THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1908. THE TROUBLES OF THE TURK.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3017, 13 October 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1908. THE TROUBLES OF THE TURK.

It is not easy to see what Europe can do in connection„with the Balkan crisis but look on and see what happens, exerting all its diplomacy to prevent the commotion from becoming an international war. British statesmen very properly regret the tearing up of the Treaty of Berlin, and must similarly denounce the overturning of the very liberal convention by which the autonomy of Crete was secured ten years ago. But although the essential condition of amicable international relations is that international treaties should be held inviolable until altered by the makers, it is useless to deny that great alteration of circumstances may involve the alteration of treaties and agreements once made in good faith. If England stays in Egypt it is only because extraordinary developments have followed upon an occupation once intended to be tem-

porary, and if in 1908 Bulgaria declares for independence, Crete for Greece and Austria for Bosnia and Herzegovina, we need not, therefore, assume that the compacts of 1878 and I of 1898 were not meant at the time. Servia and Montenegro evidently prefer a weak neighbour upon their borders to a strong one, but th?t is a purely local feeling, which hardly affects Europe at the moment. What the Balkans really needs is strong and orderly government, and the world would be immensely served by any authority, as autonomous as possible, which would bind these anarchic States into one, and lead their peoples in the ways of peace and industry until a generation arose which had forgotten the evil days of old. Possibly this is being shaped out of the processes by which the Turk is being pressed back into Asia, while the Russian is being held beyond tha Danube, and Europe has too 1 much doubt in the matter to interfere with them. There is still no evidence, amid all the discussion, that any great Power will touch a trigger to turn Austria out of Bosnia, or 'to pull down the Bulgarian flag in Sofia. Europe may protest, but if ■ it takes no more energetic action than it has to enforce the terms of the Treaty of Berlin in Macedonia it will do nothing.