The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1918. BULGARIA

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 5, 1 October 1918, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1918. BULGARIA

It is not yet absolutely certain that Bulgaria will withdraw from fcho Central Alliance and come to terms! with tho Entente Powersbut all available evidence supports a belief that she will, take this course. Her envoys have reached Salonika -and an official statement issued in Sofia shows that in seeking an armistice the Government is acting in accord with the parties of the Ministerial 'Woe—that is to say, it is supported by a considerable majority in the Bulgarian Parliament. In these circumstances, it is moro than likely that an understanding will be reached with littlo loss of time. Some complex questions will arise, at tho conference which is now in progress, but it is opon to tho Allies to act on the lines suggested by the Manchester Guardian. There is evident force in its observation that the Allies cannot a.t this stage make a definitive- peace with Bulgaria "as the necessary territorial adjustments must await the general European settlement." It is a matter of fairly jjoneral agreement that the settlement; which followed the second Balkan War left a good deal to be desired, and that it_ failed at many points 'to comply with the principle that nationality should, as fay as possible, determine the composition and territorial sovereignty of States. There can be no'thought of offering Bulgaria favourable terms or of allowing her to chaffer for terms, but the Allies will no doubt bo satisfied to guarantee her as a minimum her continued possession of the territory she held in 1914, provided she demobilises, handsover her military equipment, and gives the Allies unimpeded access to territory and railways in furtherance of their attacks on Turkey and Austria-Hungary. At the same time it is unlikely" that Bulgaria will consider these terms unduly harsh or onerous as an alternative to further military disasters and the widespread invasion of her territory.

So far as broad issues are .concerned there is very little obscurity about the stand the Allies are bound to take in justice to themselves, and more especially to the Balkan countries whom Bulgaria has basely wronged. From the point of view of-national and international morality, Bulgaria has not a leg to stand upon. In ono of yesterday's cablegrams tho Bulgarian Minister at Washington 1 was credited with tho statement that Bulgaria accepted and had never taken exception to the principlcs s laid down by President Wilson. In tho kindliest view this , can only be called ambassadorial rhetoric. The truth about Bulgaria is that, excluding Germany and the Dual Monarchy, it would be difficult to find any nation which has in modern times been more thoroughly unscrupulous in matters of external'policy, or, in proportion to its size and importance, has made more mischief in tho world. Her dishonest cupidity gave rise to tho calamity of the second Balkan War v which destroyed the nrospect of a close and friendly alliance between the Balkan States. Bulgaria's record in this war is atrociously bad. She has been not only a false and treacherous neighbour, but has madeherself the servile instrument of Austro-German schemes, which nowhere- more obviously threaten national independence than in the Balkan Peninsula. It may be said that her policy, at once unscrupulous a.nd' shortsighted, has been shaped not by the Bulgarian nation, but by King Ferdinand and those who have- joined with him in selling Bulgaria to the highest bidder. Even , this claim, however, will not stand without reservations. The Bulgars frankly rejoiced when Austria declared war-on Serbia, and until recent dato they acquiesced .in tho infamous policy followed- by their King. There were heart scarphings in Bulgaria when Russia made it plain that Serbia's quarrel was her quarrel, and no. rloubt Kadko Dimitrieff, Bulgaria's finest general, carried with him fife good wishes of many of his countrymen when ho took service with. Russia. But as time went on it became only too -plain that there was no really strong opposition in Bulgaria to tho gang of native and imported plotters who were playing the Aus-tro-Gcrman gama The odium that Bulgaria has earned by so perversely taking a wrong courso is deepened by the fact that unsparing efforts were made to get her to adhere to a sane and honest policy. Much has been said about the deficiencies of Entente diplomacy in the Balkans, but it should not bo forgotten that one of those who strove manfully to retain Bulgaria's friendship was Venizelos, a commanding figure in the Balkans, and one of the greatest statesmen of his age. Attempting, prior to the second Balkan War, to prevent a breach in the Balkan alliance, Venizelos championed proposals under which Greece and Swbia would have made considerable sacrifices to Bulgaria. He revived the samo proposals in January, 1915, kit a few days later tho announcement that a loan to Bulgaria had been arranged in Berlin made it fairly plain that Bulgaria was already tied to Prussian policy. It was in the autumn of 1915 that Bulgaria attackod Serbia; and there is no reason to believe that the Bulgars would ever have challenged the policy of Ferdinand ancl his supporters had it answered expectations. These considerations lend point to an indictment pronounced not long ago by the Greek Minister in London (M. Gennadius). Ho declared that the Greeks were fighting against an hereditary foo as savage, as unscrupulous, as predatory as the Hun himself.

They and their brotlicrs tho Serbs (ho declared) wore fighting shoulder to shoulder for the redemption of their homes, for tho liberty of their people, and for a pence in the Bnlkuns that would bo suro and permanent. "Wβ only ask," he said, "Hint tho peninsula may bo left alone, free, and, owned by tho peoples of tho Balkans, Wo can ' expect no sure pcaco if others seek u fooling there, or if any nno of us pretends to a hegeniony." That hogemony (ho wont on) the, Btilgaio hud avowed in utimistakaWo lerms to bo their object. They pridwl themselves on beinp; tho Prussians of tho Balkans. They had adopted the samu policy, tho si\mi> menus of securing their object. They had extirpated Greeks :iuil Herbs in overy Grcok ami Serbian district they had occupied. What, wax called Eastern Ruinelia and tho littoral of tho Black Sea were peopled by n quarter of a inillion Greeks when those territories too annexed by Bulgaria. Where was I hat Greek population now? In July, MO6, six years boforo tho first Balkan war, the Bulgare in twenty-four hours wiped out tho flourishing Greek towns of

Anohialos and Stenimachos, simply because they were inhabited by G rooks. They demolished 'and gutted every Greek school and charitable institution in Philippopoli.4 and the Black Sea, UUornl, rendering homeless 80,000 Greoks, who look refuge in Greece. That was characteristic of tho Bulgers ever sinre they migrated from their Asiatic home to tho shores of \ the Danube. 'Ihoir whole history was a succession of pillage, murder, and treachery.

Traditional enmity has, perhaps, added hitterness to this denunciation, but no one can say that it lacks a substantial foundation. It may bo thought that any other peace than one enforced by decisive victory is hardly possible or desirable with a nation of which such things are to be said. It 13 probably true, howover, that the fact that greed and a narrow regard for self-interest-have so markedly coloured Bulgaria's policy emphasises rather than diminishes the significance of her action in asking for terms. To credit her witN national repentance would bo rash. It is an altogether more convincing explanation of her action that she realises that the game is up, and that it will pay her better to submit to the Allies than to faco further disasters in company with tho Central Empires.