The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-08-20
Factors That Touched
Match For European War

The forces and factors in Europe
that led to war between Germany
and Russia are complex and mani.
fold. Some of them are immediate
and recent in their operation, others
indirect and of long standing. But
if careful discrimination he made
between causes and occasions, the
clue to the labyrinth is in cur hands
and the way through the maze is
clear.
Underneath all the clashing am
bitions Of the Romanoff on one side
and the Hohenzollern and the Haps-
burg on the other lie the pressure OF
economic forces and the conflicting
aspirations of the Slav and the leu
ton. The teeming millions of Russia
are earth-hungry and mad to reach
the sea and it's opportunities for
world-expansicn. The Slavs there
and in central, eastern and south
eastern Europe are impatient to win
their place in the sun and unite in
racial fellowship. The Teutons of
Germany and Austria block their
way and have their own ambitions
to realize and crafty. Conflict be-
tween the two races, European gov
ernments and economic conditions be-
| ing what they are, was irrepressible
and inevitable and has been coming
to head for generations and cen
turtles.
So much for the remote cause. Now
for the immediate occasions
Germanic Austria since 1866 has
been looking under the leadership of
Kaiser Franz and the late Archduke
Ferdinand. both of the .Hapsburg dy-
nasty, to acquire the Slav countries
Of the Balkans and make its way to
the lower Adriatic and the Aegean
But Bulgaria, Montenegro and Servia,
the Slav nationalities, have been
growing in power and prestige, as
have also Greece and Rumania, which
| CIV NV oAdN PNOPASo. 1Auotl Ad HOB
been trying to break them down,
Russia to protect them and build
them up. All have been selfish and
INSCRIPTIONS in their conscious pur-
pose, but each has been partly the
creature of circumstances beyond it's
control Austria has intrigued in the
| tn Sci, inf
and in 1908 annexed Bosnia and Here
govina of it's promise at Berlin in
1878. Russia and the southern Slavs
have schemed in Austria-Hungary to
disrupt the dual monarchy through
revolt by its Slavic subjects. Russia
in 1908 was too weak to resent the
Austro-Hungarian seizure of Bosnia
Herzegovina, but now it is strong
and dares not leave Servia to be
crushed by Austria
Germany's interest lies in support
ing Teutonic Austria as a bulwarl
against the Slav. Germany six years
ago coerced Russia into inaction. Aus
/ u 40 qudlIc1 Will OtINlC
over the assassination of Ferdinand
on June 20 and over pan-Slav agita
ton within the empire was the dclib
J crate challenge of Germany end Aus
tria to Russia The Teuton felt tina
his best hour for fighting the Sla'
had come The triple alliance dare.
to measure swords with the three
fold agreement-Austria Germany an
; Italy against Russia, France and Eng
. land
1t is the final and supreme test o
strength between the two arme
camps OF Europe.
There is right on each side, AM
there is wrong on both sides, hut tn
preponderance Of sympathy and judo
ment in the English-speaking wcrl
falls to Great Britain and Franco a
the proven friends of human freedom
and to Russia as the champion of tn
struggling Slav.