Evening star., 1940-10-25
BIomes BuIeorions
For Own Troubles
Unwurrunted Encrouchments
On Neishborins States
Are Recounted

The editorial entitled "Bulgaria's
Choice" appearing In The Star Of october
81. 1910, while it sets forth the present
trend of Bulgarian foreign policy. does
not sufficiently expound the underlying
causes, and the casual reader may i'm
pute responsibility for the state OF mind
prevailing there to Bulgarias neighbors.
Inasmuch as I happened to be familiar
with Balkan questions, wish to state
certain facts which may be conducive to
a better understanding of the issue
involved.
The basic virtues of the Bulgarian
people, their industry, their persistence
in pursuing their objectives and their
extreme frugality are truths no one
would wish to dispute. 1t may also be
admitted that Bulgaria during the Ball
kan wars found itself face to face with
strong Turkish forces in Thrace, but the
struggle of the Serbians and the Greeks
on the other fronts was not less arduous,
and it should be especially observed that
the naval domination by Greece of the
Aegean Sea was a decisive factor in the
Allied victory. But it is equally true that
the foreign policy pursued by this people
ever since the establishment Of the
Bulgarian Kingdom and the Unsuitable
ambitions of Bulgarian statesmen, have
been the real and only causes Of the
misfortunes which have befallen that
country. striving to realize dream of
hegemony over the other Balkan States,
which is not predicated upon any ethno-
logical or other ground. More par
ticulary, the mistakes made by the
Bulgarians during the Balkan wars of
1912 and 1918 are so well known that
it would not be necessary to remind
American public opinion Of them had
it not been for the fact that time has
more or less obscured them.
The Allies had already won the war.
But when time came for the partition
of the territories liberated from Turkey,
Bulgarian politicians, especially King
Ferdinand showed by their putting for
ward of an unjustifable claim to get
the lions share" and even more, how
much their judgment had been be-
clouded 1t is known fact that the gov
ernments of Belgrade and Athens were.
at lllC Wlll1lle " A1dhC SOllICooAOiAS
for the preservation of peace. In par
ticular Greece had acquiesced in the
retention by Bulgaria OF the prosperous
cities Of Series, Kavalla and Xanthe,
notwithstanding their indubitable Hell
lenic character. Briefly, Bulgaria would
be today the undisputed overload Of
practically the whole northern shore Of
the Aegean Sea and Of Andrianople had
it not made in 1918 its absolutely
unfounded demand to receive in addi-
ton the City of Salonica, which had
been conquered by the Greek Army
under the command of the then Crown
Prince Constantine, and Central Mace
donia, which was occupied by the Ser
bians under the leadership of future
King Alexander. 1t is also known that
when, on the eve Of the second Balkan
war, Car Nicholas II of Russia offered
his services as arbitrator for the ad-
justment of differences which had arisen,
both Serbia and Greece accepted and.
while Mr.. Pachitch and Mr.. Veniselos
were preparing to go to Petrograd. Bull
garia, preferring war to a peaceful
settlement replied by simultaneously
attacking the Serbians and the Greeks
on the night of June 16. 1913
This i'll considered act, regarded today
as such even in Bulgaria, and the desire
to retrieve its disastrous consequences,
induced Bulgaria to enter the first World
War on the side of Germany and even
today determines the course Of Bulgarian
public opinion.
So that if during the years following
1919 the neighbors of Bulgaria proved
themselves vigilant guards of their re-
spective territories, no one can blame
them. nor can any one ask them to
forget the bitter experience they had
gained from Bulgarian enterprise. Not
withstanding this the four neighbor
states had signed with Bulgaria in 1888.
at Salonica, an agreement by virtue of
which the latter was given back the
right to rearm.
These briefly are the historical facts,
and if today some ask why Bulgaria is
sympathetically inclined toward Ger
many the answer is that Bulgaria, not
having ever appreciated the value Of
-neighborliness, is today seeking
revenge against its neighborS because,
within period of three years, they were
twice compelled to repel its attacks.
October %. A. G.