October 3, 1918 
LAND &? WATER 
13 
Bulgaria's Evil Genius 
IT is over two years, now, 
since these three cartoons 
were first published, and 
they formed a prophecy, 
as well as a statement, of 
the course taken by Ferdinand, 
master in equivocation and 
treachery. There is, first, the 
cunning plotter ; then the ruth- 
less butcher ; and, lastly, the 
disappointed being in fear of 
punishment for his crimes. " In 
a still more evil hour," says Sir 
Valentine Chirol. in a sketch of 
this monarch's character, ad- 
dressed to The Times, "Fer- 
dinand of Saxe-Coburg was 
selected to fill a vacant throne 
■which was going a-begging. He 
combined the Israins and the 
vices of the worst type of the 
Italian condotliere of the 
Middle Ages, without the one 
redeeming virtue of personal 
courage which ■ they usually 
possessed. ... If ever there 
has been a ruler personally and 
directly responsible for having 
plunged his country in disaster, 
it is Ferdinand of Bulgaria, and 
if it is one of the chief aims of 
the Allies to make the world 
saie against militarism and 
autocracy, Ferdinand of Bul- 
garia, who is the living embodi- 
ment in the Balkan Peninsula 
of all that is worst in them, 
cannot be allowed to retain his 
throne." 
By Louis Raemaekets 
FERDINAND THE ^CHAMELEON 
Sir Valentine Chirol speaks 
from ■ personal knowledge of 
Bulgaria and its ruler, and he 
will contribute to the next 
issue of. L.\ND & Water an 
article on the political situa- 
tion in the Balkans. Separating 
the Bulgarian people from their 
ruler, in the sketch already 
alluded to, he sums up that 
ruler's character by saying that 
" History will say of him that, 
prostituting his undoubted 
abilities to the basest pur- 
poses, he gambled heartlessly 
not only with the blood and 
fortunes, but with the very 
soul, of a people worthy of 
better things. Let us help his- 
tory to place it on record, as 
soon as may be, that he ended 
by paying some part, at least, 
of the penalty he has so richly 
earned." 
That is the considered 
verdict on this man whom 
Kaemaekers has truly limned 
in the three cartoons shown 
here. In treachery, butchery, 
and in fear, he shows as 
a worthy disciple of the 
Germans whose Kultur he 
adopted, to the ruin of 
his , country, and, let us 
hope, to his own downfall 
and just punishment. 
Raemaekers' estimate is as 
just in the case of Ferdinand 
as in that cf the Kaiser. 
OCTOBER IN SERBIA, 1915 
By J.nuis Kucmtukc 
IN THE HANDS OF GERMANY 
