Also Saloniki, the great AEgean outlet of central Europe was far too
valuable a prize to be committed exclusively to Bulgarian hands. But
Saloniki could be reached from central Europe only across Macedonia.
Therefore in the final Balkan settlement there must be reserves
regarding Bulgaria's control of the Macedonian railroad system. For that
matter, this might have to be applied to Bulgaria's own railroad system,
since it was the trunk-line from central Europe to the East.

[Sidenote: German interests first.]

So reasoned the suave German diplomats. The effect upon Bulgarian
sensibilities can be imagined. How far removed was this drab reality
from roseate dreams of imperial Bulgaria dominating the entire Balkans
and treating with Teutonic partners as a respected equal! The grim truth
was this: Bulgaria's promised gains were being whittled away according
to the shifting exigencies of German policy. Was anything certain for
the future? No. Because German interests came first, and the junior
colleagues must "do their part." Here once more appeared the Nemesis of
Prussian _Realpolitik_, that sinister heresy the crowning demerit of
which is that it is not even "real," since it reposes on short-sighted
egoism and disregards those moral "imponderables," good faith,
fair-dealing, etc., which weigh most heavily in the end. Having turned
the neutral world into enemies, _Realpolitik_ was now ready to turn
Germany's allies into neutrals.

[Sidenote: Bulgaria is discontented.]

[Sidenote: Bulgaria suffers also from previous wars.]

Thus by the opening months of 1918 Bulgaria was no longer a contented
member of central Europe. Most of her political leaders were profoundly
disillusioned, and uncertain as to the future. Of course these political
matters were still somewhat veiled from the masses. But meanwhile the
Bulgarian peasant had been undergoing a little educative process of his
own. German diplomats might ask Bulgaria to make sacrifices. The
Bulgarian peasant could answer roundly that this was already the case.
For Bulgaria was suffering--suffering in every fiber of her being. When
she entered the European struggle in 1915, Bulgaria was still weak from
two bloody wars. True, the Bulgarian conscripts had marched gladly
enough once more, because they were told that it was a matter of a
single short campaign, ending in a speedy peace. But two long years had
now passed, and Bulgaria's manhood still stood mobilized in distant
M