New-York tribune., 1908-02-15
THE POWERS DIVIDED
ALARM OYER NEAR EAST.
Talk of NesC AUiances-Russ'd BIT
ter 4gainst Germany.

London. Feb 14-what is practically the dis
| arrangement of the European concert on the
| Macedonian question has come as shock to the
chancelleries of the Continent and England, the
greater because a quiet diplomatic season mao
been expected The assent of Germany TO the
| management of Moroccan affairs by France. the
| conclusion of agreements to maintain the status
| quo in the Mediterranean and the opening or ne
gotiations for treaties to accomplish s'fnliar
aim regarding the North Sea seemed to make
tie possibility Of differences among the powers
remote The conference of the ambassadors at
Constanticople also appeared to be going on
smoothly when a bomb was thrown into the
group by the announcement made by Baron
Marschall Bieberstein, the German Amoas-
sador, that Germany would no longer act WIN
the other powers in insisting that Turkey con-
sent to their demands
Regarding the cloud which has arisen between
Russia and Austria Hungary over the plans TOT
railroad extensions in Macedonia of the latter
state the right of Austria Hungary to obtain a
concession for the Novipazar Railroad line and
the rea sons why Germany should support her
ally are recognized in England. but it is con-
tended that the present time is inopportune 1of
raising this point
1t is now said that the disruption OF these in
terna tionaI understandings will aggravate the
Macedonian question. reopen the whole Near
railroad concessions which lead to serious
results. and which certainly will enable Turkey
to postpone the reforms for which the ambassa-
doris have been working
St Petersburg Feb. 14.-It is expected here
that Russia and Great Britain will enter on an
agreement for joint action in Macedonia. and
that these two powers will be supported py
France and perhaps by Italy. If such coai-
ton is formed the reason for it undoubtedly viii
be the developments at Constantnople-the fact
that Germany intends to abandon the allies ana
adopt the counter proposals OF the Sultan, which
are tantamount to reform at all-which are
regarded creating situation fivaillns the
Moroccan ENHANCEMENT in international 1npor-
tance. Only by such league of four powers,
according to the Russian press, can the neces-
sarv reforms in Macedonia be carried through.
Dispatches received here from London indicate
that a similar view is gaining ground there.
Austria -Hungary's desertion of the concert in
return for individual advantages from Turkey
is generally accepted as. fact, in spite OF the
assurance from Vienna that the agreement with
Russia remains the basis Of Austria -Hunsarys
Balkan policy. The newspapers resent bitterly
the alleged duplicity of Baron von Aehrenthdl,
the Austro- Hungarian Minister of Foreign At
fairs who is compared with a card sharper play
ing game with confederate-in this case Ger
many-against the other powers.
The opinion expressed by the inspired press
indicates that the British proposals of reform
which recently rejected by Russia and
Austria may be the basis of Anglo Russian ac-
ton, in spite of the former radical Russian att-
tude This attitude was determined by loyalty
to Russias partner, Austria, but now, in view
of the course followed by Baron Won Aehrentba.
Russia feels herself no longer bound. Newspa-
pers of all shades of opinion. including even the
jtol Pos q a
risch" support the Foreign Office in an attack
on German diplomacy in the strongest terms.
Vienna. Feb IA new grouping of the
powers in the Near Eastern question is freely
predicted by independent politicians here unless
Baron Won Aehrenthal the Austro- Hungarian
Minister of Foreign Affairs succeeds speedily in
dispelling the irritation of Russia over the Bal
kan railroad question. The situation is consid-
cred in Vienna to be complicated by the alleged
intention of the Russian government to ask the
Sultan of Turkey to grant concession for the
construction of a railroad line from Raduievatz,
in Servia. the Danube to Antivari or Dull
cgno. both seaports of Montenegro, on the
Adriatic. a line which would connect the Danube
with the Adriatic and would be acceptable to
Italy for commercial reasons. This Russian
counter move to the Austrian project Is re-
sented here Austria desires direct railroad
communication between Vienna. Salon1ca and
Athens From Vienna south. Austria already
has her lines, through Hungary, Bosnia and
Herzgovinia down point the Uvac River,
in Herzegovina. Northward the railroad line
runs from Salonica through Uskub into Serva.
with branch going from Uskub to the north
west as far as Mitrovitza. Consequently, Aus
tra desires construct line from Mitrovtza
through the Turkish province Of Novipazar to
the Uvac point in Herzegovina. With this
complished there would remain only the CON
nection from Salonica south to the Grecian lines
to provide for II a line connecting Antiyar or
Dulcigno with the Danubs should be put through
by Russia it would have to cross the connecting
branch which Austria wants to build in Novi-
pazar and practically make the Austrian plan
Impossible.
Austrias right to seek concession from Tur-
key for the connecting line through the prov
ince of Novipazar is based it is semi officially
said here, on the treaty of Berlin. On the other
hand, it is asserted that Russia not only has no
close neighborship Turkey as is the case with
Austria.
A semi-oficial note issued to-day says that
Austria has objection to the building of the
railway from the Adriatic to the Danube on
the ground that the extension of railway COM
municaton to Turkey would help in the eco
nonic expansion of Austria Hungary and assist
in quieting Macedonia
This friendliness toward Russia is regarded
however only diplomatic expression for the
purpose of allaying the irritation In Russia and
Norway. and is in way supported by pub bic
opinion
TROUBLE IN THE B1LTIC.