The Ocala evening star., 1911-06-06

they will tell US steadily. until war is
declared. that everything is making
for peace Then we shah all be TOO
busy TO waste time telling them I told
you So"
Even the most misguided optimist II
cannot deny that the relations be II
tween the two countries, if not exact /
ly strained" are in a very satisfac-
tory state.
All the little republics in South |
America are in such a constant state |
of commotion that we on this side are |
never quite sure which is at war with |
which and which is at peace: but all
their differences and warlike intention
sink into insignifcance when compared
with the danger nearer home.
The Barrier That Holds a Storm
The man in the street can hardly re-
alize the tremendous issues that lie
hid in the occasional news item headed
Illness of the Austrian Emperor
Perhaps he never guesses that the
frail life of one old man stands as
barrier between the peace of Europe
and maelstrom of war that may
drag into its depths Austria, Germany.
France Italy, Russia and Great Brit
ain
At present the Austro- Hungarian
Empire is held together solely by the
personality of Francis Joseph. When
| he dies half the nations of Europe will
| have a gigantic land grab at the eX-
pense of his dominionS.
Germany will start. In Austria there
! is a large party calling themselves the
| Pan-Germans who want to become
subjects of William II. and though not
openly aided. they are secretly encour-
. "a nv government Berlin.
They may talk as much as they like,
but beyond talking they dare not goA
It the Emperors death, however. they
will clamor for a union with Germany,
and fight for it if necessary.
The Kaiser. of course, will seize the
opportunity to interfere, and an army
will advance into the coveted prov
inceS.
That will rouse Italy. The Italians
want that part of Austria that touches
their frontier on the northeast. and
also the provinces that look across the
Adriatic towards their own eastern
coast. Germany will try to prevent
this, for her main object is to get hold
of that strip of Austria on the Adriatic
coast, for by that means she would
make herself mistress of Europe. with
one foot on the North sea and the 9TH
er practically at the Mediterranean.
1t must be remembered that those
three cOuntries-AuStria, Germany and
Italy-are allies, bound together by the
triple alliance, but this will not hinder
the Scrimmage.
While all this is going on French
soldiers would be sweeping across the
Lost ProvinceS''-AlSace and Lorraine
The seizure of Austrian provinces by
Germany would mark the end OF
French power and influence in Europe
and France would try to annex the
western provinces of Switzerland and
the country around the Lake of Ge-
neva so that her troops might advance
, up the Rhone valley.
Turkey and Austria
Russia, liable to prevent German in
: reference, will make a determined bic
l for the Austrian province of Galcida
. and the Cossacks will sweep up to the
foot of the Carpathians. But if the
Bear finds that Europe is sufficiently
: busy he will turn his attention else
where to greater priZe-Constanti'
noplet
= Here, again. in Turkey, peace hang:
by the thread of a single life. II tht
Sultan died before the Emperor Fran
els Joseph, Austria herself will try Il
Turkish territory to enable her t
seize Salonika.
The recent stir-ups in the Balkans il
one of the symptoms of this longins
on the part of Austria. 1t received
a severe setback when the new Tur
kish constitutional regime was pro
tclaimed. and Austrian statesmen. head
ed by the Archduke Franz Ferdinand
4 saw that a blow must at once b.
. struck at the new Turkey. The annex
alton of Bosnia and Herzegovina is tn
\ first move in their desperate struggl
:. towards SalOnika. Their hope Of Sc
- curing possession of the city, is fadin:
j.. rapidly. and their only chance is L
u keep the Balkans in a ferment
Then who can sort out the crIss
- cross of interests amongst the Balkan
states themselves? 1t is certain tina
X Servia. Bulgaria. Roumania and Mon
tenegEo will be at each others throat
o sooner or later. for they hate eacI
other almost as much as they fea
q either Austria or Russia. The presen
Is crisis has drawn some of them togeth
er notably Servia and Montenegro
r. but these sudden. violent friendship
n between nations are always to be look
ed on with suspicion.
:. The possession of the Danube TO tn
:. sea is another of the things that Aus
: tria longs for: but if Russia is TO reac
Constantinople. Austria can't have tn
Danube. That means trouble
1t is undou ubtedly owing to the fac
that Russia thinks Austria has stol
=. en- a march on her that has throw
al Russia more or less in the arms Q
nf England and cemented the Anglo
Russian entente that is. being butt VI
1t is quite on the cards that Den
mark. in the dust and confusion of tn
U scramble. will try TO regain Schles vi :
u Holstein. Neither Belgium nor Hollan
will be safe; for part of the Kaiser
- gigantic plan of conquest i the ar
nexation of the Netherlands, a the re
cent fortress question would seem
l. signify.
al Scandinavia and Spain and Portuga
III isolated by their geographical situs
: tion. are the only nations in EuroE
" that are likely TO go on minding the