New-York tribune., 1909-03-14
SERVIA SOON TO YIELD
THE REPLY TO AUSTRIA.
P0ecers United Ridiculous Treason
Trial at 4grdm.

Especial by French cable The Tribune
Paris. March 1S.-The gloomy views expressed
in Berlin and in London in regard to peaceful
solution of the Austro- Servian dispute do not
by any means prevail in the best informed cir
ces in Paris It is felt here that the only points
of disagreement are of form rather than SUD-
stance. In spite of the ambiguity Of the Ser
vIan note of March 10 TO the powers which, hke
q Delphic oracle is susceptible of two meanings
and might easily be made clear by fnr'her
statement from NJ. Milovanovitch, Austria need
feel no apprehension that Europe would sanction
anv claims of territorial compensation for
Servia. even had Servia not renounced them.
on the other hand it is incumbent upon Servia
to give direct and satisfactory reply to the
message communicated by the Austrian Minister
at Belgrade. Count Forgach, in regard to the
proposed commercial and economic treaty In
fact the counsel already unofficany given by
Russia to the Servian Minister, NJ MhoVaho-
witch when stripped of its diplomatic formulas
is to answer Count Forgach in substance as
follows:
Your government is already aware of our
peaceful intentions and of our remuneration Of
demands for territorial compensation set forth
and put on record by our note to the powers on
March TO- and now after this declaration, which
is intended to give satisfaction to your govern
.nent we are ready 10 begin direct negotiations
with you for the commercial and economic
treaty"
It should be borne in mind that a complete
and frank understanding prevails among the
governments at St Petersburg, Paris and Lon
don concerning every measure contemplated by
N. Iswolsky and It is expected that salts
factory and direct Servan answer to Count
Forgach will be forthcoming early in the week
1t is scarcely to be conceived that the Servians
t1,a Fria
advice rendered by Russia, and it would be sui
cidaI for Austria Hungary to allow herself to
be drawn into a war with Slav nationalities
which would set boiling all her elements Of in
ternational disintegration.
Meanwhile, the popular feeling of the masses
Of the Slav inha abitants Of Austria is strkngly
illustrated by detailed accounts which have
reached Paris Of the state trial at Agram whore
ffty-three Servian subjects of Austria, taken
from various parts Of Croatia and Istrta, very
few of whom have before met or com
municated with each other. are being prosecuted
for conspiracy and treason. 1t needs the humor
of q Mark Twain to do justice to this extraor
binary trial. The act Of accusation. or indct-
ment, comprises $4,000 words. and is inco-
herent and vague as a fairy tale. These fifty
three prisoners are being tried bloc, and
the accusations against one apply to all.
A member of the Paris bar who is reporting
the case at Agram for the journal des Debats"
declares that he never before saw such YER
bose. confused and iogica! document as the
indictment drs wn up by the imperial and royal
prosecutor Acurti. which nowhere contains any
precise charge, such. for instance as such a
committed at such hour such n crime
at such a place, 70 which such witnesses will
testify. The presiding Judge evokes souvenirs
Of the Venetian Council Of Ten. His name Is
Tarrabocchia, and the ferocious thunderbolts
that he utters from the bench are fully as ter
rible as his name.
A peasant named A1ilich was charged with
having trodlrn on his dogs tail to teach him
TO growl and bark at the mont door Of an Aus
trian functionary. My dog has no tail" re-
piled the peasant, whereupou 1udge Tarrabocchi
tells him he lies, and telegraphs to the village
TO have the dog photographed. The dog, how
ever. cannot be found. although a butcher boy
confirms the peasants statement by saying that
he had chopped off the dogs tail about year
ago Another peasant was accused Of ha bitually
drinking out Of jug which were engraved
the arms Of King Peter OF Servia. Another was
charged with allowing his children wear little
red caps, or berettas, such as are worn by the
Servian soldiers. The conclusions ara that the
Austrian government made great blunder in
ever allowing this opera boufe treason trial to
come into court CIR