The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1914-08-08
ESTABLISHED 1870
European Powers Have
Long Prepared For War

moan powers, the Triple Alliance and
the Triple Entente, stand face to face
with the obvious possibility that war
may result from the clash of rival
nurposes. To-day Russia. France
and Great Britain are in one camp.
Germany, Austria and Italy in the
other, and between the two lies the
old question of European balance of
power.
In 1909. when Austria annexed
Bosnia, France, Great Britain and
Russia protested. The annexation
was in fact an express violation of
the agreement made in the great con-
gress of Berlin after the Russo-Turk-
ish war. II not merely increased the
territory of a member of the Triple
Alliance. but it extinguished the
hope of little Slav State racially,
politically, religiously related to
Russia.
At the critical moment in 1909.
Germany appeared in shining arm
or" declared for Austrian purposes
and threw her sword into the bal
ance. Russia and her allies were
unready for war and were compelled
to accept the crushing and humilat-
ing defeat-but the consequences of
the defeat were manifold. From
that hour began Russian intriguing
in the Balkans to promote that unity
which was presently to destroy Tur-
key.
In 1911, when Germany sent her
warships to Agadir, the two groups
came into collision again. In 1909
Germany had threatened Russia; in
1911 she menaced France, demanding
as the price of recognition of a
French protectorate in Morocco huge
territorial grants for herself. But
this time the Triple Entente was less
compliant. British fleets assembled.
Russian armies were modified and
finally Lloyd George made the men,
orable speech which amounted to a
warning TO Germany that England
stood with France.
Then it was Germany's time to
yield, as it had been Russia's in 1909.
Some territorial gain she did make
in the swamps of the Ubanghi. but
Morocco became French, German
prestige was terribly shaken, and
the passionate resentment of the
German people has found expression
ever since in the press and in the ut
terances of many of her public men.
The defeat of the Triple Alliance
in Morocco was quickly followed by
disasters more serious. Italy went
to Tripoli, and in making war upon
Turkey, attacked power regarded
IN Germany as an ally. whose army,
German trained, was confidently ex-
pected to stand with the Triple Alli-
ance on the great day of European
conflict.
Defeated by Italy, Turkey was
next compelled to face the alliance OF
the Balkan States, whose union was
the direct product of Russian diplo-
macy. With the victories of Lule
Bargas, Kumanovo and Jenidje Var
dar, Turkish power in Europe col
lapsed and the small Balkan States,
increased by great territorial gain,
stood on Austria's southern frontier,
barring her road to the Aegean, and
inlthe case of Servia, threatening to
play the role on the Danube that
Sardinia had played on the Pc, and
unite the southern Slavs as Sardinia
united Italy.
To prevent this Austria resorted to
desperate tactics. Like Germany, she
had expected Turkish victory, and
the Osmanli ruin found her unpre-
pared, Toward Servia she adopted
bullying tactics. To break up the
Balkan alliance, which was in fact a
Russian creation and an adjunct to
The Triple Entente. she promoted the
dlssension among the Balkan allies
which resulted in the second war.
But again Austria backed the
wrong horse. Not only was Bull
garia defeated and Servia still fur
ther increased in territory and pres
uge but Austrian support for Bull
garla had alienated Roumania, hither-
TO the SteadfaSt friend of the TriD,e