hose
ethnical position, as scientists agree, is such a vague one--had been
generally drawn to Serbia. One cannot help feeling that in this book Mr.
Buxton does a serious disservice to his reputation as a Balkan expert.
He says that Serbia until the accession of King Peter was Austrophil;
which is, to put it mildly, a very sweeping remark--only that party
which called itself Progressive was identified with Milan's views. He
praises the Bulgars for being devoted to their national Church, and
praises them for producing a large number of Protestants, whose
sincerity, etc., so that one presumes he would have praised them still
more if the whole nation, as was once on the cards, had joined the
Protestant Church. Save me from my friends! the Bulgars might say. What
is perfectly sincere about them is their patriotism; and while some of
those who now change their religion have doubtless no ulterior, personal
motive, the entire country would probably have as little reluctance as
Japan in adopting any religion which, like the Exarchist Church of
to-day, would be an instrument of the national cause. Mr. Buxton's
knowledge of the Balkan protagonists has its limitations; for example,
prior to Bulgaria's entry into the War he was all for the removal of the
British Minister on account of his pro-Serbian sympathies, but he says
no word about M. Savinsky, the Russian Minister, who was left by his
Entente colleagues to play the first violin. This capricious gentleman
was no diplomat, but a courtier. He did not even protest when German
munitions for Turkey passed through Roumania, and far too much of his
time was spent in motoring with pretty girls in the neighbourhood of
Sofia. Many good observers were of opinion that with a more competent
Russian representative, such as M. Nekludoff, who in 1914 was
transferred to Stockholm, the situation would have been saved. In their
memorandum submitted in January 1915 to Lord (then Sir Edward) Grey,
Messrs. N. and C. R. Buxton said that their experience of fifteen years
convinced them that the Bulgarian sentiment of the Macedonians could
not in a short time be made to give way to another national sentiment.
If we rule out, as being slaves of circumstance, all the Macedonians who
now tell you that from Bulgar they have changed to Serb, there is no
reason why we should not credit those who are so weary of the rival
activities of both parties that they wish for peace and nothing else.
They would follow,