SIDELIGHTS ON THE CRISIS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2591, 13 October 1915, Page 5

SIDELIGHTS ON THE CRISIS

THE HUN-BULGAR SECRET WAR PACT M. RODOSLAVOFF'S EXCUSES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Paris, Ootcber 11. Tho "Matin," commenting on tho official German denial of the existenco of a secret agreement, states that the information emanates from M. Venizelos, who discovered the agreoment 6inco his resignation. Tlio British Legation at Athens considers tho information unimpeacliablo, justifying a communication to Greeoo. A CAMPAIGN OF EXPOSURE BTJLGAR MINISTER'S THREATENED PROPAGANDA. Petrograd, October 11. M. Madjarieff, the Bulgarian Minister here, states that although he has not been given hi& passports, he is leaving Potrograd forthwith. He adds: "The Bulgarian Government's adventure will remain in. ignominy in history. Russia liborated Bulgaria, whoso future was very dark, because she had failed in her moral obligations, which woro an indispensable foundation of the existence of small Statos. I am returning to Bulgaria, and I shall toll the whole trutli regardless of personal danger. I only hopo that Russia will not leave the Bulgarians for over in tho lurch, making the country ontirelv responsible for the faults of tho present Government.

MINISTERS TO BULGARIA LEAVE

UNMOLESTED

M. RODOSLAVOFF "MUCH UPSET."

Dedeagatch, October 11

The Anglo-French and Italian Ministers, when leaving Bulgaria, -thanked the Government for its courtosy during tioir departure. M. Radoslavoff, in bidding faretroll to the Allies' representatives, vras much upset, and tried to excuse his conduct by alleging that throe thousand German officers had accepted Bulgarian oitizenship, and therefore woro no longer German. NO MORE "ON TO CALAIS!" "ON TO CONSTANTINOPLE!" SHRIEKS THE GERMAN PRESS. London, October 11., The German newspapers, officially inspired, are raising a new cry that the real objective of Germany is not Calais but Constantinople. With one voice they proclaim that tho capture of Belgrade is ouo of the greatest successes of the war.

The "Berliner Tageblatt" says: "Tho public have been overlong accustomed to the wrong idea that the war will bo decided at Calais. We now find that Britaiji is more vulnerable in the Balkans. Military Powers like Germany, Austria, Turkey, and Bulgaria are not coins; to be bullied into obedienco by England and her American servants beoaifso England is temporarily mistress of the seas." ; SIR EDWIN PEAR'S VIEW. ("Times" and Sydney "Sua" Services.' London, October 11. Writing in the "Sunday.Herald," Sir Edwin Pears describes Germany's determination and ambition to got through Servia, Bulgaria, and Constantinople to Mesopotamia and Egypt-. Tho Balkan campaign, therefore, btu a poeuliiv inv«mA m, Australasia.

FERDINAND, DICTATOR

HIS MINISTERS MERE POPPETS.

(Rec. Octobor 12, 3.35 p.m.)

London, October 11. Reports from Sofia reveal an extraordinary stato of alfairs in Bulgaria. Tsar Ferdinand has assumed supreme control of affaire, and his ministers aro mere puppets; tlioy aro not aware of tho next move in Bulgarian policy, but meroly carry out the King's daily orders. ONCE BITTEN — (Rcc. October 12, 9.45 p.m.) Buckarest, Ootobor 12. Tsar Ferdinand, on farewelling Iha French Minister, stated:—"l am inconsolable at seeing you leave, because of the French blood in my reins, but what else can I do? Germany will be victorious. I ask you to convey to Franco my advice, to be pnidant." Tho Minister replied: " I shall advise my Government to bo prudent after the decision of the battle."

"OUR FAILURE IN THE

BALKANS."

HARD HITTING BY THE

"TIMES"

"NO COHESION OR GRIP."

("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.)

(Iteo. October 12, G. 5 p.m.)

