A National Conference on the Macedonian question, con- vened by
the Balkan Committee, and attended by delegates from France, Italy, and Macedonia, was held on Tuesday afternoon at Caxton Hall, Westminster. The Bishop of Rochester, who presided, read a letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury urging the need of making it clear that the Government would receive the full support of the best kind of public opinion in any action which might be practicable. " In Macedonia," wrote Dr. Davidson, " the plain rules of humanity have been violated in the endeavour to repress rebellion, inevitable rebellion, against gross misrule. The supervision of what is now to happen must be entrusted to men who have both the will and the power to render impossible the tyranny which has so long prevailed." Reso- lutions were plumed condemning the continuance of Turkish misrule, and advocating the appointment of a GOvernor independent of the Sultan, and responsible only to the Great Powers of Europe; and Mr. Bryce, who 'urged the need of immediate action, dwelt with satisfaction on the fact that the public opinion of the three great free countries of Western Europe—France, Britain, and Italy—was heartily united upon the question on behalf of freedom, justice, and hunianity. We may note that in the same issue of the Times which con- tains the report of the Conference there appeared a letter from Lord Newton—whom no one would ever accuse of being a Turcophobe—datO from Monastir, describing the dangers of the situation, and the complete failure of the two Powers to bring the Turkish 'Government to reason.
Previous page
