Paris Fears Larger Conflict.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 19, 1912:
Present War Likely to be Short, Then Will Come the Crisis.
    PARIS, Oct. 18.— Now that war in the Balkans has been formally begun, the French press insists upon the necessity of complete accord among the European powers. The fear is expressed that, should fear and antagonism develop among the nations of Europe as the result of the opportunities for aggrandizement arising out of the trouble in the Balkan Peninsula, the world may see the bloodiest war in history.
    France's efforts to bring about a speedy peace should therefore, it is pointed out, be welcomed by the other countries of Europe. It is believed here that the disposition in favor of peace in Vienna and St. Petersburg is for the moment as satisfactory as possible, but its is argued that it would be a mistake to be overoptimistic.
    The Figaro thinks the danger of a European conflict is merely retarded and not suppressed. It believes that the present war will be short, first, because the financial resources of Turkey and the Balkan States are limited, and, second, because the Bulgarian frontier is such a short distance from Constantinople. For these reasons the difficulties resulting from the war should be expected to crop up five or six weeks from now, and France's duty, it argues, is absolute fidelity to its allies and friends and, incidentally, to prevent Russia and Great Britain from adopting opposing policies in the serious crisis that has now opened.