Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-09-18

But the fruits of this war were in
part taken from them by Austria.
whose diplomatic activity was respon-
sible for the ruling of the powers.
which compelled the Seryians to give
up part of their conquests in Albania
Thus Servia lost her chance to get a
seaport and remains Il l~andlocked pow
er. her only ontlet being through the
friendly Greek ports on the Aegean
sea.
But the Servian victories in Mace
donia and Tie Greek capture of Sa-
loniki put an unexpected obstacle in
the way uf Austria's march to the
south. No mnre could the dual mon.
archy hope to inherit Saloniki and the
land between that port and the from
tier of Bosnia Oh the 6nal downfall of
Turkey: Servia was now squarely
across her path.
So the Balkan wars left the Seryians
confident of their military ability, elat-
ed by victory. determined on complete
national unity and angered by Aus
trials continued hold on the northern
part Of the nation and by her action in
depriving the nation of an outlet to the
sea. These wars left Austria Hungary
with increased difficulties in dealing
with the Slav tribes. particularly the
Servians, now in her dominions, and
convinced that the march to the south
ward must be given up altogether un-
less Servia could be put out of the
way.
Conflict of European Powers.
The conflict among the European
powers, if a clash cannot be averted.
will bring two great groups into op-
posing array. 1t will be the third
time in FIVE years that the triple al
lance Germany, Austria and italy,
and the. triple entente (Russia, Great
Britain and France) have been brought
face to face in hostile attitudes. For
the eternal European issue of balance
of power is to the fore again.
Five years ago the triple entente
protested against Austria's annexation
of Bosnia. asserting that it was in
violation of the agreement at the con-
gress of Berlin following the Russo
Turkish war. Austria's move blighted
the racial and political hopes of a small
Slavic state which was closely related
to Russia.
Germany threatened the cars our
try in 1909, and two years later pre-
scented to France a demand for a large
territorial grant in Morocco because
the French ~protectorate there had been
recognized. Russia. France and Great
Britain apparently were ready to con-
test. Germany backed down. Since
then Germany's resentment has been
bitter. Then there is still friction be-
tween France and Germany over AL
sace-L orraine.
In Tripoli. Italy defeated Turkey, re
garded as a German ally. Subsequently
came the collapse of Turkish power in
Europe and the increased strength of
the small Balkan states. Today these
minor states bar Austria from the
Aegean. and SefvfH NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
with the union of southern Slavs.
Position of Austria.
The Balkan alliance was undoubtedly
a Russian move. to counterfeit which
Austria promoted d~issension among
the Balkan allies. leading to a second
war among those states. But Servia
defeated Bulgaria. Austria's support
of Bulgaria had alienated Roumania.
Servia began to cast longing eyes on
Bosnia and Herzegovina. Roumania
wanted its millions of countrymen in
Hungary. In the dual monarchy there
was little national feeling, the diver