London, Ootober 12,

The "Times," referring to the genoral situation, says:—The Government will meet Parliament under circumstances which are a parallel to tho Juno crisis. Then, as now, there was a popular awakening to a discovery, based on hard and indisputable facts, that something is seriously amiss about tho conduct of the war. There is no division of opinion to-day about our failure to impress the Balkan peoples. From the first moment of the war, when '-he Gormanic empires stood alone against vs, right down to last week's landslide, one miscalculation seems to have followed another with almost mathematical certainty. The series began with a pathetic belief that Austria-Hungary would prove a lukewarm foe. This boliof prevented us from, elaborating a clear-cut Balkan policy. Next camo the slow, half-heeded breach with Turkey, who bad been bought with Gemm gold Bulgaria, who was willing, six months ago, to throvr in her lot with ou>• Allies, has now been allowed to follow next. There is the present neutrality of Greece, whose whole interesis aro bound_ up with the Allied cause. Rumania is passively isolated, and no longer in touch with aggrossive Russian armies.

Germany is breaking the blockade with a vengeance, and this adverse balance of strength in tho war, and in the whole Imperial position, is sufficiently serious to need strong and prompt redress. Was thero truo co-ordination between our diplomacy and military knowledge? "Wo will never know aU about our disastrous blunder in earlinr stages of tho Dardanelles campaign, but it is notorious that every Department worked independently. The Admiralty and tho War Offico reckoned upon foreign help, which did not come. The Navy, tired of waiting for tlie Army, beg.m operations on its osra aocount. Tho araiy arrived too kte to find any chances of effecting a surprise, and its attack has been turned into \ long and costly strugglo in elaborate trench warfare.

Never, in tho whole historj of warfare, was sheer incompetence , fraught l -,utl such tragic results. Everything, unfortunately, points to total want of cohesion and grip in directing our'groat resources of men, monoy, prestige, ajid public spirit, which the nation was determined to pour out to t'ho uttermost till victorious, It is not a quosiou Eajfiisft .Qffifieyis

Offioe, but of the supreme direction of theso and othor offices. We are a determined and united people, in no mood to tolorate indecision and mismanagcmimt.

FRENCH PRESS VIEWS

NEED FOR CO-ORDINATION

(Rec. October 12, 10.15 p.m.)

Paris, October 12. The newspapers comment oil the un« desirableness of weakening the Western, defensive in order to di&patch troops to tko Balkans. The Quadruple Entente, they say, must co-ordiiate their action. The question is: What are Italy, Britain, and Russia prepared to do? M. Maurice Barres, in the "Echo da Paris," declares that the Allied armies need a permanent high war council. Tho burdens in tho Balkans, he says, ought to be distributed. After an examination of all the forcos, M. Barres quotes the German General Ton Bernhardt s articlo on "The Mistakes of the Allies," in which the writer says that the Quadruple Powers have committed thd strategic mistake of not co-ordinating. Tho "Figaro" states that the Allies'' interest in Serbia, though considerable for all, is more considerable for some, notably for Russia and Britain.

Hie "Temps" says that France and Britain have already assumed the wholo burden of the Dardanelles, and so must, in the Balkans, receive liberal help from Russia and Italy.

A VIOLENT SCENE

BETWEEN BTJLGAR PREMIER 'AND' GERMAN ATTACHE. London, October 11. General von der Goltz's son, who is an attache at Sofia, quarrelled with M. ltadoslavoff because the latter asked that_ tho Germans should first attack Serbia. Von der Goltz threatened M d Iladoslavoff with his fist.

(Reo. October 12, 11.30 p.m.)

Homo, Ootober 12.

Regarding tho Von der Goltz quarrel, it is stated that M. Radoslavoff, rememboring King Ferdinand's autograph l lottor to tho Greek King undertaking not to attack Serbia, informed Von der Goltz that Bulrjaria would be unablo to begin hostilities. It was clearly tlio Aiistro-Gennnns' duty to crush Serbia, nnil thereafter Bulgaria would occupy; Macodonia.

WHAT AUSTRALIA THINKS

GRAVITY STRESSED IN SYDNEY,

(Rec. October 12, 0.55 a.m.)

Sytin«y, October 11

Tlio speakers at the Town. Hall moating stressed the gravity of the Balkan developments. Mr. Hughes declared that if the Germans reached Constantinople first it meant a serious menace to Australia. IE the Australians got there first it was tho beginning of tho end of the war.' Mr. Cook declared that allowing, foil casualties, medical and other services, not more than forty thousand Austra* lian. fighters wero at the Dardanelles. The meeting resulted. in a good iram< bor of reoruits. . .