Evening star., 1912-09-15
BALKANIC AND TURKISH AFFAIRS

OF peace might be effected N. crozier
cites Count d'Aehrenthai as writing:
Italy has spoken: Turkey has spoken:
all the world speaks. But when viii
Europe speak. old Europe? She has her
word to say. II is necessary certainly
that she will take conscience OF her self;
but believe me that therein only Is safety;
safety only in the ensemble OF the five
non -belligerent powers which will have
sufficient authority tn make themselves
heard when the moment comes To re-
establish peace and avoid the terrible ad-
venture Of an angry reopening OF the
question Of the orient
NJ Croziers revelations as TO the policy
OF Austria Hungary is only important. "
important at all, as showing that Count
d Aehrenthal was inclined to accept IN
February. 1904. the idea OF conference
as proposed by NJ. lsvolski. The want or
cohesion I'm the triple entente permitted
Germany TO interfere and with the threat
OF force avoid the solution which Austria
Hungary desired. The point made by NJ.
Crozier is that i'm that affair of i@s-lM'
which brought Europe face to face WIN
war Germany was more TO blame thah
Austria Hungary.
An eminent Ottoman statesman whose
name is withheld has contidentialiy COM
municated his views in
Two Currents an interview concerning
of Opinion. ssrcb,o,a.s Be- prooo.,,,on
at Constantinople. There are two currents
of opinion. said the speaker. One. that
Count Berchtold is animated BY the best
intentions toward Turkey. which is eS-
planned by Austria's desire Ia avoid any
thing which might change the status quo
while digesting the big morsel. BOSNIA
Herzegovina. while renewing her artillery
material, and reorganiZng her finances.
The other current of opinion maintains
that the different nationalitIes in the RAJ
kans, encouraged by the first concessions
made. Will demand more than IL is possible
TO accord.
Unfortunately. added the Ottoman
statesman. Count Berchtold is not clear.
He would give counsel TO the small
Balkanic states and also To the Turkish
government. This latter counsel is full
of danger. In the first place. IL deprives
Turkey of her proper initiative. Turkey
having already declared herself PARTISAN
of decentralization. In the next place. it
compromises her prestige in the eyes or
her Mussulnan populations: the conces-
sions which she would make would have
all the appearance Of being imposed by
the stranger Now, when one reflects
that II foreign Intervention which
precipitated the revolution Of the Young
Turks IL cannot be denied that there Is
danger.
II Count Berchtold's proposition is we'll
intentioned. continued the Ottoman states
man, the form under which IL has been
presented is most clumsy The general
opinion i'm political circles in Constants
nople Is that II the Austrian government
had wished sincerely TO facilitate the
task of the Turkish government nothing
was more simple than TO communicate
it's proposition quietly and discreetlv
through diplomatic channels. and i'm the
same way warn the Balkanic states sew
orally that no intrigues would be toll
Grated.
On the contrary, the Austrian minister
Of foreign affairs. whose secrets are
usually well guarded. has
Publicity given his proposition the
widest publicity: the news
ulVeu. was given to the press be-
fore being communicated to the embas-
sizes. When one knows the habits of the
Austrian ministry these facts are sig
nificant.
Briefly resumed. Count Berchtold's
proposition, on the one side, Is consid-
cred in Turkish political circles. despite
its amical appearance, as an act OF hos
tility. on the other as clumsy effort
There is another current. however.
which shows that there are Turks VINO
are alive to the changed political sltua-
ton WHICH menaces the empire. This
current of opinion is represented by the
former Deputy Lufti-Fikri, who writes
In the journal Tanzimat that the proposi->
ton of Count Berchtold constitutes Tor
Turkey a warning. Turkey should take
heed and accord at once to all the Euro
pean provinces-the Balkanic states-a
regime of decentralization without expos
ing herself to the pressure of the pow
ers.
Lufti-Fikri affirms that the largest de-
GENERALIZATION cannot exercise other than
favorable influence upon the unity ana
integrity Of Turkey.
A correspondent from Vienna telegraphs
that in view Of the general criticisms OF
the press and of governments Count
Berchtold has followed his proposition By
an explanatory note. Count Berchtoid
does not pose as a European leader. I'M
pressed by the course of events IN Tur-
key, Count Berchtold fe.t it his duty i'm
the interest of peace to do as he had
done, nothing more. nothing less.
1t was necessary to sustain Turkey by
showing her that all Europe was decided
to do it's possible TO maintain the status
quo. 1t was necessary to encourage the
new ministry in the way ii had taken In
in the case of Albania.
The Turkish government could now with
the aid of Europe resist more easily the
revolutionary attitude of
Turkeys the young Turks The
Bulgarian government did
AIouOicS' not desire with Tur-
key. but it was obliged To struggle
against very strong popular current
that did. Ii the powers undertook the
consideration Of questions affecting the
aspirations of the Balkanic people the
Bulgarian government could there calm
public opinion and resist the warlille cur
rent
1t was not return to the policy of in
tervention. Count Berchtold explained.
This had given very poor results. nor Is
there a question OF the reunion OF a con
ference to excite the susceptibilities OF
the Turk: there was no thought of the
dismemberment Of Turkey. IL was neces-
sary to find a way TO satissy the legiti-
mate aspirations Of the non-Turkish ma
tionalities In the Ottoman empire IN order
that the Balkanic states shall no longer
menace Turkey with war And Count
Berchtold is quoted as saying in further
explanation:
mo one will pretend that Austria's
initiative will be agreeable TO all tho
powers. Austria's initiative marks In
the levant and should reinforce con-
siderably her prestige there. But pre-
cisely for that reason the other powers.
- rtieula Russia should stand