NEWS OF THE WEEK • T HE statesmanlike offer of Russia
to settle the dispute between Turkey and Bulgaria by finding the money to the amount of the difference between what Turkey demands as compensation and Bulgaria is willing to pay has not yet been accepted by Turkey. We learn of Turkey's hesitation with much regret, as the Russian proposal provides a guarantee for the peace of Europe. The Constantinople correspondent of the Times in a message published on Friday states that the decision of the Council of Ministers had not been made known when he wrote, but he had good reason for supposing that it would not be altogether favourable. We imagine that the cordiality with which the Russian proposal has been received by Bulgaria has made the Turkish Government suspicious. No one will quarrel with their desire to see all round the question before making up their minds on what is admittedly a very important matter, but we hope they will recognise the improbability of Great Britain, France, and Italy wishing to force a disadvantageous scheme upon them. Since the revolution the sympathy of these Powers, not to mention Russia, with Turkey has been very marked, and they welcome the Russian offer now, not only because they believe it would save the peace of Europe, but because they believe it would be the most profitable solution for Turkey. The alternative is for Turkey to reopen direct negotiations with Bulgaria. But we cannot be sanguine of the result of that course, as Bulgaria had already employed a threatening tone in her last Note. In fact, the risk of drifting into war by refusing the Russian proposal is so great that we believe the Turkish Ministers will add one more to their many acts of wise penetra- tion and forbearance, and accept the scheme, at all events in principle.
