New Britain herald., 1928-12-13
BALKAN PEACE POT
 AGAIN SIMMERING.
Old Issue of Macedonian Inde
 pendenCe Arises
BY l.. A. BROPHY

Washington, Dec. 13 R-The Bal kan pot is simmering again with the old issue of Macedonian indepen- dence applying the steam.
 Ivan Michailoff. leader of the belligerent faction of the Macedo- nian revolutionary party. has re- opened violently the question that has stirred the Balkans for years with his tirades against certain members of the Bulgarian govern ment at Sofia, the country's capital, and threats to march on the city.
 Macedonia which never has ex- isted as an organic state, has been an irritant in the cross-fire of vexa- tious questions that have embroiled the Balkans since 1893 when the revolutionary party came into ex- istence.
 The territory historically known as Macedonia today consists of the southern tip of Jugoslavia, a part of north central Greece and a small slice of Bulgaria.
 Michailoff, at the town of Pet ritch, is in Bulgarian territory.
 The Macedonian revolutionary party has been known as virtual government within government. It's announced purpose is and has been to create an independent Macedonian state.
 When that happens. say the party members, it will make possible the creation of an effective Balkan confederation, which admittedly would result in more family peace in the Balkans. The federation is conceived as consisting of the states of independent Macedonia, Jugo- slavia. Greece. Bulgaria. Serbia and the other odds and ends of Balkan possessions.
 Enemies of the party deny that aim. They assert the group seeks to deliver Macedonia to Bulgaria.
 Jugoslavia has protested to Bull garia time and again to put down the activities of the militant wing of the revolutionary party. declar- ing the fermentation creeps over the border. In reply. it has been point ed out that Bulgaria's standing army under treaty regulations consists of only 12,00o men. There is another thing: great many Bulgarian sol- dlers are Macedonians.
 There has been dissension in the revolutionary party and a section of the Sofia government has been urged to strike at the group while it seems to be divided. That, 1t is believed led to the renewed &C., tivity of Michailoff.
 The story of Macedonia is one of treaty and counter-treaty. Of war and counter-struggle since 1878, when the treaty of Berlin created a much greater Bulgaria than the present country, extending into Jugoslavia. It was Turkish prin- cipality
 There were other shuntings back and fourth between then and 1908. but at that time, Bulgaria threw off the Turkish yoke.
 In 1912, Serbia, Bulgaria. and Greece defeated Turkey and what was left of that country's possess sions in the embroiled area-Mace- donia. Thrace and Eastern Thrace were ceded to the three allies.
 The second Balkan war, a year later. found Greece and Serbia aligned against Bulgaria. and the treaty of Bucharest gave to the victorious first two countries most of that territory which had been known as Macodonia NoU RuI garia has only small part of Mace- donia.
 If Macedonia were to become an Independent state, something that few can conceive. it would mean taking a good portion of territory away from Jugoslavia and from Greece. The inflammable effects of the controversy on Balkan peace are admittedly great,