In the Balkans

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 51, 29 October 1915, Page 5

In the Balkans

TO-DAY’S NEWS. There is , nothing to hand to-day to justify the: regrettable burst of pessimism that 'seenifL to have a grip on a large number of people. The Austrians report th«t» < they have cap* tured the frontier town of Dobra, and that the Germans have >taklh ‘the heights south of Rama, which is also a .border town close on the'banks of t the Danube, The Germans claim to have advanced down the Pek, which * runs south from Rama, and also claim to have captured guns at Kladovo, which is a few miles south of Orsova. That is, on the enemy claims alone, the position in the north. Taken on an average, the extent of their advance on the whole front does not exceed twenty miles in a direct straight line from the Danube. This shows that though the enemy may have made isolated deep advances, yet hig whole line! .has not advanced conjunctively, asrit must advance. . i. —•— The rapid, Serbian troops who- know every inch >of bthe couhtry have-dealt very severely with, these isolated advances ,and in the enemy has had to fall back in line with his full front. This is amply illustrated by the severe defeats at Shabatz, Pojarevatz, and the Save. Therefore until the can make a definite conjunctive advance of their whole line from East to West, there will be a repetition of the isolated advances and the real grim struggle will be delayed. It will be borne in mind that the Austrians last year were so sure of walking through Serbia that they adopted similar tactics to the present and threw strategy to the winds. They were successful in defeating the Serbs at Valjevo in November, but were themsleves badly and finally routed (300,000 of them) by 120,000 Serbs in the mountainous country south-east of the scene of their former victory. Therefore, why the alarmist pessimism about the military situation? There have been no reports of heavy fighting successful .to the invade/, nor has a decisive battle been fought. When it is fought—that , is, when Mackenseu ha. l , got hig whole line working in unison—the Serbs will give a faithful account of their indomitable fighting powers as they did in December last year. They won tlien, and who will deny them the possibility of emulating that feat of arms. They are better equipped now and are a fresh battle-scarred army. The enemy’s real difficulty will begin when Radomir Putnik has drawn the enemy to the mountains which he knows and loves. When he has been defeated there, and not till then, will there be tieed for a repetition of the alarm which followed the Austrian victory last year.

Unfortunately, the origin of the alarm seems to he in those politicians at Home, who, by their very own utterances, show they have no confidence in our leaders and in the War Secretary, Earl Kitchener. To support their no-confidence policy, they create a nucleus of alarming statements which are unscrupulous of the plain facts and sweeping in their manner. Earl Kitchener knows what , goes on, as he is present at every meeting of Cabinet, and his great , mind must have weight and wi® its way even among the great of lifs colleagues. Far better is it to trust him and help him, rather than to waste valuable time in trying to, tell him and Cabinet what they ought

to do. Blunders have occurred, but what is the use of harping oil the fact? What’s*done is done, and harping on past deeds and means is not the way; to devise new and better means, ’ Action is needed—not pessimistic words about the past.

A message is to band which states that The /Bulgarians have informed Greece that if the Serbs are forced over the border Bulgaria will not respect Greece’s neutrality, but will, it may be added, follow the Serbs and wipe them right out. This action is based probably upon the Allies’ move in gliding troops in Greece. But the point i»,i that' the Allies were allowed to land with the. consent of Greece, whereas the Bulgers'will not be allowed unless Greece intends to throw in her lot with the Bulgars. And the Greek. Cabinet cannot grant this permission, because if they attempt to do so, Yenizelos will put the Government out of power, as be reminded the Premier the other day.. The only permission can then be given by an unconstitutional -act by the King. And one hardly thinks the nation will stand the ignoring, of their Constitution. Should the Serbs be driven into Greece, then the King must show his hand and defy the Constitution. That done, he can no longer demand allegiance from hi f s people, and his removal would be quite in order .l For many reasons—hut for this one in particular—it is hoped’ that the Serbs will he driven into Greece. But before that happens, the Allied troops have to be reckoned with.

CREEK NEUTRALITY. , A THREAT FROM BULGARIA. PROBLEMATICAL PLANS. “FIRST CATCH YOUR HARE.” United Pit ess Association. (Received 10.25 a.m.) Amsterdam, October 28. German newspapers state that Bulgaria has notified Greece that if the Bulgarians drive the Servians into Greece, Greek neutrality will not be respected. BRITISH-SERVIAN EXPEDITION. MAJOR-GENERAL SIR BRYAN MAHON. (Received 10.25 a.m.) London, October 28. Official.—Major-General Sir Bryan Mahon is commander ot the BritishServian expedition. BLACK SEA BOMBARDMENT RENEWED ATTACK ON v«RNA AND BURGES. (Received 10.25 a.m.) , Rome, October 28. The Russians have renewed the bombardment of Varna and Burga. AT ISHTIP AND USKUB. Athens, October 28. The Serbians from Veins are advancing on Ishtip. The Bulgarians’ hold on Uskub is precarious.

ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER. Amsterdam, October 23. An Austrian communique says: e captured the heights on the frontier village of Dobra, and bayoneted the enemy out of the heights at Topela. The Germans along the Morava 1 rout have taken the heights southward of Rama, and are now advancing up to Mlava. A detachment entered Bsra Palanka. BULCARS AND AUSTRO-CERMANS . Berlin, October 27. A communique states: We reached the line Valjevo to Moratoci and have crossed the rivers Jasenica and Raseva. We also captured Xecresmica. in l J ok valley, and captured twelve guns at Kladovo, South of Orsova. The Austro-Germans have established communication with General Bojadxefl’s army, which is advancing from Xegotin. SERBIAN MISSION TO ROME. London, October 27. The Serbian mission to Rome comments on the Entente’s failure to have troops ready to meet the situation in the Balkans. It insists that there was ample warning of Bulgaria s intentions. Members of the mission are of the opinion that the Serbs alone cannot prevent the junctioning of the hostile armies and the opening of the road to Constantinople.

BOMBARDMENT OF DEDEACATCH /London, October 28. Admiral de Robeck directed the Dedo-Agabch bombardment, which was continued for six hours by monitors, destroyers, and some cruisers. The first shots hit the barracks, and the soldiers scurried outside. The destroyers’ fire harried th.ese, and every building of military importance was razed. The railway was torn up. and trucks containing black powder were ignited. The church is the only lofty ’building left standing.