The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1912. THE CONGRESS OF LONDON.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 98, 20 December 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1912. THE CONGRESS OF LONDON.

it is just thirty-four years since a European Congress such as that now sitting in London took place. As in the present case, the representatives of the Powers mot at the close of a war in which Turkey had been hard put to it hy invading armies, and the Berlin Congress gathered to settle the geographical frontiers of South-east-ern Europe. The Congress of London, again, like that of Berlin, is attended by plenipotentiaries representing the six Great Powers—namely, Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Austria, and Italy. The diplomatic representatives of Turkey and of Bulgaria, Servia, Montenegro, and ({.recce will also he present. As the Berlin Congress assembled after the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-8 to readjust the Turkish frontiers, to place Austria in occupation of Bosnia-Her-zogoyina, to give Servia and Montenegro their complete independence, to construct the now semi-independent State of Bulgaria, and a province with administrative autonomy called Eastern Roumelia, to hand back Bessarabia to Russia at Ronmania’s expense, to rectify tbc Graeco-Turkish frontier, and to present Cyprus to Great Britain, so the Congress of London meets for the purpose of still further reducing the area of the Ottoman Empire in Europe, to satisfy the demands of those States which have by force of arms made good a claim for territory. Turkey will, from all appearances, be sadly dismembered when the cutting up ceremony is complete. Referring to the now factors of enormous importance which have to be dealt with in settling the Near

Fast prol)1om in 1912, as compared, llie problem presented in 1878, it is pointed out i.y writers who leave pone thoroughly into the whole question, that while Austria on the former occasion had the same Balkan ambitions that she has to-day, she had not the whole weight of Germany to hack her pretensions, as she has at the present time. Russia, it is affirmed, had the same desire to protect her kinsmen, the southern Slavs, hut she was not in alliance with France, which is now pledged in certain eventualities to

make common cause with her. But now. again the Balkan States themselves have demonstrated that their strength must be respected, and Turkey has evidenced that she lias become no more capable of performing the functions of a civilised Government in territory inhabited by non-Moslem races. The British Government is committed to the principle that “the victors are not to he robbed of the fruits which have cost them so dear,” and Mr. Asquith’s further observation that “it may be that the ideas and preccuccp-i lions,of policies born in a bygone era would have to bo modified, reconstructed, or even go altogether by the board,” indicates that the Balkan States may expect reasonable support from Britain for their claims at the conference. The great trouble may arise with Austria in her desire to expand eastward to the sea. It is suggested that the Congress is being held at London because Britain is comparatively disinterested, while Germany is now distinctly partisan, because she must support the claims of Austria.' The difficulties which face the Congress arc immense, hut in the interests of the world’s peace it is to bo sincerely hoped, not insurmountable.