In the Balkans

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 25, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 12.

A DISPATCH from Athens, March 6, states that the great Western Turkish fortress, Janina, surrendered to the Greeks that day, with 32,000 prisoners. The constant stoppage of supplies had greatly weakened the Turks, and the fall of the garrison became inevitable. For four hundred years Janina has been a bulwark in the Western Turkish Empire in Europe, and many of the conflicts of the Middle Ages raged around it. Its defenses were exceptionally strong, but its fall now, with the dispersal of the Turkish forces at Monastir, is expected to take away nearly all resistance of the Turkish armies in that part of the country. Scutari, however, holds out still against the Montenegrins and Servians. In the East, as has been before reported, the Bulgarians have driven the Turks to Tehatalja, about twenty-six miles from Constantinople. Servians fought their way to the Adriatic, cleared Macedonia, and considerable of Albania. The Greeks have now added the victory of Janina to that of Saloniki. Adrianople, Scutari, and Constantinople are still left, and the Turk is pleading with the powers to arrange the best peace they can for the Sublime Porte.

For some time there has been little fighting on account of the severe winter through which the armies have passed, but as soon as the rigors of the winter are over, unless peace is arranged before that time, the war will be renewed. Adrianople will doubtless fall, notwithstanding its brave defenders, and all that will be left to the Turk will be Constantinople and a little strip of land along the Sea of Marmora.

Will the powers of Europe permit the Turk to keep Constantinople? Perhaps so for the present, and yet even that is questionable. The jealousies of the powers may not permit it. That will be the only thing that will stand in the way. Turkey may be driven to Asia Minor, and for a while, under certain conditions, allowed to remain there. She has no stable government anywhere, never has had, never has shown a genius for government. If not at war with her neighbors, she has been constantly at war among her own people and states and provinces. Her government has been so corrupt that it has

been impossible for her to gather for the general government the tribute that is collected. Her near future depends upon the agreement of the great powers of Europe.