Omaha daily bee., 1914-05-14
AUSTRIA AND RUSSIA AT OUTS
Diplomatic Relations Between En-
pires Practically Suspended.
BOSNIA INCIDENT UPsETs THINGS
Contest for Political and Religious
Control Of Balkan Region Brings
Conditions 20 a stnte OF
Near war.

Conditions 20 n stnte of
Near war.
VIENNA, May 13-One Of the shrewd-
est members of the diplomatic corps IL
Vienna. when asked recently about the
relations between Austria Hungary and
Russia, bluntly answered that there were
none For the last two years there prac-
tically has been no Russian ambassador
at the court Of Vienna. Nominaliy. Of
course there has been an Ambassador.
but he has always found some pretext
for being absent from his post leaving
the official duties to a councillor OF en-
bassy. who mas carefully abstained from
doing anything Similarly, Austria Hun
garys diplomatic representation at 81.
Petersburg has been almost equally per-
functory. Count Szapary was appointed
ambassador to Russia last October, but
up to the present has spent only three
weeks at his post, his absence being
vaguely ascribed TO family reasons.
For some time past there has been
considerable tension in the relations be-
TWEEN the two empires. the precise reasons
for which are difficult to explain. The
whole situation is full Of complications
There are religious and racial questions
involved affecting primarily the two
countries alone. Then there Is the old
rivalry for predominance in the Balkans
and finally the many differences between
the triple alliance and the triple entente.
which exert a most important influence
on the relations existing between the
individual countries in each group.
BOsnLR Incident Upseta Things.
Up to the time of the Austrian annexa-
tion of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908,
the relations between the two countries
had been apparently quite friendly. They
had made a working arrangement in the
Balkans regarding conditions in Mace
donia and although It had not accom-
pllshed much. everything was moving
along smoothly. But the precipitate move
OF the late Austrian foreign minister,
Count Aehrenthal, in the annexation OF
Bosnia upset everything. The Russian
minister, Iswolsky, felt that he had been
duped by his Austrian colleague and
never forgave him. Since then Iswolsky
has been Austro-Hungary's bitterest
enemy, and since, he ig one. OF the most
influential personages in the Russian
I
rake thing very disagreeable in many re-
spects for the dual monarchy. Indeed
there Is very good authority for believing
that an Austro- Russian war was very
near just before the Balkan war broke
out In the fall OF 1912 II was only through
the strong personal efforts of the ven-
cradle Austrian. emperor. Francis Joseph,
that such catastrophe was prevented.
lIt is thought that Emperor Nicholas was
jest as much opposed to war, but he is
no politician and by no means strong
enough to hold dybaclS the firebrands in
1.-THE Russian national committee.
PersOpaI Relations Cordial.
The personal relations between the two
imperial families are OF the most cordial
character 1t is sometimes even said
that the Hapsburgs are really pro Rus
sian. The hate ArchduKe Charles Louis
brother of the emperor and father Goi
Archduke Francis Ferdinand. the heir d
the throne. was always a great friend OF
Russia, and hls sympathies in that d.
rection are believed TO have been, to
some extent inherited by his son.
Archduke Charles Louis. who was the
patron OF the principal Austrian indus
trial associations and a very far-sighted
man, perceived the important role that
commerce and industry would one day
play in International relations. at least
twenty years before European statesmer
had begun TO pay any attention to thesS
factors. He knew very well that Russia
would never be likely to inJure Austria'l
foreign commerce very much. while Ger.
many would some day ruin IT, Russia
besices having an enormous home market
to supply has practically no great indus
tries, while Germany ia constantly on the
lookout for new markets to conquer.
Events have proved the correctness ol
the archduke's views. Twenty-Five yeari
ago Austria Hungary almost monopoliEec
the trade Of the Balkans and Turkey anC
Egypt. Today the bulk OF the trade IL
these countries has gone into the hands
of the Germans. Indeed, the aggressiv,
methods OF German merchants in tryinl
10 capture Austria's commerce in tn,
near east are bitterly resented by thei
Austrian rivals.
Fight Largely Religious.
The sympathies and feelings OF the tw,
governments and the two peoples ar
very different from those prevailing be
|. tween the rulers. The so-called nations
committee in Russia is most violentl!
anti-Austrian and is straining ever,
p nerve TO gain absolute control of tn
Balkans. The fight is largely religion
one. Russia wanting to bring all tn
Balkans under the sway Of the Orthodox
church and to force the Roman Catholi
part OF the populations, as we'll as tn
a MuSselmans to acknowledge the su
! premNcy OF the Russian church II
a this which explains Russia's hostile att
q tude TO King Ferdinand OF Bulgaria, VIII
q has remained a Roman Catholic. althoug
Il he permitted his eldest son, Prince Bori.
to Join the Orthodox church. Russi
a would never consent TO gratifying Catho
= lie Ferdinand's ambition to become rule
Il OF the Balkans
n SO far nom tending TO clear up tn
complications in the Balkans the Teceu
wars have left the situation more com
plieated than ever. Count witte, IN
Russian statesman, recently declared tha
only the first act in the great drama ha
yet been PLAYED Now a the interval he