Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-23
AUSTRIA KINDLES
SPARK THAT SETS
EUROPE ON FIRE
Responsibility for the Pres
emit Conflagration Rests on
the Aged Ruler of the Dual
Monarchy.
BY Karl n. Won Wieeand.

(Berlin Correspondent of the United
Press)
Berlin, Aug. 6, (by mail via London
TO New York. what is 1t all about ?
Thousands unfamiliar with the mys-
teries and intricacies of European poll
tics and policies are asking this ques-
ton about the European war The
crack of the revolver at Sarajevo
which killed Archduke Ferdinand and
his wife, set the world ablaze The
assassin's shots merely set fire to the
fuze of a war bomb" long laid.
A war between Austria and Servia
has been inevitable ever since Austria
annexed the provinces of Herzegovina
and Bosnia in 1908. The Berlin con-
,gress of diplomats in 1873 turned the
two provinces over to Austria Hungary
for administration and military occu-
pancy something akin to the English
occupancy of Egypt. The provinces
are inhabited by Servians and Croa-
tan Servians speaking the Servian
language.
Regardless of the fact that 1t was a
breach of the agreement at the Berlin
congress Austria Hungary in 1908 an
neexd the provinces. 1t added some
thing like two million to the six mill
ion Servians and Slavs already subjects
of the dual monarchy. 1t created the
most intense bitterness in Servia itself
and among thousands of their brethren
who were Austrian subjects. This bit
terness has intensified with the years
and oppression by the Hungarian gov
eminent.
The Crisis of 1908.
The annexation precipitated a crisis
in 1908 which threatened to send the
European nations at one another's
throats Russia, the traditional pro-
tector of the Balkan people especially
the Slavs, threatened to come to the
assistance of Servia, a similar attitude
to the one 1t took just before Austria
declared the present war on Sedvia
a few weeks ago. There were extern
sive movem ents of troops toward the
Austrian frontier. Suddenly the kaiser
spoke. All Europe was startled and
held It's breath in suspense. From
Germany came the ominous rafting
and rumbling of an army of 100000
men. IF you make a move Germany
will declare war in support of Austria"
in effect said the kaiser. Russia went
DdCk anu sat uONH. he COlllllNl DS-
tween the Slav and German races, con-
sidered inevitable, was postponed. Rus
STA never forgave the kaiser for rat
Ting the German sword at that de-
cisive moment. Servia never forgave
Austria.
The irnminence OF Austria becoming
embroiled with Servia during the re-
cent Balkan war kept Europe in sus-
pense for months. Austria modified
a large part Of her army and kept 1t
under arms at an expense of 800, 0o0,-
900. Its financial business and indus
trial loss during that crisis was even
more than that sum. Austria time and
again said to Servia, "Thus far but no
further" during the recent war with
Turkey and later between Servia and
Bulgaria. Austria threatened but did
nothing. It earned the contempt of
the Servians. All Europe sneered at
Austria as a decadent nation. Austria
stood by and saw the Servians occupy
the Sandjak country without moving a
finger after declaring that such action
would mean war 1t was only when
Servia endeavored to get port on the
Adriatic that Austria finally showed
her teeth. Servia never forgave Aus
tria for preventing 1t from getting an
outlet to the sea-
Servia Dreams of Empire.
Servla came out of the two Balkan
wars with great prestige and much new
territory. Success infamed the Pa
Servians who not only dreamed, but
plotted for a Greater Servia including
Herzegovina, Bosnia, Montenegro and
duke Ferdinand, the coming emperor,
as their greatest enemy and oppressor
of their countrymen. The assassina-
ton of him and his wife startled the
world Then followed the we'll remem-
bered ultimatum from Austria to Ser
via and the rapidly following declara-
tons of war and then the war itself.
Russia, which has been arming with
tremendous energy for the last year,
was better prepared than in 1909. The
White Bear growled when the note
from Austria to Servia demanding
punishment of the Sarajevo became
known. Soon the rumbling OF cannons
and thousands of soldiers moving to-
ward the Austrian and German from
tier could be heard despite the GEN.
sorship Germany fatty announced
its support of Austria and its intention
of going to war II Russia interfered
In the punishment" of Servia. Panics
on all the bourses in the world and
tremendous bank runs in Germany and
Austria and Russia followed Millions
upon millions of dollars have been lost.
Thus Austria has kindled war such
as the world has never seen, ostensi-
bly, to avenge the murder of an arch
duke and his wife. Hundreds of thous-
ands Of men must die because of the
crack of a revolver in Sarajevo some
weeks ago Back of it all however.
was the fact that for Germany and
Austria and the triple alliance COM
posed of those two countries and italy, !
the auspieious moment has arrived for
that inevitable conflict with Russia and |
a. l. -