The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-08-06
THE EUROPEAN WAR.

Everybody is asking the question.
What is all this European war
about?" The crisis which three ms
to develop into the greatest Wa -.
modern times has come about so sud-
den that few persons are aware OF
the real causes which have led up to
the present situation. The following
from the New Orleans Times-Picay-
une briefly states the situation con-
fronting several of the worlds great
powers:
When a few days ago the Aus
trian government sent distinctly
hostile note to Servia, a thrill of eX-
citement passed through Europe, de-
moralizing the bourses, unsettled bus
mess and deprecated prices. 1t
looked as though it was deliberate
invitation to war; as though it would
be impossible to long maintain peace.
and this war, once started, threaten
ed, sooner or later, to drag in nearly
all the powers. 1t seemed inconcelv-
able that q people who hate Austria
as bitterly as do the Serbs would sub
NIT to the humiliating demands made
on them, which included a confess
sion of guilt for the murder OF the
Archduke Ferdinand and promise
that Servia would suppress all pa
triotic Serb societies.
Austria had as much reason to
object to Panslavism in Russia, Pan
slavism in Germany or the movement
of Roumania, which looks forward
to union of all the Roumanians under
the government. Such societies eX-
ist in all countries.
The Austrian note was evidently
intended to irritate Servia and bring
about a war. This threatened to drag
in Russia, which, as the patron and
friend of Servia, could not stand idly
by and see her little friend over
whelmed Germany bristled up at
once and promised to cooperate with
her ally. France denounced the Aus
trian note as cowardly and brutal,
and is obligated to go to Russia's as
sstance in the event Of double at
tack, and under such conditions the
triple alliance would have called upon
Italy to act Thus nearly all the
great powers would. of necessity,
have been dragged into the struggle
and the little Balkan nations could
scarcely have hoped to keep out of it,
in spite of the fact that they are ex-
hausted by their two wars and need
a rest.
In view of the fact that Austria is
in bad condition already, as far as
its business and finances are concern
ed, it's wanton act seemed like mad
ness. The country has suffered great
ly Of late from the depression caused
by the Balkan struggle; by the hos
tility which has killed trade with
Servia and the pTinc!palities to the
south, and by the great expense en-
tailed by the frequent mobilization
and call of its forces to arms on its
southern borders. Crops have failed,
business depression has set in. and
from some of the Austrian provinces
the people are emigrating by tens of
in many cases because Of
lack of food. Those who can get
away are coming to America by the
the government interfer-
ing recently to stop this immigration,
while those who can not hope to
reach seaport are pouring over in
to Germany and italy looking for
work and food. 1t was inconceivable
that a country should want to go to
war under these circumstances, and
this Austrian outbreak and the new
of its army, just ordered,
are difficult to understand"