The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-03-08
Austria Refuses to Consider
Calling
OF EUROPEAN CONFERENCE
On The Balkan Observation-Disclosures and
neutrality-suspicious. Backing
Up the Dual King
dom.

London, March SIT is necessary 10
warn distant observers Of the great
game that Europe is playing over the
Balkan question. That high opaimism
which prevails over the developments
Of the past fow days is as much out
Of place as was the black pessimism OF
week or fortnight ago. Seryia, in
response TO Russias friendly appeal, has
definitely withdrawn her claims for a
territorial concession and for the auto
Monty OF Bosnia and herzegovina, or
rather she announces her willingness TO
submit in oil respects to the decision
Of a European conference touching all
her interests.
This news has been received in Vienna
with secrcN ehaHin and irritation. Aus
tria has never given her full consent to
a European conference over the effect
Of her action Of last October. She ex
pressed a willingness at the height OF
the crisis 10 submit the question Of the
annexation Of these two provinces 70 the
formal ratification Of a conference, pro-
yided that such convention was
agreed 10 in advance BY an exchange Of
notes between the signatories Of the
Berlin treaty, but nothing more. IL has
come TO be tactly understood by the
powers during tho time that has since
elapsed ethat It was not worth while
to summon conference for such a pur-
pose.
Austria has recently made ii known
in emphatic terms that there is nothing
between her and Servia which in any
respect concerns the other powers She
made her position clear in this regard
Saturday by inviting Seryis to notify
the Vienna government officially Of her
peaceful intentions in the same terms
as the Seryian reply to Russia's note,
intimating that negotiations might then
be begun over questions OF trade and
intercourse.
The effect Of this action is likely to
be fresh trouble, for this is practically
a demand that Servia shall abandon her
appeal to the powers and throw herself
unreservedly upon Austrian mercy. No
Servian ministry could make this com.
plete surrender at the present moment
and live. Moreover. Austria's motives
in giving the situation such a turn are
open to the grsvest suspicious Slav
patience, which Is never q very reliable /
quantity, may give way without wait
ing for the intervention of the powers |
at Vienna, and then Austria might gain
what apparently is her secret wish and |
excuse for crushing Cervia. Even if the
seryian authorities remain prudent, il |
Is more than doubtful whether the rep. |
reservations which Russia and the west |
ern powers will make at Vienna within |
few days in favor Of a conference will !
avail anything. Germany's unwilling 4
and restricted consent to Join in the con
cliatory efforts at Vienna, provided that |
Servia's reply to Russia's note was fav-
orable. really means very little. Sha
win put no pressure whatever upon
her ally.
Baron Won Aehrenthal. the Austrian
minister Of foreign affairs, considers
that he has an unassailabls case in re-
fusing to allow outside interference in
any issues between the dual monarchy
and its small neighbor. The situation
is, therefore, drifting toward dead
lock, which is mora definite than any
that has vet been encountered. II the
Servian authorities are shrewd enough
to see through the game they viii be
able to preserve, or at least prolong, the
of the little kingdom Aus
tria has been playing skilfully for
moral position, and she thinks she has
gained It. She also seems to believe
that BY careful tactics Servia by her
own rashness win presently fall into
her arms without provoking general
European war.
Russia fully appreciates the situation,
yet she cannot publicly advise Servia
to abandon oven her demand for con.
ference and accept the status quo
reserve On the other hand,
the st. Petersburg government il not in
q position to adopt the drastic course J
Of notifying Austria that it will defend !
Servian independence under all circum- !
stances. II