By the terms of the recent armistice Bulgaria
has agreed to allow the Allies free passage across her territory,
including the full use of her railways. This means that the Allies can
move through Bulgaria upon Turkish Thrace, the sole land bastion
protecting Constantinople. Turkey's military situation is thus hopeless,
and it is not impossible that before these lines appear in print Turkey
will have followed Bulgaria's example and will have thrown up the
sponge.
[Sidenote: Rumania to be freed.]
A second possibility is the liberation of Rumania. The "peace" imposed
upon Rumania by the Central powers last spring was one of the most
shameless acts of international brigandage in the annals of modern
history, and though dire necessity compelled Rumania to sign, it was
plain that she would submit to her new slavery only so long as the
Teutonic pistol was held to her head. This pistol took the form of a
Teutonic army of ten divisions camped upon her soil. But to-day Rumania
is thrilling to the great news, and when Allied bayonets begin flashing
south of the Danube these heliographs of liberty will light a flame of
revolt which second-rate German divisions will be unable to stamp out.
With the ground burning under their feet the Teutons will probably
evacuate Rumania with only the most perfunctory resistance to the
advancing Allies.
[Sidenote: German prestige in the East crumbles.]
And southern Russia is in much the same case. To-day it is bowed beneath
the Teuton yoke, yet the Teutonic corps of occupation are mere islets
lost in its vast immensity and ruling more by prestige than by physical
power.
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