CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 6, 10 December 1915, Page 5

CURRENT WAR TOPICS.

Dr. Dillon, who alone of all correspondents seems to have summed up Greece accurately) states that Constantine’s- attitude. to the Entente is like a dog about to bite its master, but is baulked at the sight of a whip and is obliged to content itself with snarling. He adds that the Lntente has convinced’-Constantine that dvas-i tic measures will be taken in . the event of an attempted disloyal i action ; therefore Greece is eondemnfed to unprofitable and irksome in nocuousness. In short, Greece; ik/impotent,.because the drastic measitiwof-the; Allies cannot lie eonlTlatdd 'ahU iHiil'l; wlhlt in disaster to' Greece: ' Tlie Doctor'gives a reminder that the Entente must not be off its 'guard, but miisf always keep the threat that nas rendered the King' helpless, because, dog like, once the master’s hack is turned, the brute will bite with impunilv. Tt is necessary to note that Dr. Dillon always was a consistent advocate of force in dealing with Greece, a s he regarded the binding assurances of •Greece worthless. His view has apparently been that of Kitchener and the Entente; and his belief in the effectiveness 'of the threat of foice together with the realisation of the impotence of Greece by Greece herself is most assuring. Constantine’s recent interviews are the snarlings of a muzzled and beaten dAg.

Greece says the Doctor, ; swarms with spies and agents who render every turn of the Allies ■ futile. Ihe chief wire puller is Doctor Streit, who is an ex-Minister of Austrian descent. This man tripped M. Venizelos at the critical moment. The fact is that. Greece is widespread antipathic to. the Allies, and though she may bo cowed yet there is the danger of the army who could attempt a coup de main with good chance of success. Dr. Dillon states that Constantine is not wholly to blame for misleading his, people. In other words, he has not the courage to make a definite step to one side or the other-' He i s afraid of both sides at present, and will not move until he is convinced that one' side is beaten in the Balkans. It is -the proximity qf the devil of the enemy army in Serbia and the deep sea of the Allied armies and fleets at Salonika that keeps Constantine in a constant state of “funk.” The Allies can cower him, hut they must remove the antipathy by making a considerable show of force, and so gain Greece to their side* The antipathy which seems to he a new development in the minds of the Greeks, is no doubt the result of the propaganda of the mailed fist doctrine which is being carried out by numerous officers and agents. Meanwhile, the military situation is grave, and it may well be so. since the officers of the army are assisting in the mailed fist campaign.

.Regarding the military activities in Serbia, the reported advance by the Bulgars has* turned out to b© nonexistent. They attempted to advance along the Yardar and against the British at Pioran and near Strumnitza, but were defeated easily with considerable loss. The most pleasing news to-day is that the Serbs are being actually re-armed and victualled by the Italians in Albania, where supplies arrived some days ago. Rearmed and refreshed, the Serbs will be a source of worry and many gnxious

moments to the enemy. They must number nearly' 200,000, and with the 'new levies nearly a quarter of a million. Re-inforced by the Italians, who will'probably provide the greater part of the artillery, they will be enabled to-come down upon the enemy flank, while the Allies attack from the other flank. This ability to re-arm and re-victual troops and men who are natural lighters is one of the strongest cards in the Allied hand. The enemy cannot do so without draining themselves. ' r.

iOn ‘all .the other if routs,; . there isi only 1 artillery activity/ in which 1 the Allies 1 are;/getting the> bottefi of ■ the arghhieift-; 1 - 1 The Geripung! sp<mt 1 theirs muttitjicjnk' recklessly ’ ea ifly 1 in* t)hfe r -’fe’ttt'i* ah'd 1 nojvPfind l themselves ‘af l a 1 vantage." 1 It'is rather in l keeping 'wltov their absorbing doctrine of making abig effort or die. Unfortunately (or is it fortunately) they must die.

the Daily Telegraph’s Salonika correspondent (who has with other correspondents of the same paper proved reliable) states that the latest news from Constantinaple reports that things are “only middling” there, and a change in Government by revolution is considered likely. Turco-Bulgar distrust is deepening. Many, stories have been told on ‘similar lines, but, when it is remembered that Bulgaria very much desires Constantinople, and that Turkey has not forgotten the last war, and the fact that Turkey at heart is pro-British, we may expect something sensational.