turkey
The internal situation in each Bal
kan state is unsatisfactory, but the
military situation in European Tur-
key Is such that 1t would require only
a very slight effort on the part OF
each country to defeat the Turkish
army.
Turks Neglect Capital.
Since the withdrawal Of the allies
from Constantinople, the Turks have
alta ched no importance to the former
capital which is subject to such reg
ulations as taxation from the Angora
government that 1t appears this GOV
ernment intends to ruin whatever is
left of its former prosperity.
The population, which in 1923 eN-
ceeded / 900, 900 inhabitants, has dwin-
died down to hardly 100000. The
main city. Adrianople, whose popula-
ton in 1928 was estimated at $4,000,
has now hardly 5000 inhabitants.
The Turks are keeping in European
Turkey a small garrison formed of
two much reduced divisions of 4,500
men each. the main strength OF the
Turkish army being mobilized on the
Syrian and IraQ frontiers.
Believe Turks Unprepared.
The Balkan governments are fully
aware that for technical and political
considerations. the Turkish govern
ment is unwilling to transport forces
from the eastern frontier to Europe,
and it Is believed in Athens. Sofia.
Belgrade and Bucharest that the
Greek and Bulgarian armies. slightly
reinforced by some Serbian contfn-
gents, would be able to defeat the
Turkish police troops in Thrace and
Constentinople.
An easy victory may prove tempt
ing to these countries, who have al
ways looked eagerly toward Constan-
tinople, and at the time of the sig
nature of the Lausanne treaty showed
themselves to be dissatisfied with the
allied decision to allow the Turks TO
remain in Europe.
According to a Balkan diplomat in
Paris, conversations have been carried
on between the four Balkan capitals
as to the ultimate fate of Constan-
tinople in case Of the expulsion from
Europe. This is a thorny question
which is likely to prevent the CO.
operation of the Balkan states, accord
ing to that diplomat. who says that
Serbia and Rumania favor the idea of
neutralizing the town and placing it
under the League of Nations, thus re-
moving the danger of Russia's occu-
pying the key to the Black Sea. 1t
has been suggested to the London.
Paris and Rome foreign Offices, that in
this way, the British, French and
Italian navies could ae stationed at
the Bosphorus, thus preventing Rus
sia from having complete control of
the Black Sea.
French Oppose Hostilities.
Greece is reluctant to accept such a
solution and the French government is
hostile to any idea which might
threaten the peace of eastern Europe
She is warning the Rumanians of the
danger of a Russian attack on Bessa-
baria as soon as hostilities are begun
in any part of the Balkans.
Premier Herriot, while he is seri-
ously worried at the unexpected turn
the expulsion of the patriarch might
take, hopes that Bulgaria's lack of a
regular army. Serbia's interior diff
culties and Russia's menace to Ru-
mania will avert the danger of war
Copyright, 1925, by Chicago Daily News CO..