The Detroit times., 1912-11-12

The following article comes from the
man who may become ruler or Servia.
Prince Lazarovich IIrebelianovich 10
generally considered as the legitimate
heir to the Servian throne, and Is now
In America TO raise funds for the war.
BY Prince Stephan-L axar-Euasn Lax-
-aroXlch HrehellanoNich- Of SsEulA--l
Written Expressly for The TImsa
A new sort OF a republic Is wha1 ]
hope the Balkan states will show the
world at the conclusion OF the great
war we are now engaged in. I call
Il: a new kind of republic" because
II will not be the orthodox centralized
republic like America, but a FEEDER
ated" republic republic with
home rule" for states. as Il we're
Under such a regime each OF the
Balkan states would retain independ-
ence In local Affairs, but would join
the other states In the handling OF
foreign policy questions.
! Such a plaza plan for a loosely
knit republic-seems to me the only
possible solution Of our governmental
| difficulties.
And this for two reasons.
| First-The separate states them
selves are so independent OF spirit
that they never would consent com
rletely to coalesce with the others,
and thus lose their Individual char
acteristics, traditions and royal fam
lies And, secondly. these states are
SC small that they must unite In or
der to prevent encroachments by for
clgn powers. In such a union lies the
only way 10 their complete strength
! How necessary this Is Is shown by
taking a glance into the very near flu
ture.
Listen! On the superstition that the
allied states do succeed in driving
| Turkey out OF Europe land II looks
right now as II that will surely be
the outcome), they will turn about TO
/ face another and very much graver
danger unless they are ready to pre-
sent united and formidable front TO
the great powers OF Europe.
All these major European coun-
tries are now watching the turbulent
little peninsula like our old friend, the
cat, watches her old enemy. the
mouse. Especially are Russia, Aus
tris- Hungary and Germany interested.
Right now they dare not interfere
any one Of them--for they are each
afraid OF the other. and, In addition.
they do not wish to antagonize Tur-
Key, which Is not yet reduced to the
status OF an annihilated nation.
But with Turkey once driven ont.
the nations will seize Upon the fiimsi-
est OF excuses for annexing one Of our
states after another to their empires.
! To realize the truth OF this all one
has 10 do is to recall the brazen way
in which Austria Hungary took pos
session OF Bosnia and Herzegovina q
couple OF years ago-it was shame
| less.
And so with our little countries so
surrounded by wolves, what hope is
there for them unless they agree to
stand as one in all cases OF foreign
! Interference? Why. IL is simply a
necessity to save our own necks and
! believe the plan will be brought 10
rapid contamination the minute the
war is over.
And then. there is another great
reason why we should form our states
lrto a federated republic. This is In
regard TO the question OF universal
! peace The Balkan peninsula is, and
| has been for centuries, one of the
! bGttle-Zones OF the world. Constant
| friction has always existed because OF
| the warning faiths OF Christian and
Moslem and. also. because OF the
! retty jealousies current among the
! Balkan states themselves Now here
Is the chance to become so powerful
| that the disintegTated Moslem race
! cannot bring war upon US and, at
/ the same time. TO cure our own petty
| jealousies once and for all, by becom-
ing one In spirit And until the Balk-
al states do this, a perfect world
reace will be hardz-perhaps impos
sible-to establish.
And so it is that | forecast that
new republic and new kind OF a re-
! public is likely to appear on the map
| ing war Is over-The Federated Re-
pubic OF the Balkan States.