Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-19
The NEW SLAV NATION FORMING.

The old question Of the orient. which has
occupied the attention Of diplomats for a
long time. has assumed a
Changed new aspect. The move
A.-.. ment begun by the Young
F's' Turks. the complete eman-
cipation OF Bulgaria, the annexation OF
Bosnia Herzegovina and signs Of perturba-
ton elsewhere serve as a point Of de-
parture OF an effervescence which has only
jus, begun. Out OF this old question OF
the orient there has arisen a new ques-
ton. the birth Of q new Slav nation. the
o Slav nation having died at Kossova In
1850.
All Siav peoples have Just commemorated
the anniversary of the defeat OF their EN-.
pire at the battle Of Kossova by the
Turks, June ., 1889. THIS anniversary
has come to be considered national fete
and this year. the 520th. 1t has been cele-
brated with special significance as the
herald Of the birth Of the new Slav nation
mated at Moscow June /. was the corollary
Of the one held at st. Petersburg In May.
1905. Our Dream" said M. Kramarsch.
president of the executive committee, was
to create a rapproachement Of the great
Slav powers. Russia and Austria. After
the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina we
can no longer dream of detaching Austria
from Germany. We may only work now
for the moral attachment of all Slav ma
t1onalists to a common ideal"
NJ. Kramarsch criticised Russian meth
DDS In Poland. which was the foundation
stone Of modern Slavism. NJ. Klofatsch.
another member of the congress, de-
nounced Russian weakness in the face OF
the ''Drangnach Osten." He described the
painful impression given him of the badly
cultivated fields in Poland, as seen from
the train that bore him to st. Petersburg.
There is project for the establishment
OF Slav congress in Bulgaria in 1910.
1t is maintained by the Slav leaders that
Bulgaria achieved her independence be-
because Of the former panslavic agi-
tation. and 1t was therefore logical to
expect that, like results would follow.
The congress also approved a Slav ex-
position at Moscow in 1912 It hoped
thus to control the ethi-
Exposition cal and economical statis-
proi.c+.d tics in Slav interests. The
Society Of Grain Of
Wheat" expressed its intention Of send
ing into Moravia and Bohemia peasants
who might learn the use Of agricultural
machines. and thus increase the produc-
ing power Of the Slav.
A spirit Of reform and rapprochement
actuates the Slavs of Russia-Poland, Ser
via, Austria Hungary and Germany. The
Slay race bound by ties Of blood and
tradition Is being taught the necessity of
standing together az one family In order
Q nation.
It was this new ideal that took form
and expression in July, 1908, when the
Russian Senator Krassovski in the Con-
gress Of Prague said:
mated except upon the basis OF a formal
recognition Of the legal equality Of all
Slav peoples and Of the right Of every one
to the free development OF his own in
dividuality."
unite in their struggle against their COM
mon enemy-they should respect the
rights of one another.
The Prague Congress Of July 1908, was
ideal. M. Kramarsch was the first to
endeavor to abate the interior rivalries
Of the Slav people. those Of the Poles and
Russians at Warsaw, those Of the Ruthe-
inians and Poles in Galicta. The ideal
has made progress. N. Kramarsch is
some day In the near future. Modern
Slavism," he says, will receive it's life
from modern Russia. The grand move
ment for liberty Of the Russian people
stand the Slav's desire for freedom.
Russia, besides, now feels that Slay
union is for her an augmentation Of
force. At the same time that Russia
acquired the ambition to become strong
at home. 1t was perceived that the best
means Of acquiring strength was to cod
vince the people that the surest rampant
on her occidental frontier was Poland
reeonciled with Just Russia, Poland
ton at Posen, and as the famous buffer
state as proposed by Germany and Aus
tria. between Poland and Russia"
After defeats in Manchuria Russia
turned from the orient with the idea Of
developing Slav policy in
European Europe. According to M.
MALI Kramarsch, it was no long
er Russia imbued with the
purpose of submerging the Slav people
in q Russian ocean, but new Russia,
which aimed at fortifying the Slav
against their common enemy. to estab-
lish a union Of literature and economical
interests between all Slav peoples.
Russias policy. indeed. was no longer
an old panslavism inseparable from ortho-
doxy and absolutism: her banner hence
forth was like that Of democratic Europe
fraternity and equality among all.
These principles were not yet crystal
lized in May. 1908. but they were evolved
and developed at Prague In July OF that
year. M. Krassovski declared in the
name of the Russian delegation that Slav-
ism would not prosper except that Slavs
were free. M. Dmovski. responding for
Poland. confessed that Polands future
was undoubtedly based upon a powerful
Russia, and Russia would become power
full when Poland was accorded national
life.
Certainly rude trials had been imposed
upon the new Slavism. The annexation
of Bosnia Herzegovina had separated the
Slavs of Austria and the Slavs beyond
the frontier. These latter concluded that
the first must oppose the policy Of the
monarchy. They forgot the lesson taught
at St. Petersburg and at tho Prague,
namely, that there should be no attempt
at resistance In states where the slavs
were isolated. Russia had been slow to
move and the project to separate the gov
eminent Of Kholm from the Kingdom of
Poland had naturally excited the strong
resentment Of the Poles. Also, the Poles