The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

justice inspired by love of them. It would be better if the Serbs and Bulgars could come to an agreement by themselves. But fortunately the treaty of alliance provides for the arbitration of any dispute, and any other course but a peaceful acceptance of the award of the Tsar’s arbitration would be a criminal folly against their own interests and honour.”

The same evening I communicated the above words to some prominent members of the Opposition in the Serbian Parliament, and they highly appreciated the sincerity of Hartwig’s conduct and accepted his view. But the next morning Serbia and the whole world were painfully surprised by the news of the attack of the Bulgarian Army by the order of Tsar Ferdinand.

We have said earlier in this chapter that it is difficult to fix and determine with any exactitude the nationality of the Macedonian Slavs. Such was the view of both the Serbian and Bulgarian Governments when they drafted and signed the treaty of alliance in 1912. The Second Article of the Secret Appendix to that treaty said—

“Serbia recognises Bulgaria’s right to the territories east of the Rhodope Mountains and the river Strouma; Bulgaria recognises Serbia’s right to the territories situated to the north and west of the Shar Mountain.”

It is obvious that the remaining territories could be divided between them, not on the basis of the ethnographical character of their

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