The scene of action in such a ease would probably
be Eastern Bulgaria or Thrace. The distance of Salonika from the main front in Serbia, with the necessity of guarding a long line of communications, is regarded in Roumania as making a northward advance of the Franco-British force from that base inadvisable. The correspondent thinks that German prestige has diminished lately owing to the cheek in Russia. But of course we must never forget the tendency of the Balkan peoples to be impressed only by manifestations of strength immediately in front of them. Such things as naval supremacy and economic pressure are to them but shadowy abstractions. All the more reason for us to offer this proof of our determination and capacity to carry war with a very strong hand into the Balkans. Nothing but that will nettle the hesitations of Greece and Roumania. Our duty is to impress them by ocular demonstration. That is the only possible diplomacy now. As the correspondent says, if either Greece or Roumania came in on our side, the other would be bound to follow. These considerations outweigh all objections on general military principle to dispersing our strength. If we do not impress the Balkans, and thus make them our willing helpers, Germany will undoubtedly do it, to her own enormous advantage.
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