The Dominion. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1915. THE KEY OP THE BALKAN PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2582, 2 October 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1915. THE KEY OP THE BALKAN PROBLEM

The mobilisation of the Bulgarian forces has created an acute situation in the Balkans. It seems to have brought tho period- of waiting and. watching to a close. : The King of Bulgaria appears to have made up his mind that tho time for action has come. For months past the world has been expecting some more or less decisive movement on tho part of Bulgaria. A writer in a London newspaper recently asserted that' "there in Sofia is the' master key to the whole-tangled problem. Aiid if in Sofia,; then also in Tsar Ferdinand's hands. All Europe realises that it rests with him to speak the decisive word." : Ferdinand wants • Macedonia. He is a .clcvcr • aiid ambitious man, and his great aim is to bo. known in history as "Ferdinand the Macedonian." It was for this purpose that ho fought the Turk in 1912; but he grasped too much, and in tho following year he had the bitterness of seeing his overmastering desire crushed, as the result of nia unsuccessful war with Greeco and Servia: . He has -never forgotten or forgiven that humiliation and disappointment, and ho now_ feels that another chance of adding Macedonia to his possessions has presented. itself. Having failed to get what he wants by'bargaining, he is. now on the verge of "fighting for it. The "lesser Tsar," as Ferdinand is called, has shown that he has the capacity to_ bide his time. He is well versed, in the ways of diplomacy, and no -one' knows better than, he does how to take the fullest advantage .of the misfortunes or necessities of others in order to gain his own ends. The writer, whom wc have 'already quoted. gives the following interesting character sketch of this remarkable personage:—

At once ah artist and a grand seigneur, consummately skilled in the study, of human nature, especially on its weaker side, with gifts of ingratiation that ha rarely deigns to exercise, a man of many moods ami many stratagems, a botanist and a bird-stuffer by inclination', a disciple of Macliiavelli by trade, King Ferdinand stands out as one of tho most gifted and ambiguous figures on tho Near Eastorn stage. . ' ' _ The King of Bulgaria has been playing the Machiavellian role for all it ■is worth since the beginning of tho.: present war. He seems to bo frankly determined to sell his help to the highest bidder, but'he wants _to be convinced that the bidder will be -in a position to carry out the bargain. In his famous declaration of war and appeal to the Bulgarian people in 1912, he said, some very' severe things about the misrule of the Turk. Now he is on the brink of joining the unholy alliance of German and Turk in ' the, hope-of aohieving his ■ long-cherished ambitions. He could no doubt secure large additions to his dominions by diplomatic means; but lie is evidently still- inclined to adhere to the - all-or-nothing • policy which proved so disastrous to Bulgaria in 1913. It is quite possible that he may again over-reach himself, with disastrous results to his country and to his own prestige. Another failure might bring him into serious 'disfavour with his people, many of whom have little liking for his proGerman machinations. He did not ascend the throne as the-elect, of the Bulgarian nation; but as'the nominee of Stambouloff, the Dictator, and the cautious Bulgarians did not Readily place their confidenia in him. Ferdinand has no'real sympathy with the Gernians or the Turks, and he cares nothing about the rightness or wrongness of tho causes which led up „to 'the present war. His main concern is to bo on the wintiing side, and it is hard to believe that such-an astute diplomatist will definitely /throw in his lot with the Teutonic Alliance. Ho must know that he can expect, no consideration whatever from the Entente Powers when the day of settlement comes if he is foolish enough to fight against them. Tho recent successcs of tho British and French armies will probably provide him with v food for anxious thought, avid he may see the wisdom of reconsidering his position before it is too late. The world will soon know whether Bulgaria, really means to mter the fray—and : on which side, ftveiilfi in the #BI!UI!IK mw BOW I?# , MBfljkji. to jnow