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COST OF WAR TO THE VICTORS

BULGARIA'S CONFESSED LOSSES. ABulgarian official statement of the loss and ruin brought, upon ilie Bulgarian people by the Balkan War was employed by Mr, F. W. Jjirst (editor of tin? Economist) in an address delivered at Cardiff 011 .March 12 on "The Effect of War upon Trade ami Wages," Mr. Hirst said that the war in the Balkans was lauded by our military oxp«rU ;is a singularly triumphant and successful war, and the victors were held up to us for envv, admiration, and imitation. l, i want you to hear what the victors tiieius;'lves say about it. 'I here came recently from Sofia to tile office of the Economist a printed document in French. It was issued by the Commissioners of the National Debt of Bulgaria, and is in fact an official statement or expose on behalf of the Bulgarian Government., It recites some of the consequences of victory in order to induce Europe to recognise the claim of the Allies for an idemnity from Turkey." ' j A BURDENSOME CONQUEST. First of all, this document draws atdonia, of which Bulgaria expects to get the lion's share. It is a country naturally fertile and in parts extraordinarily riclj. But practically all this territory has been ravaged and desolated. For a long time the new territories will be a source not of income but of expenditure, a drain on the public purse of Bulgaria. Instead of defraying the cost of war they will increase it. The present inhabitants of Bulgaria would be aatually better off if they were suddenly disappointed of the prize for which they have made these enormous sacrifices of blood and treasure. The conquered territory has been twice burnt, twice sacked and pillaged; first by the retreating Turks, then by the Bulgarian bands of irregulars. Most of the Turkisk farmers (probably nearly all) have fled or are dead. Bulgaria will look larger on the map, but it is an estate mortgaged up to the hilt, on which the rates will be at least 30s in the pound. » THE DRAIN OF MEN. So much for the first argument urged by Bulgarian statesmen. They want Turkey to pay aa idemnity in order that they may not be ruined by the cost of reclaiming this wilderness, this territory wasted by fire and Bword. What is the Becond argument? Bulgaria as a result of the war, say these official exponents of her financial and economical predicament, has lost 25,000 men in the prime of life, and 25,000 more have been invalided or maimed for the rest of their days—--50,000 in all, one in eight of her conscript force—a very moderate estimate, Mr. Hirst was afraid. Apart altogether, from the economic valu,p of these men—j merchants, manufacturers, shopkeepers,' farmers, mechanics, laborers, etc.—the Bulgarian Government estimate that the taxpayers who remain will have to find more than £40,000 a year for a generation to come in pensions to the families of the dead or maimed. Bulgaria's population at the last census was only 4.337,000. It is to Bulgaria fts the loss of 500,000 men of all .ranks and classes would be to our own country, and a charge in pensions equivalent to over 12 millions sterling for the United Kingdom. And taxes in Bulgaria are already very high. NO ESCAPE FROM ARMAMENTS. What is the third plea? The Bulgarian Government declare that immediately after the war Bulgaria will have to rearm her troops with new rifles, buy fresh guns, accoutrements, etc.. because most of the weapons used in this war are already worn out; and it will be necessary to return at once to the old level of efficiency. As Bulgaria cannot afford to. buy them, Turkey must payfor them by contributing an indemnity. Tins really means that' English and French creditors must lend more money to Turkey in order to enable Bulgaria to put herself into: immediate condition for another war. Yet wars" are often recommended as an escape from the.intolerable burden of rival armaments. THE MISERY OF THE HOMELAND. The fourth argument or plea for an indemnity is the appalling misery of #ie country. Since the beginning'of war business and credit have been suspended; no one has been legally bound to pay his debts. Mr. Hirst summarised the argument of the Bulgarian Government on this head as follows:—"The industry and trade of our country have been at a standstill for four months, and there will inevitably be numerous failures of business men, manufacturers, and artisans. Nor can the. losses of the farmers be neglected. The autumn sowings did not take place in time, and there is a risk that the spring sowings will be spoiled if the troops are retained: with the colors much longer. The country would then he threatened by famine. And beyond all this the loss to the live stock of the country is enormous, since over 200.000 horses, oxen, and buffaloed employed in the army transport service are dead or useless." THE COST TO EUROPE. "We learn," said Mr. Hirst, "from the present case of Bulgaria that force is no remedy—that war is the worst of all calamities. I will not try to paint the wretched plight of the Turks ?ind the Montenegrins or the financial embarrassments of Servia and Greece. But let me say a word about Europe. This conflict would have been avoided if the Concert of Europe had done its dutv any time in the last 30 venrs. It had only to unite in compelling the Turks to carry out a fair scheme of Macedonian reforms. But the Great Powers and their Foreign Offices have been taken up with bickerings and jealousies. The voice of justice and "humanity has been addressed to deaf ears. What are the consequences? For months Russia and Austria-Hungary have been mobilised at enormous cost. Their trade has been prostrated. An immense crop of bankruptcies is recorded, and great sums will have to be borrowed to pav for calling out hundreds of thousands of conscripts from their homes. And now the trouble has spread to France and Germany. Tn both countries it is proposed to spend mnnv millions upon defensive armaments. How long is this madness to last and where is it to end? Capital and labor arc equally menaced." Mr. ITirst went on to argue that a great port lik" Cardiff, with its vast foreign trade, has special interest in all proposals for securing peaceful shipping and non-contraband cargoes at. sea from capture or destruction. They sliould urge the Government to prepare for next year's Hague Conference real reforms in the laws of naval warfare.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19130531.2.86

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 317, 31 May 1913, Page 10

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,100

COST OF WAR TO THE VICTORS Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 317, 31 May 1913, Page 10

COST OF WAR TO THE VICTORS Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 317, 31 May 1913, Page 10

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