New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-26
Tension Will Not Be Relieved
Until Austria Is Sure That
Russia Is Not Abet-
ting Servia.
PEACE HANGS ON A THREAD
Military in Belgrade, Now Com
pletely in the Ascendant,
Are Against All Com
promise and Arm
the City.
[By Cable to The Tribune.l

BY Cable TO The IflDune.I
London, Nov. 26.-The international
situation has not improved, and the
tension will not be relieved until Aus
tria is convinced that Russia is not
backing Servia in the latter's insistence
upon a port on :he Adriatic.
Vienna rejects all St Petersburg's
explanations of the military measures
being for purely internal affairs.
The extreme anxiety manifested by
all the European governments to deny
the reports Of warlike preparations and
to represent the political situation as
peaceful and satisfactory is in itself an
indication on how slender a thread the
issues of peace and war in Europe nov
hang
Servia, it is reported. has declined 10
reply to the Austrian demands until the
war is concluded Germany has not
entertained the request to mediate be-
tween Austria and Russia.
The news, too, that Servia is throw
ing further obstacles in the way of the
Austrian representative in search Of NJ.
Prochaska, the austrian Consul at
Prisrend, is another disquieting feature.
Preparations in Belgrade.
From Vienna comes the information
that the Servian War Office has re-
called all the Servian troops that can
be spared from the columns operating
IN the neghborhood Of Prisrend and
Monastir, and that the Notifications
of the Servian capital are being hastily
supplied with heavy artillery. The
Austrians deduce from these facts
that Servia is not disposed to yield,
and a pacific settlement Of the Austro-
Servian dispute seems TO them difficult
Of realization if Servia's demands are
maintained as an irreducible minimum.
These were outlined yesterday by
Premier Pachich of Servia. He de-
clared that minimum requisite TO
Servia's national development was eco
nomic independence and a free and
adequate passage to the Adriatic Sea.
This, according to the Servian states
man, meant her possession OF stretch
of coastline of about thirty-odd miles
which would be joined to the present
territory of Servia by strip of what
was Old Servia.
Would Cut Albania in Two.
This minimum is declared to be
wholly incompatible with the Austrian
and Italian contention that Albania
should be- autonomous, as it would cut
Albania in two and contine the autono-
nous provinces to a stony and poverty
stricken district unable TO maintain an
independent existence.
The danger arises not alone from the
conflicting interests of Austria, servia
and the other powers. but from the pos
siblity that Turkey, following the tra-
ditional policy Of profiting by the en-
broilment Of the great powers, may
adopt an irreconcilable attitude in the
peace negotiations.
Beyond the fact that the plenipoten-
tlaries met to-day, nothing is yet
known-not even whether an armistice
has been arranged. There appears to
be a suspension Of operations at the
Tchataldja lines, apparently by tacit
consent rather than by formal agree
ment.
The semi official Bulgarian news
paper Mir" in an editorial, voices the
governmental irritation at Turkeys
dilatory methods of negotiation, and
accuses the Porte of deliberately NOM
mating delegates from remote points
in order to gain time. This probably
refers to Osman Miami Pacha, the
Porte's ambassador to Germany, who
arrived at Constantinople from Berlin
only yesterday.
Austria Acting Alone.
The withdrawal of the Austrian war
ship, Admiral Spaun. and of the Aus
trian contingent of bluejackets from
Constantinople, with the sudden and
unexplained departure for an unan-
nounced destination of the Austrian
squadron which has been lying at
Smyrna, are factors which are disturb
ing diplomats who see in a close union
of all the gres powers the only hope
of peacable solution.
The Dardanelles Straits were still
open to navigation at 1870 yesterday
morning, according to an agency dis
patch from Constantinople, despite the
threats of an attack by Bulgarian
troops on the forts guarding them, the
capture of which would permit the
Greek fleet to sail through and bonn
bard Constantinople.
SO pessimstic are the Vienna news
papers in the absence of any re-
ply from Belgrade, and with the
growing belief that IL it comes
it will be Of an unfavorable char
acter, that they are beginning not
to disguise their fears that only force
will settle the question. Hence the
feverish military preparations and the
ARMY NAVY FOOTBALL.
Saturday. November so, Franklin Field.
Iain -