Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-08-06
EXPLANATION OF
EUROPEAN CRISIS
IS HARD TO FIND
Diplomats and Observers Unable
to Understand the Attitude
of Austria.
RECENTLY STRONG FOR PEACE
Count BerchtoId, Only Few Weeks
Ago, Bitterly Criticized the War
Party, and His Change of
Front Has Net as Yet
Been Explained.

Confusion worse COMPOUNDED" is the
one phrase that aptly characterizes the
war situation in Europe. The leading
newspapers and the most experienced
observers are unable to agree on any
explanation Of the crisis. And the rea-
son is not far to seek.
Only a few weeks ago the foreign
minister Of Austria, Count Berchtold,
was earnestly defending the pacific
and moderate policy ne had been pur-
suing toward the Balkans and Russia
serchtold for Peace.
In a speech to the delegates at Buda-
pest he vigorously answered criticisms
Of spokesman Of the war party, partic-
ularIy Of q delegate who was sup
posed to be expressing the sentiments
Of the then heir presumptive, the late
Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Count
Berchtold spoke of the. aged emperOr's
sincere and resolute devotion to peace;
he gave arguments Of his own, more
over, in support of a policy Of patience
and peace.
Feared Loss Of Prestige.
The frankness and directness Of that
speech impressed everybody except
those who feared that Austria might
be accused Of timidity and weakness,
might be misunderstood and in conse-
quence might lose political and mill
tary prestige.
There were some among these who
thought, moreover, that Russia, whose
recuperative power was wonderful
whatever might be said of its efficiency
and actual strength when pitted
against a more civilized and free pow
er-was getting too mighty and too
confident, and was enjoying too much
opportunity for rehabilitation and con-
solidation of its financial and military
naval resources.
These vaguely favored a bold and
aggressive policy even at the risk Of
war, which had better come sooner
than later, they held
Sweden Takes Up Cry.
But Count Berchtold's view pre-
vailed for the moment and excellent
observers concluded that Austria, at
any rate, was not going to add to the
Europe by tempting fortune.
At that very moment Sweden was
eXcitedly discussing "the Russian
peril" and demanding new measures of
defense, while a section of the Ger
man press was pointing to the bear
that walks like a man" as the foe to
reckon with in the near future.
Xa+ hn DF
not by Russia, not by a Balkan power
DESTROYS of revising the settlement
imposed by ROumania and the concert
of Europe at the Bucharest conference,
but by Austria and seemingly under
Count Berchtold's direction.
What has happened in the short in
tervaI? If peace was necessary a few
weeks ago, why is war inevitable to-
day?
To understand the situation it is es-
sential to distinguish between glitter
ing generaIities, far ciful aspirations
literature and rhetoric, on the one
hand, and hard, grim, concrete facts
on the other. 1t is essential to know
what the conflict is not. 1t is not
war between Teuton and SIay. 1t is
not a war between the Pan-German
world party and the Pan-Slav world
party 1t is not war for the preserya-
tion Of Hapsburg monarchy.
Move is Antl-Austrian.
The Pan-German movement is anti
Serytan and cannot fail to be SO. The
success of that movement would de-
stroy Austria as a political entity. The
Pan-Geman extremists have had to be
rebuked and repudiated by RESPONSE
bic German statesmen. As allies of
Austria they could not countenance a
movement which assumed and labored
for the disruption and disappearance
of Austria.
The Pan-Slav movement in Russia is
manifestly anti-Austrian, as well as
antiGerman. 1t dreams of SIav rule
from the AdTiatic sea to the Pacific
ocean" 1t dreams of Slav union or
confederation under the gentle and
benevolent sovereignty of Russia.
Cars interest in Servia.
Pan-Slavism is. however, in a linn
tied sense, Enthusiastically in evidence in
the cars profound interest in Servfa
and Montenegro. The cars ministers
have often Numbered in the Balkans
and have at times caused estrange-
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