The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-26


Francis Ferdinand and his wife
L has becn the spark that has
kndied INFO flame the long
smouldorlng embers of Austrian and
seryan hatred. Shocking as that
tragedy was it was after all but one
incident IN a long chapter of political
repr.sals, an incident which Austria
has been quick to selze on as an op-
portunity to vent the hatred of years
on the ll.tle neiShboring State. whose
sggreSs!ons she can no longer ignore
and whose pretens.ons she no longer
dares 20 ,corn.
Aus'ria's ultmatum did not come as
surprise 10 any one who has fol-
lowed her diplomatic manUuvring Of
the past twenty-five years. Austria
has never been able to forgive Servia
for existing at all. and Servia has al
ways hcrccly resented her big neigh
bor's stubborn opposition to her own
schemes for development. For twenty
five years jealousy and enmity have fed
on each other. for twenty-five years
each has irritated the other in all the
numherlcss ways known to skilled poll
tc!ans. for twenty-five years each has
been held in check only by the pressure
OF outside influences. But now the
tragic death of the heir apparent has
, put in Austria's hands an excuse so
powerful that she dares to use IL as
weapon, while Servia, assured of the
shsolute loyalty and unity Of her people
and confident of the backing OF all the
southern Slavs. is only put in the posi-
ton ~ having her hand forced
A. the first thought 1t would seem
tha,. considering the differences in size
and resources. any contest between
these two countries must be unequal
Austria has enjoyed a long period OF
peace and possesses n large and highly
trained army. Servia, on the other
hand is only beginning to recover from
two costly wars. Although she gained
thereby the territory in Macedonia that
che had long coveted, she has not yet
y, had tho time to profit by II. Servia
Is poor and her army comparatively
mail, but she possesses an element
Of strength. the value Of which IL
doubled TO her by reason OF the fact
that the same quality is Austria's great
weakness. The entire Scrvian peo-
pie are a unit on any question Of ma
tonal honor, the disloyalty OF any part
Of its army is an impossible supposition.
On the other hand, the Austrian army,
Ike the Austrian empire. is made up
Of many people of many minds. and
Ia not possible to be quite certain how
Il would conduct itself in n war in which
racial considerations would be involved.
a. IN a war with Servia. In war with
servia practically all the military opera
tons would be conducted IN territory
populated almost wholly by Serbs.
people tied by the sympathy OF COM
mon race and traction TO the people
they would lie lighting; ties that are. to
The southern Slavs. many times more
binding than the slender political threads
that hold them 70 the Austrian en-
S!re, In prosecuting "A war against Ser
via Austria has long known that she
would expose herself to the danger OF
srousng 10 open rebellion her entire
touthern Sav population.
In the present situation, as in every
fareup In the Balkans, the importance
lies not so much in the countries in
volved az in the probability of the en-
nng,eraent N other nations, and the
possibility thcrefrom OF that dread
DOGGY, a general European war. Mon
tenegro has already announced that her
fortunes are cast with Servia. Servia
also, by reason Of the understanding
che has with Greece and Rumania,
might hope for support from them. Ger
many and Italy have declared their In
"A'!on Of standing by their ally Aus
r.a though no one really believes that
ihelr intention - TO do more than To
keep other nations off and so leave Aus
tr'a A clear field.
Bulgaria, while claiming TO rema
20 IL. l. 1nd q
could snatch the chance to revenge her
telf for her defeat by Servla in the Sec
ond Hplhan war. But moro important
than any ~ these is the attitude OF Rus
ga o. which moth ng as yet has been
SAD, Win Russia interfering as the
chief protector Of the Slav people Ger
mar az, !talv could hardly avoid be-
ing actively involved. Without this
,S'r:-rerra Austria can almost GER
'~Al' far" FOR " ctear rTng.
Ansra's ul'lma'um to Servia sets
forth as her pr.acipal grievances the
assassination u the Archduke and his
WIZ" and the official sanction of anti
austrian propaganda. 1t is in fact, how
ever h"r official rcmonstrance against
Me growth OF Pan-SlavIsm which
threatens io aliclatc her South Slav
peop'e, and create powerful Serb
VAT" THIS has been Austria's fear
ever since S"ryia won her freedom from
InrS'v. Sho has rightly gagged Ser
vas ambition to be the nucleus free
eA,e 90 which nj the southern Slavs
ouId attach Themselves and become one
!o"ueal and racial unit, and she claims
" He the existence Of an elaborate
examination that has with official con-
.Fahce been Developed for the further
~ sn,e ~ iD's Ma a1. scheme. I'm her
g' a. go, t.f.