The Washington herald., 1909-03-19
EUROPE IS UNEASY
OYER CRAVE CRISIS
London Times Declares Stu
alton Is Alarming.
EXCEEDS THE BALKAN PHASE
Question at Issue Involve Possible
Gigantic War or Pence with BAL
tanned, Declares Paris Correspond
ent-Austria's Policy Explained.

London. March ls-Considerable uneas-
mess was caused in London this after
noon by the publication OF the follow
ing sensational dispatch in the second
edition Of II : Times, from its Paris cor
respondent, whose views on the European
situation usually carry weight:
The situation. as I have been able to
convince myself in the course OF the last
twenty-fOur hours. is exceedingly grave
It is grever than anything which is I'm
piled by the Balkan problem. and the
more immediate ambitions OF Austria
Hungary In Southeastern Europe, serious
as are the prospects which these ques
tons have opened. The considerations
which are being brought home 10 tho
minds Of European statesmen concern the
future OF all the great countries Of
Europe They involve possibilities either
Of war on a gigantic scale, or Of peace
and the maintenance Of the balance OF
European power which has been so re-
Gently re-established.
The starting point OF the present Bal
kan phase OF the crisis was the Franco
German agreement concerning Morocco.
Well-informed French opinion was as
tonished at the facility with which Ger
many agreed 10 bury the Ratchet and
abandon her political campaign against
France. If exchange for concessions to
which nobody attaches any serious value
It Is row being realized that Germany
in settling the Morocco trouble realized
that the opportunity was dawnIng for be-
ginning campaign on a vaster scale
against the triple entente
Austria Lukewarm.
In the German action. which hinged
on Morocco. It was impossible TO count
upon more than The lukewarm support
Of Austria. nor would the Austrian gov
eminent ever have supported a really
aggressive German policy with the sole
object Of detaching France from Eng
land IN the Balkan dispute.
"A more favorable opportunity offered
itself French opinion had been appeased
ana treasured l,y the Morocco agreement
Austria could be encouraged TO place be-
fore Russia humiliating and dangerous
alternatives In the hope that the French
democracy would be unwilling to support
its Russian ally in purely Balkan quar-
rel, which did not materially concern
France For a time this calculation
seemed correct. It has not vet. perhaps.
been realized IN Berlin or Vienna that
the assumptions on which the latest
phase Of the Austrian policy was initiated
and encouraged are rapidly ceasing 70 be
valid
The immediate objective OF the Aus
trian policy is the command OF the rail-
way and strategical route through Ser
via 70 Saloniki, either by cOercing Servia
Tiv,1oy,,ofSc v,ro-err,- s,,.-
mission or by comparatively easy milf
tary operations. which. it is now stated,
would extend 10 Nisch, the junction of
the Orient and Saloniki lines.
Et~st Plan Explained.
The original plan Of the Austrian gen
eral stan, which only embraced the tenn
porary occupation Of Belgrade as a meas
ure Of coercion and intimidation. might
not have necessarily entailed a great Eu-
ropean war. The contemplated extension
OF operations to Nisch would inevitably
necessitate Russian Intervention. however
reluctant to intervene the Russian gov
eminent might be. It would, also. as
learn from the best Of authority bring
about the active interference OF Bull.
garia.
The belief is said 10 be entertained IN
Berlin and Vienna that even in that case
French public opinion would be disincline6
TO permit the French government TO take
part in what would be a terrible wal
against Germany and Austria. II is cal
culated with even greater confidence thai
public opinion in England. which does not
yet seem TO have realized the wider issues
at stake. would be prepared for resolute
British support or our French and Rus
sian partners
1T is high time that the error in these
calculations should be exposed The IS
sues at stake are as momentous for Eng.
land and France as for Russia. and last
but b. no means least. for Italy. It IS
believed that the policy Of Count vor
Aehrenthal. Austrian minister of foreign
affairs, is prompted and supported bv Tho
extreme reactionary party Of centraIiza.
ton In Austria. who. after a successful
war In Central Europe, would make short
work Of Austrian and Hungarian liber.
ties. and then turn the armies OF the VIC.
torious successor of Emperor Francis Jo-
seph against the Italian kingdom in thu
interests Of the Vatican"