30 JUNE 1933, Page 3

Trouble in the Balkans No Bulgarian Government has found it

possible, or has very strenuously attempted, to suppress the Macedonian revolutionaries, who are powerful in the southern pro- vinces and have sympathizers throughout the country. But when two rival groups turn their gunmen on to shoot at One another and- throw bombs in the streets of Sofia public opinion demands action. Hence the Bill passed rapidly by- the Sobranye punishing political murder, attempted Murder and complicity with death. ;- the proclamation of martial law in the capital ; and the house-to-house search for arms and the round-up of some fifty terrorists. This may put a stop to the violent pursuit of the vendetta within the town of Sofia, but it will not, by itself, have much effect on the leaders of the bands in the mountain areas and on the frontier. These organizations in Bulgarian Macedonia have never ceased to exist since the time when the country was under the Turks, and national sympathy with the grievances of Bulgarian Macedonians in Jugoslavia is the power behind them which makes their suppression difficult or impossible. .Unfortunately for Bulgaria it is the nature of armed organizations to use their arms. When these groups are not allowed to fight the Serbs they arc apt to fight one another.