The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1912-11-29
RUSSIA SHIFTS
HER ATTITUDE
AbandonS Original Standpoint
In Behalf Of SerVia
ALLIES VICTORY IN TURKEY

They May Stand Alone In Defending
What They Have Won and Call
Bluff of Triple AIIlance-Austria
Will Rob Balkan States If She Can
ENJOYS Are Discussing Peace
London. Nov. e6.-If news comes
from Berlin, Vienna or St. Peters,
burg about the international crisis
precipitated by the victory of the Bal
kan alliance over Turkey, it quite
probably is given out for the purpose
Of deceiving, as truth would be the
last thing expected.
From the cloud Of misstatements
and statements of fact may be dis
covered at least this truth-that Aus
tria, supported intellectually by
Germany and half-heartedly by Italy,
intends to rob the Balkan states if
she can. Everything depends on
Russia. If she really stands by the
allies to the extent of being ready to
accept war, there will be no war.
The situation has become more
acute through the changed attitude
of Russia. Sergius Sazonoff, the
Russian foreign minister, after hav-
ing declared suitable as a basis for
further negotiations the Austrian pro-
posal guaranteeing Servia a free port
road through Albania, but without
territorial rights, has now abandoned
this standpoint.
Austria is now disposed to push the
matter to a decision, because if war
is inevitable she wants to take ad-
vantage of her mobilization being
more advanced than that Of Russia.
1t is even possible that the allies
alone, if they keep a stiff upper lip
and stand ready to defend what they
Lave won from Turkey, can call the
bluff of the triple alliance, for it is
difficult to believe that the alliance
will go to the extreme of forcing a
situation which easily might mean
general war.
The withdrawal of the Austrian
warship Admiral Spaun and of the
Austrian bluejackets from CONSTANT
nople, with the sudden and unexpect-
ed departure for an unannounced des-
tination of the Austrian squadron
which has been lying at Smyrna, are
factors which are disturbing diplo-
mats who see in a close union of all
the great powers the only hope of
peaceable solution.
Despite Austrian denials of mobili-
cation, five army corps have actually
been already modified and the re-
serves continue to be called up in large
numbers. The Austro- Hungarian
government, apparently, is resolved
not to await the return of the Servian
troops operating agains the Turks,
and an ultimatum to Servia may be
expected within few days.
From Vienna, too, comes the in
formation that the Servian war Office
has recalled all the Servian troops that
can be spared from the columns
operating in the neighborhood of Pris-
rend and Monastir and that the forti-
fications of the Servian capital are
being hastily supplied with heavy ar
tillery. The Austrians deduce from
these facts that Servia is not disposed
to yield.
In the meantime the Balkan and |
Turkish peace plenipotentiaries met
at the vilalge Of Baghtche in the CEN
tire of a small zone which has been |
declared neutral during the parleys. |
Beyond an intimation that the VIC
torious invaders are prepared to
modify their original demands in re-
gard to the evacuation of the Tchatal-
ia lines by the Turks and also to per-
NIT the Turkish garrison at Adrian
ople to march out of that fortress with
the honors Of war, nothing has been
divulged as to the discussions between |
the delegates.