Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1926, Page 2

Apropos the subject referred to above the periodical interludes of unrest in the Balkans is another concern affecting the European pence. But, as a contemporary says: After many successful settlements of problems that puzzled the pre-war world, the League of Nations is once more tackling the problem of the Balkan corridor. Bulgaria is indulging in its old pre-war policy; Jugo-Slavia is remonstrating, and the League is urging pence with all its might- This simple statement of facts presents a tremendous contrast to the methods adopted by what was euphemistically termed the “European Concert,” with regard to the volcanic Balkan corridor. Some of the great Powers then regarded tho corridor as territory likely to he useful to their ambitions, while others dreaded it as a perpetual likely cause of conflict. Tho diplomacy of the European Conference was necessarily pointless. It hung undecisively on tho skirts of circumstance until the small nations of the corridor smashed the Turkish forces in the first Balkan war, and when the second Balkan war—between the victors of its predecessor—broke out, the futility of the conference diplomacy became worse than ever. The pretence of the conference was security by deliberation of the peace of Europe. Its achievement, through absolutely futile diplomacy, was the greatest war in history. To-day the old “conference” is replaced by the League of-Nations. None of its Powers has any ambitions in the Balkan corridor. All are united in their desire to keep the corridor quiet, and reasonable. All show strong determination not to he stampeded into war by the spasmodic outbursts of kinglets and comitaji hands raiding over frontiers and cutting throats on the other side. One cause of such'stampede-was frustrated the other (lav, when Bulgaria, and Greece came to grips. To-day the League is doing the same with Bulgaria and Jugo-Slavia. There can be little doubt of success. The old ambitions having disappeared in the smoko of tho Great War, the atmosphere is too clear for an honest, unselfish aggregation like the League of Nations to fail.