Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-17
THE AUSTR0-R RUSSIAN AGREEMENT


Austria and Russia have finally come to
an agreement, which is not as satisfac-
tory as the diplomatic
Verbal world would have desired.
o. for it appears that it has
VoAt1acs' none OF the characteristics
Of q conventional peace pact. but only
verbal contract which is good az FAR as
1t goes" Be that as 1t may, the an
nouncement by Russia of such an agree
ment or modus vivendi affords general
satisfaction as an assurance that the Bal
kan cloud, the subject Of contention. has
been dissipated. at least for this spring
a season which habitually fills Europe
with dread
Few persons understand the tension
that has existed between Austria and
Russia since the annexation OF Bosnia
Herzegovina. The GOODNESS between the
ministers and ambassadors of the two
powers had reached a point where they
had ceased all communication except that
In writing. Such a condition of affairs
was the prelude to an explosion. and
when it became to be understood, as 1t
was. simultaneously. at Vienna and at
st. Petersburg, the former took the ini-
tiative to break the ice. Between NJ.
Isvolsky and NJ. d'Aehrenthal, however,
1t Is scarcely possible that their feud.
which is both personal and national. may
be forgiven or forgotten.
The conditions OF this singular agree
ment being verbal, are obscure. but ap-
pear to be confined to three subjects: The
maintenance Of the status quo In the
Balkans: the development OF the states
constituting the Balkans; the recognition
and consolidation of the new regime in
Turkey.
Austria, 1t will be remarked. refused to
communicate the agreement to the pow
ers. Russia on the contrary communlcat-
ed the note il for no other reason than
to obtain some moral effect. In diplo-
matte circles the agreement is considered
as unilateral and consequently OF little
value.
The Russian note. which was communi-
Gated to the powers March 70. subJoins
extracts from the diplomatic correspon-
dence exchanged by the two cabinets OF
st. Petersburg and Vienna. 1t declares
that the agreement could not assume the
character of that of 1897. but on the con-
trary should assume form which would
permit all the interested powers to as
sociate themselves with 1t. The changes
in the political situation in Turkey should
be taken into account and having this m
view Russia formulated the conditions al
ready cited.
The Politische Correspondent. in a spe-
cial issue announcing the result of the
AustrO-R Russian negotia-
Informal tons. said that ii had
repeatedly had occasion
agreement. to deal with the negotia-
tons pending between Austria-Hungary
and Russia and had pointed out that the
many and varied statements made were
wholly without authority. And TO cite
that journal textually:
"It must be particularly established that
neither on the part of Austria Hungary
nor on the part of Russia has there ever
existed the intention of coming to for
NAL agreement. The sole object and SUBJ
ject OF the negotiations concerned the
question of the resumption OF normal dip
lomatic relations between the two pow
ers. whereby it should become possible to
enter at any moment into friendly ex
change.
The Poitische adds that the desired
object had been completely attained and
the normal relationship between the two
empires had been recognized on both
sides This situation Is one at which all
should rejoice. because it could not fail
to exercise a tranquilizing influence upon
the situation in the Balkans, where all
the great powers are unanimously work
ing for the maintenance of the status quo.
The Vienna government had no reason
to make a communication to the great
powers concerning the negotiations ue-
tween Vienna and St Petersburg.
1t is logical that Austria-Hungary should
ever touching her action in Bosnia-Herze-
govina. 1t is a closed question. so far as
she is concerned, and one in which the
adage, SILENCE is golden" is essentially
applicable.
Commenting upon the vagueness of the
agreement the Saturday Review says:
THE ponderous budget
Obsolete of various dispatches and
xu memoranda is more wor-
"0cInouo' thy of the methods of
the eighteenth century than the twenti-
eth" And that review is OF the opinion
that the relations are still strained and
their interchange OF views neither frank
nor free and that they manifestly do not
like each other. Russia and Austris
were, in fact, at the mercy Of any Mace
DOMAIN band which could find serious
support in Athens, Belgrade or Sofia, or
even in Crete.
The Review alludes sarcastically to
what is said by both Russia and Austria
in this budget of dispatches concerning
the arrangement of 1897. to which each
party expressed adherence. But it is
amusing to note.' adds the Review, that
both of them have already repudiated it,!
When Austria made her coup and annex
ed Bosnia, NJ. Isvolski was unprepared to
carry out his contract of the opening OF
the Dardanelles and he thus found him.
self left out in the cold. NJ. 1svolski, as
already explained. was tied up by the
arrangement made by his predecessor,
which precluded his making with honor
an effective protest. Public opinion we
know was aroused against him and then
the Germans interfered and thus the cup
Of Russian humiliation was filled to over
flow and was drunk to the dregs by NJ.
Isvolski
BRUSH policy, according to the Review.
suffered a marked setback In that mat
ter and it wants to know what OF that
conference which Sir Edward Grey was
so determined should he held and which
against all probability Sir Edward de-
For a fact this action has not been sat
isfactorily explained. for any one who
knew anything Of diplomatic methods and
history must have known in view OF
Russia's situation that she had been
committed to a policy she could not dis
avow and that there would be no con-
ference. But the diplomats are mOrtale
and do things that are fncomprehensible,
both to man and the gods. What the
four protecting powers failed to do IN
Crete when they had the occasion-name-
~, to pass Crete over to Greece with a
s1rbstant money indemnity to Turkey