Evening star., 1909-02-28

would De formed nrm oasis Tor tue leu
Grafton OF the Balkan people under the
aegis of constitutional Turkey. Mr.. Stead
is founder of things ideal. If the
Magyars' he says, could be propitiated
by concessions in another quarter an ad-
vance might be made toward the ultimate
transformation of the dual monarchy
into a crowned and gloritied Switzerland
by creating a third autonmous state out
of Croatia, Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herze-
govina, Austria ia-Hungary-SlavOna would
replace Austria Hungary and the evolu-
tion of the free federation of the future
would proceeu silently and boodleSSly as
by a process of natural growth.
Mr. Stead discards the suggestion final
ly and turns to the birth rate-the pre-
ponderating birth rate, which is to insure
the future of the Slav. In the occident
population is at standstill. In France
it is decreasing notably. The Slavonic
people. OIL the contrary. are increasing
rapidly. and in this fact they must at
tain the ascendancy. The day of cast
iron empires is fast drawing to close.
In one form or another the whole vast
stretch of country from Petersburg 10
Prague, from Prague to Adrianople will
be covered by a federation or federations
of Free selfgoverning states, peace
full as the Swiss cantons. in which the
Slav. by the sheer force OF numbers, will
Of necessity be in the ascendant. Nor will
it be surprising If the despairing effort of
the German to stem the tide of destiny I'm
Posen should lead to the addition of the
German Polish lands to the federation of
the future.
There is a jarring note which Mr. stead
admits may destroy this bright picture
and retard the fruition of the founders
hopes Mr.. Stead admits that ii is the
fatal tendency to anarchy, which has
peoples. 1t was this that ruined Poland.
and Mr. Stead confesses that this bane,
this tendency to anarchy, may postpone
the coming of the Slav.
The Poster Lloyd of February instant
publishes an interview with the Crown
Prince of Servia at Belgrade from which
the following is cited:
"As for war;" said the prince. cit should
not break out at once, but If 1t comes to
that we will not be alone.
Allies We have friends whose
friendship and action will
'eu' not depend upon govern
ments, but is deep within the soul of the
great and powerful people
The Servian crown prince indicates the
Slavs of Austria and Russia-all Russia.
indeed, which has always been looked
upon as the friend and protectress of the
Slav.
But the Temps of Paris, replying to the
structures Of the Servian press upon its
articles which appeared to them as un-
friendly, says to the Samoouprava:
THE Temps respects the aspirations of
Servia, but 1t nevertheless understands
that Servia lacks contractual basis for
it's demands. Servians have since thirty
years committed the mistake of not hav-
ing understood the necessity of prepara-
ton. They have not done what they
should have done to correct the rigors
Of diplomacy and to parry the dangers
of the situation. Do they merit as the
Bulgarians merit the success which they
have 1obtained?'
Mr.. Dillon, in his article on foreign
affairs in the Contemporary Review, adj
dresses like reproach to Russia.
paign." says Mr.. Dillon. "the Russian
army has awaited, and it i'll awaits.
reorganization. Scarcely anything has
been done to raise its efficiency to the
level Of the German or Austrian forces.
Even the lessons that other powers have
already drawn from RuSsia's bitter eX-
perience have not yet been taken to
heart by the general staff of st. Peters
burg. Financial considerations initiated
quite as strongly against an armed con-
f1ict on account of the unprepared-
ness of the Russian troops. The coun- |
try is only just emerging from an ordeal
under which most other nations would
have succumbed. The war, the strikes
had shaken the groundwork of the finan
ciaI fabric. Industry and commerce were
stagnant. Had Russia allowed herself
to be drawn from the council chamber
to the field Of battle by Servia or Mon
tenegro the Austrian heavy artillery
would have swept the gold standard out
of existence and crash, would have
shaken the whole financial world. The
result would not have been war as much
as national suicide!
Besides Russia has been held to keep
her hands clear by secret -stipulations
with Austria, which account for the lat
ter'S defiant attitude in the matter of
the annexation Of Bosnia Herzegovina. |
The wine decanted by Prince Gortcha-
koff and his coadjutors, sour though it
might taste. NJ. Izvolsky was forced to
drink to the dregs."
The stipulations by which Russia con-
sented to forego her right to protect the |
Slavs of Bosnia and Her.
zegovina had never been
published. The Russian
9e'|' public were unaware of
their existence. and when NJ Izvolsky, |
in his speech in the duma, alluded to |
engagements which are still to some
extent binding on Russia, a whitening |
wind swept over the political field and
dampened the enthusiasm of the Neo- |
slavS. |
Mr.. Stead's theory as to the arrival of
the Slav is at variance with the present |
indications. Gen. Stephenovitch. late war |
minister, at a recent sitting of the skupt- |
china confessed that notwithstanding the |
generous war credit voteS Servias armv |
was not ready! The money had been |
Mr. Stead has told us that anarchy |
was a fatal tendency condition with |
the Slav-the bane of the Slavonian peo-
pies.
The Servian, nevertheless, is intensely |
patriotic. When Gen. Stephenovitch was
forced to abandon the war ministry
deputy arose and said:
Let us go to war. No matter how we'll
prepared we might be, we are bound to
be beaten in tie end. In our present
destitute condition the end will be more
speedy and less sanguinary. The upshot
may be the annexation of our country
to Austria Hungary, and this would in
volve a much less dismal destiny than
that which will otherwise await us. Then
we should be together with the serbs of
Bosnia and Herzegovina. of Dalmatia.
of Croatia, and our presence in the dual
might contribute to weigh down
the scales in favor of the Slav element
there. enable us to convert a German
victory into a lasting defeat, and turn
the tables on our enemies
The curtain has risen, the play is on
and we are watching will. interest the
of a drama that involves the
life of the Slav.
CHI. CHAILLE-LONG.