Published in 1907 by "New York Doubleday, Page & Company"
This present record of my observations in the Near East would be incomplete without some description of my journey through Macedonia, and what I saw there. The Macedonian question is the burning question of to-day, and one that can only be solved in one way—by a fierce and bloody war.
In Serbia, in Bulgaria, in Montenegro, in Albania, in Romania, and in Macedonia itself I made every inquiry from reliable sources. From secret information, I was able to gather that there is but one solution of the question—War.
At present the Bulgarian bands formed to protect the Macedonians are passive. The organization is still there and will be of greatest use when hostilities are declared, but there is no activity, and there has, indeed, been little since the recent abortive insurrection.
Greek bands, aided and abetted by the Turks, are, however, everywhere, and each day the most awful atrocities are committed by them Reports of these are received in Sofia and in Constantinople, but no representation is made by either the Powers to the Sublime Porte or to Athens.
"Macedonia - We're sick of Macedonia, and have ceased to trouble about it!", exclaimed a well-known foreign Ambassador one day, while was sitting at lunch with him at his Embassy.
Ceased to trouble indeed! Here a great and intelligent Christian population is being slaughtered in order to further the ambitious aims of Germany, and no one stirs a finger Europe raised its eyes heavenward when it heard of the Congo atrocities, yet of poor Macedonia the Powers are "sick," and she is cast helpless to the assassin's knife!
This fact is admitted all through the Balkans, therefore the situation in Macedonia must of necessity affect Bulgaria more closely than any other nation. The question of Macedonia is a most difficult and complicated one, but I spared no effort in order to thoroughly master it in all its various phases, and to get at the truth of the present and the probabilities of the near future.
In Sofia I had a long talk with Professor Agoura of Sofia University, who is one of the best-known authorities upon the Macedonian question. He has been in Macedonia many times, and, like myself, has had an opportunity of speaking with the people and hearing their grievances.
"And the present state of the country?" I asked.
"Never in the modern history of Macedonia has it been in such a bad state as at present. The Christian Bulgars are outraged, tortured, and shot, and their villages burnt by the Greek bands, who are now under the protection of the Turks, and not a voice is raised at Constantinople in complaint. It is simply astounding that such a state of things should be allowed to exist in this twentieth century. Over one thousand Christian Bulgars were killed in the raids last year, and this year the number is known to be more than double. Bulgaria is, however, at this moment staying her hand. Weakened as the Macedonians are, and with Turkey protecting the Greek bands, our Bulgarian bands for the protection of the villages have but little chance. Of late, it has been the unfortunate Bulgar who has lost always. The Bulgar bands, it was found, compromised the villages, and at the same time were not strong enough to protect them. Therefore those still in Macedonia live in the mountains and come down when required.
"The state of affairs is terrible ! Only recently during a village wedding at Zagoutcheni the place was attacked by a Greek band and seventy men, women, and children killed".
"And in your opinion what would be the best settlement of the question?" I inquired, for he was one of the greatest authorities in Europe upon the much-vexed problem.
"The best settlement of Macedonia would be an autonomy, but a restrained one—one that would not separate Macedonia from Turkey,' he replied.
"Macedonia should be placed under a European Governor-General—certainly not German—preferably a Swiss. The police and the central administration should be vested in the Governor-General, and all other questions left to Turkey. Religion should, of course, be free. Bulgaria has no desire to annex Macedonia, as the Powers seem to think. I do not think that the question can be settled in any other way. A European conference should be convoked, and the matter dealt with at once. When you go to Macedonia, you will see for yourself the state of things. But remember, the Turks will let you see nothing if they can help it. You are going to Monastir. Travel across to Ochrida, and you will see and hear things that will appeal you.
"Recently there have been, to my knowledge, eight Christian villages entirely destroyed by Greek bands—the inhabitants exterminated, and the houses burned to the ground. During the past two years there has never passed one single day without murders and outrages committed by Greek bands upon the Bulgar inhabitants of Macedonia. Unfortunately, the Turkish army arrives always too late to protect the population ; but this is, of course, arranged. Indeed, it seems as though the Turks protect these Greek bands and assist them in their nefarious work.
The truth is that the Macedonian question is the direct result of the Treaty of Berlin, for by it the Treaty of St. Stefano, which incorporated Macedonia in the Bulgarian Principality was annulled. The Treaty of Berlin thus left Macedonia under the Turkish dominion, with a provision of a kind of autonomy under the control of the Great Powers.
This terrible situation has been still more complicated by the Bulgarians themselves. The Revolutionary Organization being shattered in its moral and material power, armed bands were formed after the insurrection, under unscrupulous leaders, who commenced acts of depredation upon the unfortunate Macedonians.
Therefore from all sides—from Turks, Greeks, Serbians, and even Bulgarians, as well as from an interested diplomacy —the Macedonians are pressed, and their aspirations for the autonomy compromised. And what is the result of all this? Only that the Macedonians are set by the interested Powers before the eyes of the Christian world as a cruel and barbarous population, unworthy of sympathy—worthy only of the
tyrannical Turkish rule!
That Macedonia to-day is a hell I have seen with my own eyes. And moreover I have been under fire from a Greek band myself. I traveled - contrary to the advice of my friends, who feared the perils of the way - right through the heart of Macedonia from south to north, visiting the Seres and Melnik districts, which only a few days prior to my arrival had been ravaged by Greek bands. In one poor village I passed through, twenty-three women, children, and old men had been butchered in cold blood on the previous day, and I saw with my own eyes some of their mutilated bodies. Upon the women nameless atrocities had been committed.
To Fiorina, up to Kastoria, and through the terrorized districts around the lakes of Presba and Ochrida I traveled, first under Turkish escort, but not being allowed to see what I wanted, I was permitted by a Bulgarian band to join them, and rode through the various districts. It was a somewhat perilous and exciting time, for I traveled quickly, wishing to get out of the country. Its terrors had got on my nerves, and the gloomy warnings of my friends ever rose within my mind. Greek bands seemed to be operating everywhere, and we never knew when we might not come into close quarters. Our way lay often through deep ravines, affording excellent cover for
lurking Greeks.
Still I saw with my own eyes sights that appalled me, and I am certain that if the reader had seen what I have witnessed he would cry shame that such an awful state of
things should be allowed to exist, and even fostered by a Christian civilised Power.
Go to Macedonia yourself with an open mind and study the question on the spot, and you will, before a week has passed, obtain quite sufficient evidence to convince you that what I have here written is the truth—that Germany stand behind both Greek and Turk, and encourages them with moral and material support to commit those awful and name less outrages which are a disgrace to our passivisation.
About the Author:
William Tufnell Le Queux (2 July 1864 London - 13 October 1927 Knokke, Belgium) was an Anglo-French journalist and writer. He was also a diplomat (honorary consul for San Marino), a traveler (in Europe, the Balkans and North Africa), a flying buff who officiated at the first British air meeting at Doncaster in 1909, and a wireless pioneer who broadcast music from his own station long before radio was generally available; his claims regarding his own abilities and exploits, however, were usually exaggerated. His best-known works are the anti-German invasion fantasies The Great War in England in 1897 (1894) and The Invasion of 1910 (1906), the latter of which was a phenomenal bestseller.
Le Queux was born in London. His father was a French draper's assistant and his mother was English. He was educated in Europe and studied art in Paris. He carried out a foot tour of Europe as a young man before supporting himself writing for French newspapers. In the late 1880s he returned to London where he edited the magazines Gossip and Piccadilly before joining the staff of the newspaper The Globe in 1891 as a parliamentary reporter. In 1893 he abandoned journalism to concentrate on writing and traveling.
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