The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-28
'SERV|A FIGHTS FOR
!. INTEGRITY Of RACE
THREATENED WAR IS CLIMAX OF
cESTURY-oLD STRUGGLE
BARS ENEMIES ADVANCE
SERBS, ONCE GREAT RACE, COUNT
ON RUssIA's SUPPORT sHoULD
e.
EUROPE BE PLUNGED
INTO WAR.
BARS ENEMIES ADVANCE.

While the immediate cause of Aus
| tria- Hungary's attack on Seryia la the
demand for reparation for the murder
of the Archduke Francis Ferdinand
and his wife. the Duchess of Hohen-
berg, the ultimate causes are the
movement of the Hapsburg empire to-
ward the south and the desperate ef-
forts of the Serb race to regain COM
plete national existence.
Ever since the repulse OF the Turk
sh army from Vienna in 1888 the
Austrians have steadily fought their
way southwark, expecting ultimately
TO make their way to the Aegean over
the ruins of the Turkish Empire. Aus
tria, like Russia, was not unwilling to
see small buffer States set up during
her forward movement, and so most
of the Balkan States of today came
into being.
Serbs Once a Great Race.
OF the Servian race, which in the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
ruled a vast empire, extending over
the western half of the Balkan PENN
sula and the eastern coast of the Ad-
Ratio. practically all had come under
Turkish domination in the sixteenth
century. The Serbs of the hinterland
Of lstria and Dalnratia were soon
taken from Turkey by Austria. and
Montenegro won its Independence.
This left the Serbs of. Bosnia, the
Herzegovina and servla proper. as
well as of the Sanjak Of Novi Bazaar
and Northern Macedonia, still under
Turkish rule.
The Serbs of the present Kingdom
became autonomous in 1880. but re-
VOTED in 1ST6-7S, aiming at complete
freedom. With them Joined their
lnsmen OF Bosnia and Herzegovina,
The Russo-Turkish war which fol-
lowed made great changes in the
Balkans. Servia proper obtained
complete independence, but Bosnia
and Herzegovina were left nominal
Turkish dependencies. but really to
be occupied by Austrian troops
Austria's Seizure of Bosnia
The consequence of this was four
year insurrection against the Aus
TRANS, the effects of which have never
disappeared In 190S-09, using as an
excuse the constitutional revolution in
Turkey. the Hapsburg monarchy for
mally annexed Bosnia and the HerZe-
govina. Germany backed up her ally,
and the protests of the Slav powers
did not go to the extent of war. Mean
while, the Slavs of Dalmatia are under
Hungarian rule. Thus the northern
half OF the Servian race is still under
the Austrian empire.
Meanwhile. the southern half was
finally united by the victories over
Turkey in the war of 1912. Not only
did this reconouest by the Servians OF
the core of their old empire, in West
ern Macedonia, give tremendous inn
pulse to the longing for complete ma
tional unity; it showed the Servian
nation that It's military organization
could be relied on for hard work.
In the fall of 1912 the Servians
100000 men in the first three
weeks. and later added $4,000 more
to the number. The Servian troops
fought brilliantly and proved them
selves efficient and enduring.
Robbed of Fruits of Victory.
But the fruits of this war were In
part taken from them by Austria,
which was responsible for the ruling
OF the powers which compelled the